There is one very basic reason why safety signs are important €" if you can't verbally communicate a message with a person then you must get your message across in a different way. The message is made all the more important when you're communicating with a group of people, when the message is relevant on a constant basis, such as every day and not just at a given point in time, and when the consequence for failing to following instructions potentially leads to damage or death. Signs are visual expressions of messages that would otherwise have been shared verbally.
How do Signs Function
In basic terms, a person who sees a sign only has one opportunity to understand its meaning. For instance, if a person misunderstands a verbal message he can ask for it to be repeated. If he misunderstands a portion of the message he can ask for some form of clarification, and the one issuing the message might emphasize certain words or explain himself in order to convey the message more accurately. However, none of this is possible with a sign €" whatever the viewer sees is what he gets and most places that post signs don't hire someone to stand nearby and explain them. If the message conveyed by the sign is not clear, he cannot ask for further clarification. Furthermore, if the message of the sign is one to be understood in an instance of emergency, such as a fire, it has to take into account that people will not have the time or be in the space of mind to try to understand it. In other words, a sign must convey its message quickly and accurately.
Sign Visibility
Two main factors apply when considering sign visibility: physical appearance and placement. It is true that certain colors attract more visual attention than do others, such as red or orange. Symbols are also largely understood within certain cultural contexts to convey specific meanings. For example, in the West, an exclamation point communicates enthusiasm or importance. Transferred to a visual sign, an exclamation point translates to a need for attentiveness or simply to draw attention to the sign itself. Once you've gotten the person's attention with a symbol or color he is more likely to read the message on the sign. A sign must also be placed in a location where it is easily visible to a person, usually at somewhere within the range of eye level. A sign placed too high or too low might just escape a person's visual range.
Misunderstanding Signs
What's more is that signs often as well display visual elements, such as a picture, emblem or logo. If the graphic chosen does not convey a commonly or universally understood meaning, such as the "no smoking" symbol, then it fails to transfer a valid message to a person who sees it.
Either a misunderstood verbal or visual message, or a combination of the two, can lead to a range of more or less severe repercussions. For example, a misunderstood no smoking sign might lead to a conflict between smokers and non-smokers, but a misunderstood hazardous materials sign might lead to personal damage. For this reason it is of utmost importance that the layout of a sign takes into account the psychological factors relevant to communicating its message accurately.
The language barrier is also a factor when considering sign effectiveness. For this reason a sign should be displayed in whatever languages are normally spoken in a given area. For example, English and Spanish are commonly spoken in certain regions of the United States and therefore signs should be displayed in two or more languages.
An offshoot of the importance of a sign's physical appearance is the fact that a damaged sign might be hard, or impossible, to read. If the sign is made of a pliable material and been bent, or does not have a durable lamination covering and the letters have been scratched off, the sign might be indecipherable.
Legal Issues
Because all of the previously mentioned are instrumental in good safety sign protocol, signs are associated with certain legal obligations, such as those of the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996. According to the Health and Safety Regulations 1996, signs are required in areas of risk that are not mitigated by other factors, such as physical barriers that bar against entry and other safety measures. Signs must display colors and symbols that clearly define their meaning. Text is optional, but a sign may not contain only text without an image. In accordance with the previous paragraphs, damaged or faded signs must be replaced with familiar symbols. In the workplace, such signs need to be explained so that employees know what course of action the sign suggests.
Signs must also comply with the safety standards set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an agency belonging to the United States Department of Labor. OSHA regulates such areas as occupational safety and health standards, general environmental controls and specifications for accident prevention signs and tags. Signs must also comply with the specifications of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which determines the criteria for safety symbols (ANSI Z535.3-2002) and establishes the safety color code (ANSI Z535.1-2006) and other regulatory acts.
How do Signs Function
In basic terms, a person who sees a sign only has one opportunity to understand its meaning. For instance, if a person misunderstands a verbal message he can ask for it to be repeated. If he misunderstands a portion of the message he can ask for some form of clarification, and the one issuing the message might emphasize certain words or explain himself in order to convey the message more accurately. However, none of this is possible with a sign €" whatever the viewer sees is what he gets and most places that post signs don't hire someone to stand nearby and explain them. If the message conveyed by the sign is not clear, he cannot ask for further clarification. Furthermore, if the message of the sign is one to be understood in an instance of emergency, such as a fire, it has to take into account that people will not have the time or be in the space of mind to try to understand it. In other words, a sign must convey its message quickly and accurately.
Sign Visibility
Two main factors apply when considering sign visibility: physical appearance and placement. It is true that certain colors attract more visual attention than do others, such as red or orange. Symbols are also largely understood within certain cultural contexts to convey specific meanings. For example, in the West, an exclamation point communicates enthusiasm or importance. Transferred to a visual sign, an exclamation point translates to a need for attentiveness or simply to draw attention to the sign itself. Once you've gotten the person's attention with a symbol or color he is more likely to read the message on the sign. A sign must also be placed in a location where it is easily visible to a person, usually at somewhere within the range of eye level. A sign placed too high or too low might just escape a person's visual range.
Misunderstanding Signs
What's more is that signs often as well display visual elements, such as a picture, emblem or logo. If the graphic chosen does not convey a commonly or universally understood meaning, such as the "no smoking" symbol, then it fails to transfer a valid message to a person who sees it.
Either a misunderstood verbal or visual message, or a combination of the two, can lead to a range of more or less severe repercussions. For example, a misunderstood no smoking sign might lead to a conflict between smokers and non-smokers, but a misunderstood hazardous materials sign might lead to personal damage. For this reason it is of utmost importance that the layout of a sign takes into account the psychological factors relevant to communicating its message accurately.
The language barrier is also a factor when considering sign effectiveness. For this reason a sign should be displayed in whatever languages are normally spoken in a given area. For example, English and Spanish are commonly spoken in certain regions of the United States and therefore signs should be displayed in two or more languages.
An offshoot of the importance of a sign's physical appearance is the fact that a damaged sign might be hard, or impossible, to read. If the sign is made of a pliable material and been bent, or does not have a durable lamination covering and the letters have been scratched off, the sign might be indecipherable.
Legal Issues
Because all of the previously mentioned are instrumental in good safety sign protocol, signs are associated with certain legal obligations, such as those of the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996. According to the Health and Safety Regulations 1996, signs are required in areas of risk that are not mitigated by other factors, such as physical barriers that bar against entry and other safety measures. Signs must display colors and symbols that clearly define their meaning. Text is optional, but a sign may not contain only text without an image. In accordance with the previous paragraphs, damaged or faded signs must be replaced with familiar symbols. In the workplace, such signs need to be explained so that employees know what course of action the sign suggests.
Signs must also comply with the safety standards set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an agency belonging to the United States Department of Labor. OSHA regulates such areas as occupational safety and health standards, general environmental controls and specifications for accident prevention signs and tags. Signs must also comply with the specifications of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which determines the criteria for safety symbols (ANSI Z535.3-2002) and establishes the safety color code (ANSI Z535.1-2006) and other regulatory acts.