It takes a second for an accident to occur and a lifetime to forget it! Accidents are unpredictable but, they are not unavoidable. A moment of being cautious can help one say goodbye to regrets. Safety signs are one such option to avoid accidents coming your way. The safety signs in Australia gives specific importance to being safe at the workplace. It plays a crucial role in a work environment and prepares the workers for any possible hazard.
Statistics say that around 3751 workers were fatally injured while working, from 2003 to 2018, in Australia.
A business firm must make sure that they warn their workers before the hazards in the workplace. To do this, they can introduce safety sign boards wherever required.
Why signboards for warning?
During a critical emergency, anybody will lose their calm. It becomes hard to think further. Nervousness and fear will take over psychologically. So, a way out of the danger can do some help. Signboards are preferred in such cases because they portray a visual illustration.
Any layman would understand it as it gives a direct message of what can be done and whatnot. Signboard can spread the message quicker!
Putting up signboards at one’s workplace shows how committed they are to their worker’s safety. It will reduce one’s responsibility for any mishap that takes place.
Though these signboards can help out of any danger, an idea about what they mean is essential. The safety signs in Australia are of six categories.
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The MUST DO signs
These are signs depicting a mandatory precaution that one has to follow. These boards are usually blue and white. A blue circle is seen within which a white symbol is present.
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The CAN’T DO signs
This signboard is one of the most common kinds of signboard many are aware of. It is of a red circle, depicting an action with a cross-line over it. It means that the specific action must be refrained from doing. These are called the prohibition signs and, the most common one is the ‘NO ENTRY’ seen where public entry is not allowed.
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The HURT YOU signs
It is a sign that depicts warning and, one must be careful on seeing them. These signs tell about a possible hazard that may come in one’s way. However, these hazards may be hurting or injurious but not life-threatening ones. Yellow background with a black triangle that encloses the hazardous action depicts a HURT YOU sign.
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The KILL YOU signs
These are signs that can warn one about a life-threatening hazard. They are commonly known as the ‘Danger Sign’. A red oval containing the word danger in bold inside a black rectangle depicts a KILL YOU sign. One has to keep an eye on these signboards as they warn of fatal harm.
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The FIRE EQUIP signs
Fire accidents are seemingly becoming common these days. The FIRE EQUIP signboards are the ones that help one identify fire alarms and extinguishers in a particular area. Red background with white text and pictograph of a fire hoss depicts a Fire sign. Following these signboards to find necessary pieces of equipment reduces the risk of a fire accident.
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The SAFETY FIRST signs
In cases of emergency, people seem to panic. Safety first boards usually depict Emergency exits and their directions. Signboards with green background and white texts and symbols help to take a safety measure. One must always have in mind to look for green boards in case of an emergency.
Apart from these safety signboards, one must make sure of the safety equipment available. Making emergency exits and having a fire alarm are safety essentials at a workplace. Signboards at the workplace are visual lifesavers!
