Safety Signage in the Workplace: The 3 Main Types

Are you familiar with the different types of safety signage in the workplace? Signs, of course, are used to convey information. The term "safety signage" specifically refers to signs that convey safety-related information. You can find them in most workplaces. Upon seeing these signs, workers will know what steps or precautions they must take to protect themselves from injury or illness.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has defined three primary types of safety signage. They are all used to convey safety-related information, but they feature different levels of severity. To learn more about the three primary types of safety signage and how they differ, keep reading.

#1) Danger

Danger safety signs represent the highest level of severity. They indicate a hazard in the surrounding environment that, if not avoided, will cause death or serious injury. You won't find danger safety signs in all workplaces. Because they represent the highest level of severity, their applications are somewhat limited.

#2) Warning

In addition to danger, there are warning safety signs. Warning safety signs are still used to convey safety-related information, but they are a step down from their danger counterparts in terms of severity. Warning safety signs indicate a hazard that may cause serious injury or death.

The key difference between danger and warning safety signs is that the former indicates a hazard that will cause death or serious injury. In comparison, warning safety signs indicate a hazard that may cause serious injury or death. Workers should heed both types of safety signs, but danger safety signs represent the highest level of severity.

#3) Caution

Finally, caution safety signs are those that represent the lowest level of severity. Caution safety signs specifically indicate a hazard that, if not avoided, may cause a minor or moderate injury. They are the most common type of safety signage in the workplace. You can find cation safety signs around machines, equipment and even storage areas. All caution safety signs indicate a hazard that may cause a minor or moderate injury if workers fail to avoid them.

In Conclusion

Safety signage in the workplace often falls under one of three categories: danger, warning and caution. These are three main types of safety signage in terms of severity. Danger safety signs indicate a hazard with the highest level of severity. Warning safety signs indicate a hazard with a medium-level of severity. And caution safety signs indicate a hazard with a low level of severity.