Plan for OSHA Construction Safety Signs at Your Job Site | SONCO

What Are the Standards for OSHA Construction Safety Signs?

Construction sites pose a high accident risk, and some work crews see two, three or ten accidents before a major project is complete. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction accidents account for 150,000 injuries and one in five annual worker deaths. It’s a high cost, and one Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulators hope to curb with vigilant construction site safety planning.

Correctly implemented construction safety signs warn workers and pedestrians of hazards and remind them to take precautions to avoid injuries. Posting required warnings keeps your work zone compliant with regulatory standards. Most importantly, OSHA warning signs help prevent potential accidents or loss of life while reducing work stoppages and liability risk. General contractors and road crew supervisors oversee a safe, efficient workplace when they understand job site hazards and install mandatory and recommended OSHA construction signs.

We created this printable SONCO safety sign guide to help you identify work zone dangers, acquire compliant signage, and meet OSHA’s stringent standards for construction site safety.

TEP 1: Identify Workplace Hazards

The potential for accidents and injuries exists at every worksite. Recognizing this, OSHA requires general safety signage to (1) convey information, (2) give directions, (3) identify safety procedures, and (4) post work zone precautions and restrictions.

Construction crews may also combine general safety signs into single, large-format fence screens that are eye-catching and user-friendly. SONCO’s talented design team helps work zone supervisors create branded, aggregate safety signs that are attractive and easy to read. Ask our team about replacing the many unsightly fence signs cluttering your job site!

Potential On-Site Dangers Requiring Signage

Road construction, building repairs and other work zones all carry their own sets of safety concerns. Depending on the environment, selected OSHA construction safety signs inform employees, vendors and the general public about hazards like these:

• Slipping, tripping & falling
• Moving vehicles & traffic congestion
• Crane & heavy equipment instability
• Excavation collapse & confined spaces
• Power tool use & mishaps
• Equipment pinch points
• Fire hazards & burn risk
• Drowning risk
• Electrocution risk
• Chemical & gas exposure risk

To protect team members and the surrounding public, create your construction safety plan and follow OSHA’s strict compliance guidelines for construction site safety signs. Find more information in the U.S. Federal Register 67:57722-57736 detailing OSHA’s rule for Safety Standards for Signs, Signals and Barricades.

STEP 2: Classify Work Zone Risks to Determine Needed Signs

OSHA 1910.145 designates three risk levels for construction site signs: caution, warning and danger. In addition, OSHA 1926.200 calls for accident prevention tags that warn of temporarily unsafe job site equipment or conditions. Standardized sign colors, messages and graphics facilitate fast, easy recognition and avoidance of on-site dangers.

OSHA caution signs warn of hazards or practices that could result in minor to moderate injuries. Requirements include:

• Yellow sign background
• Black panel with yellow lettering
• The displayed word CAUTION
• Safety alert symbol to the left side

OSHA warning signs indicate conditions that could lead to serious injury or death. Standard warning sign requirements include:

• Orange sign background
• Black lettering
• The displayed word WARNING
• Safety alert symbol to the left side

OSHA danger signs alert workers to take immediate precautions to avoid severe injury and death. These risks are emphasized with the following requirements:

• Red sign background
• White lettering
• The displayed word DANGER
• Safety alert symbol to the left side

Accident prevention tags indicate temporary but serious hazards like malfunctioning equipment, unsafe structures or the presence of dangerous conditions and substances. Because these tags warn about imminent risks, they usually feature the same graphics as OSHA danger signs. Once hazardous conditions are corrected, OSHA requires accident prevention tag removal.

STEP 3: Implementing Safety Signage at Your Job Site

Having proper construction site safety signage is only half the job of ensuring workplace safety. Correct implementation is just as important! Since every work zone is different, OSHA offers general guidance for construction safety sign application, including:

• Visibility. Signs must be visible from a safe distance, so workers have adequate time to react and avoid hazards. The risk level notations (caution, warning, danger) should be readable from five feet away, and signs should be legible under normal operating conditions.
• Unobstructed Viewing & Sign Safety. Signs should not obstruct views or create hazardous conditions. Metal sign edges should be rounded, smooth and dulled to prevent injury when handled.
  Stationary placement. Signs should be posted in immobile positions near the hazard. Avoid placement on objects like windows, doors or equipment that could be moved during the project’s course.
• Illumination. If signage headings or colors aren’t readable at an adequate distance, signs should be illuminated.

Purchase SONCO Stock & Custom OSHA Construction Signs

SONCO’s in-house design team creates durable, easy-to-read OSHA construction safety signage for your building, road work or excavation work zone. Order stock bilingual security screens to replace dozens of smaller signs for entrance designation, safety equipment identification and prohibited worksite items.

Custom OSHA Safety Signs – Add the Company Name/Logo to the Safety Signage

Customized OSHA-compliant signs and branded worksite signs are an essential part of a solid construction safety plan. Download the SONCO design services PDF for artwork details and information about professional graphic design services. Click here for further details about job site safety. You can also dial 855.430.6420 to speak with a SONCO Crowd Control team member about OSHA signage requirements or safety implementation at construction site areas. We are construction and roadwork experts, and we’re here to help.