Hazards At Work

Slips and trips and falls can be the most dangerous risk when working. In fact, they are the most common cause of injury at work. Slips, trips and falls cause over one third of injuries at work, and account for over half of injuries in workplaces with public access. This makes hazard signage a vital part of any workplace.

 

Minimising The Hazard

As with most risks at work, the priority should be to minimise or completely remove them. However there are often circumstances where a potentially dangerous situation can’t be avoided, and signage needs to be used to warn workers of the risks. HSE have listed the steps that should be taken in order to initially analyse and attempt to minimise the risk:

 

  • Prevent floors from getting wet or contaminated in the first place.
  • Have procedures in place for both routine and responsive cleaning.
  • If a spillage does happen, clean it up quickly.
  • If floors are left wet after cleaning, stop anyone walking on them until they are dry and use the right cleaning methods and products.
  • Look out for trip hazards, such as uneven floors or trailing cables, and encourage good housekeeping by your workers.
  • Make sure workers wear footwear that is suitable for the environment they are working in.
  • Make sure your flooring is suitable, or floors likely to get wet are of a type that does not become unduly slippery.

 

If the above steps can’t be taken for one reason or another, steps need to be taken to advise workers of hazardous surfaces, electricity or fire risks, dangerous chemicals or various other potential dangers.

 

If you want to learn even more about safety signage, including what they mean and how to identify them. You can take a look at our other blog post Safety Signs – What is the Importance of them?

 

Pictograms

Hazard pictograms, for example, alert us to the presence of a hazardous chemical.  The pictograms help us to know that the chemicals we are using might cause harm to people or the environment. One or more pictograms may appear on the labelling of a single chemical. This ensures that users know the dangers of using it, and what the outcomes can be if not used properly.

 

Making The Best Use Of Your Hazard Signage

Hazard signage can be a great way to enforce safety and make sure care is taken when completing certain tasks. Accidents can very easily be avoided onsite with proper use of hazard signage. The signs should be placed in a clear, obvious area that makes them easily visible to anyone onsite.

 

Click here to check out our vast range of Hazard Warning Signs!

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Slippery Floor

On Wednesday 26th September, a team from Redhill-based signage company Stocksigns joined forces with staff and partners at Gatwick Airport, to take part in a sponsored walk showcasing the pedestrian routes that surround the airport.

Over 40 people donned their trainers and set off to discover lakes, walking trails, tunnels and underpasses all whilst helping raise valuable funds for the Gatwick TravelCare charity. The charity assists over 2,000 passengers with travel-related problems each year. With a knowledgeable team, many of whom are volunteers, TravelCare are on hand to ensure that passenger journeys through the airport are smooth, enjoyable and any problems are resolved as quickly as possible.

David Harbison, Stocksigns Senior Project Development Manager worked with Sara Marchant, Accessibility Manager at Gatwick Airport  to arrange the event.
“Having worked closely with Gatwick over the past 6 years, Stocksigns were delighted to be able to support Sara raise the profile of the many walking trails that surround the airport. I am sure many of the staff and passengers may be surprised to know that they could access such beautiful green space within a 5 minute walk of the terminal buildings” said David.

“Although the route may be a hidden gem for some, many are already in the ‘know’ as our team discovered when they met cyclists, runners and picnickers while completing the walk. One innovative taxi driver was waiting for his passenger to arrive while enjoying a spot of fishing by the lake – which we all agreed was a fantastic way to pass the time!”

Stocksigns Managing Director, Danny Adamson added “As a company we appreciate that regular walking can help both mental and physical health, and as such we introduced the Friday walking club.  So when the opportunity came to work on this joint initiative with one of our key customers it was the perfect fit for us.”

“The walk raised over £250 and we would like to thank everyone that took part on the day”.

How do photoluminescent signs work?

Photoluminescent fire sign

Photoluminescence occurs when a material absorbs photons (light energy) and then emits them back when the light source is removed i.e. in the dark, creating a noticeable lighting effect. Photoluminescent safety signs are designed to absorb photons from ambient light and then re-emit them in darkened conditions.

With a internal lifespan of up to 25 years they can also save money by not using electricity. Being maintenance free there is no need for costly regular testing regimes associated with ensuring the correct functionality of electrical signs. We have extended the use of photoluminescent material beyond fire safety signs with many other health and safety signs including hazard signs, prohibition signs, chemical safety signs, first aid signs and custom signage requirements. We have also created floor signs and tapes to aid your wayfinding during emergency evacuations.

 

 

 

Cost savings with photoluminescent signage

In addition to their cost effectiveness, eco-friendly safety signs are also more reliable than traditional exit signs due to increased visibility due to their natural ability to glow in the dark. Free from light bulbs they are the optimal signage solution in the event of emergency situations that result from structural shock falling debris. Using eco-friendly photoluminescence signs alongside your electrical fire exit signs  is a cost effective way to help a companies’ journey to ‘go green’.

 

Reduce your carbon footprint

Fire exit

Going green and being environmentally friendly is a hot topic for businesses. As well as being cost effective and functional there are additional environmental benefits of using photoluminescent signs.Many companies are committed to recycling and purchasing non-toxic supplies, but still work in buildings whose materials, electrical systems and waste systems have been in place long before being “eco” became the business buzz word of the moment and before the economic benefits of being green were truly understood. Different companies will have different factors to consider when improving their green credentials. For example, a solicitors firm will have different concerns than a construction site. Electrical fire safety signs are environmentally unfriendly due to their never-ending demand for electricity. Being lit 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, they also contribute to driving up companies’ fuel costs. Therefore by using photoluminescent signs brings both an economical and an environmental benefit. Often recognised as best practice in the UK, photoluminescent sign systems have also been adopted throughout the EU and USA.

 

How to use your photoluminescent signs

For your signs to be effective they will require initial activation from a good light source – this can be natural or artificial. Check out our video below to get the most out of your signs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMU_oxGwcbk

 

 

Have you seen our article anywhere? Apologies if we fooled you – we couldn’t resist!

This week Theresa May officially started the Brexit process with the triggering of Article 50.  As expected, many changes to laws and legislation established by the EU will begin to take place across Britain.  These changes will include all road signs which feature metric measurements.  Here at Stocksigns we have been busy designing the new signs in preparation for Britain’s leave.

In 1976, three years after Britain joined the European Economic Community (EEC), Stocksigns produced our first metric signs for use in schools, businesses and on public highways.  This was because the EEC had begun theGood vehicle weight restriction process of metrication and was phasing out traditional, imperial measurements.

When Britain has completely left the EU the metric system will no longer be mandatory.  In keeping with the changes, metric road signs will also be converted to imperial.

 

Original 7.5 tonne weight warning and the new imperial sign

Sports centre directory

 

New imperial signs will be introduced gradually across the country and will be implemented by local councils, health and safety bodies and educational facilities.  As well as large signs in public places, such as wayfinding notices and motorways, the conversions will take place in sports centres, schools and nurseries.  For example, swimming pools which are currently measured at 25 metres or 50 metres will, in the future, be displayed as 82 feet 3 inches and 164 feet 4 inches.

An example of future signage for sports centres

 

Nicolle Kane, marketing manager for Stocksigns Group said, “We are honoured to have been asked to produce these new signs and are very excited to reveal the first pre-production examples.

“In addition to these we are also introducing a varieMen/women at workty of new safety notices to promote equality in the workplace.  As well as our ‘Men At Work’ signs we will introduce ‘Women At Work’ and ‘People At Work’ across the board.

Original Warning Men Working Sign and New Women Working

“An entirely new set of notices have also been commissioned.  The Brexit warning notice will be used to alert members of the public to areas which have already been converted to imperial measurements.”

The new signage is expected to be trialled in Surrey within the next two years.

 

Imperial humps signImperial bridge signBrexit must be kept clear sign

 

Article 50 ahead signBrexit layout signWarning Brexit ahead sign

 

Vitreous enamel signs have been used for over a 100 years. However the enamelling process is believed to date back much further. We are often asked why people still choose vitreous enamel signs over more modern products. The answer is simple, nothing can compare to vitreous enamel signs in terms of;

  • Fire retardant properties – Vitreous Enamel signs are chosen for underground applications
  • Low maintenance – Very hard wearing
  • Environmental resistance – ideal for corrosive industrial or severe atmospheres
  • Long life – look as good as new for forty years or more
  • Vandal Resistance – graffiti and impact resistance

These exceptionally hard wearing and aesthetically pleasing signs are often still the preferred choice for many designers. The typical hard wearing qualities associated with Vitreous Enamel are created during the skilled manufacturing process. We have created a short film to give you a brief idea of what is involved.

The Vitreous Enamel Signs Manufacturing process

There has been much talk recently about signs pollution, the proliferation of signs all over our town and countryside, from high street to motorway, from factory to farm. Which not only can blight our landscape or built environment, but also cause confusion by virtue of the sign’s own cluttering promiscuity.

Does this apply to health and safety signs?

Not so, in our view. First, the very purpose of properly located and appropriate safety signage is to protect staff and visitors on your premises, when all other means to mitigate a risk has been considered an actioned. In this case “familiarity does NOT breed contempt – rather the continual and consistent viability of such safety aids increases awareness and comprehension of the potential dangers and the means of avoiding or evading them. This is not just a negative “do not” approach as is evident from essential use of fire and emergency exit signs in their various forms.

Secondly, the key to effective health and safety signage starts with the comprehensive assessment of the risks in a workplace and, where these can not be avoided, the selection of the most appropriate signs – which in many cases, separate safety messages can be incorporated in one multi-purpose sign, so quite legitimately saving space and money.

Safety Signs Training

A further crucial ingredient is the general level of safety awareness that is developed within your organisation, and in particular, the education and training of staff with respect to safety signs. Here, there are a number of aides, such as pocket guides (for example, these can be included in an induction pack) and the Health and Safety Law Poster that are in any event a legal requirement to display.

In all these areas Stocksigns can help, although ultimately, of course the responsibility lies with you. Our advice, a combination of physical surveys and the wide range of signs on offer, will eliminate the over-use of signs, but protect the organisation, and its employees and visitors, which after all, is the whole point.