Despite a rise in the number of people working from home, every employer has a duty to keep their employees safe in the workplace. With over 650,000 workplace injuries every year, ensuring your workplace has all the signs is essential in helping to keep your employees safe.
UK Health and Safety Legislation Poster
Under the 1989 regulation, all employers must either display the HSE-approved poster or provide each of their employees with the equivalent leaflet. The poster is designed to provide the health and safety information for employees in an easy-to-read and informative way.
Fire Exit and Emergency Escape Signs
Employers have a duty of care towards their staff to ensure that their property complies with current regulations and that pertains to fire exit and emergency escape signage too. Fire exit and emergency escape signs should clearly indicate the direction of travel to safely exit the building as quickly as possible following an alarm, as well as where to meet following an evacuation.
First Aid Signs
Not only do workplaces need a first aid box, but they need the corresponding first aid safety sign to indicate the location of the box. You should also show new employees the location of the box and logbook during their induction, as well as point out who the emergency first-aider at work is.
No Smoking Signs
Since 2007, smoking indoors has been illegal. A no smoking sign is a reminder that smoking within the workplace is forbidden, and many workplaces only allow smoking in designated areas away from the premises.
Wash your hands signs
We're more aware than ever before of the necessity of washing our hands, but adding a practical and friendly reminder to all colleagues to wash their hands is encouraged. Ensuring employees maintain a high standard of cleanliness and practise good handwashing can help keep germs at bay and help stop the spread of illnesses.
Personal Protective Equipment
If you work in a workplace, like a construction site, that requires workers to wear PPE then having signs throughout the workplace to serve as a friendly reminder is encouraged. These signs indicate the type of PPE that should be worn in certain areas and feature white symbols on a blue background.
The signs should be sufficient enough to be seen from a distance and have clear images and text. Ideally, they will be placed by relevant entrances and again within the designated working areas.
What the law says about safety signs
Although the law makes allowances for minor deviations to suit circumstances, standard symbols and signs should be used for all safety signs within the workplace.