The National Association of Safety Professionals recently discussed OSHA's news that over 2,000 personal protective standards citations occurred in 2023 alone. Many of these would have been avoidable, which is why personal protection signs exist to help inform employees of how to mitigate many of the risks associated with the workplace. Do you know what your place of employment uses and if it is enough to match OSHA requirements?

​Below, we describe the purpose and definition of several of these signs, allowing you to understand the requirements for using these images in the workplace. Discover what effective and compliant signage looks like today.

OSHA standard 1910.133 mandates that workers need to use eye protection wherever anything might come into contact with their eyes, such as:

Such signs act as a preventative measure. They aim to minimize eye injuries and maintain employee safety by informing people of required eye protection.

Correctly placing these around zones related to manufacturing, chemicals, or machinery ensures they remain visible and compliant with OSHA's sign placement mandates. To ensure that they will maintain their visibility over time, OSHA also demands that they be able to withstand harsh industrial environments. You can then expect them to remain legible for extended periods.

​You should also regularly inspect these signs. In locations where they may come under significant wear and tear, you will need to audit them occasionally. If changes in the workplace occur, you should also change them so they remain up-to-date.

The workplace safety signs will constantly remind employees and visitors that they are entering a designated "hard hat zone," regardless of the specific headwear they use.

You should place these at all entry points to guarantee clear visibility and that those seeing them will take action to protect themselves. You can then significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents.

​As work continues, move any industrial safety signage periodically as appropriate to ensure ongoing compliance and the long-term effectiveness of the signs.

Signs that discuss hand protection are crucial to give people clear instructions on mandatory glove use in areas that may contain hazards related to:

Signage should communicate the specific glove types required in a location and the risk for which they are necessary. Doing this can ensure that your employees follow OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.138.

Place safety compliance signage in convenient and visible locations where workers should first don hand protection. For example, near glove dispensers or nearby entry points to hazardous areas. If there are places where specific hazards are more prominent or a worker may handle hazardous items, these rules may require reinforcement here.

To adhere to OSHA standards, you must install protective equipment signs that warn employees of environments with excessively high noise levels. Such locations, such as factories and workshops, can often cause hearing damage if workers do not protect themselves.

If you are unsure about the noise levels that mandate these signs, OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.95 reiterates the specifics you must follow.

​Safety sign installation should occur at entrances to locations where the noise is likely to exceed tolerable levels. You should also place them close to ear protection stations or other places where noisy equipment may operate to ensure compliance

Foot protection is mandatory in locations with the potential for foot injuries. These locations include when working in an area with the potential of:

Signs should refer to the specific potential dangers and appear in locations where the employee can take steps to remain safe. For example:

Make sure to use high-visibility signs and ensure they are resistant to the potential rigors of their environment. You should also ensure they are high-visibility when placed in expansive areas to make it less likely that visitors and workers can ignore or fail to spot them.

You need to ensure people safeguard themselves from respiratory problems whenever there is the potential for airborne particles or chemicals to be in the area. Such materials include:

Signage must indicate the specific respirator types used in the different zones. Place them in and around areas where people may need them and next to respirator storage locations. These signs must always be clear in as many different lighting situations as possible in case fumes or gases have the potential to obscure them.

If you have elevated work areas or open edges, fall protection is required to prevent accidents. These should reinforce the use of barriers or safety harnesses and remind workers of the existence of falls in general, as per OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1926.501.

Personal protection signs such as those listed above are valuable tools that can help you prevent accidents in the workplace and avoid OSHA citations. Implementing them boosts safety culture and can potentially reduce the number of workplace injuries you need to handle and their associated costs.

​Working with Durable Safety Signs, you can invest in high-quality signage that offers your workers peace of mind and helps you comply with mandatory regulations. Contact us to discover the wide range of custom signs we offer. Clearly communicate how to remain safe and keep your workforce compliant, starting today.