Signs and Meanings of Job Site Signs
On construction sites, job site signs are commonly used to communicate information about work progress and upcoming changes in production schedules. Since these signs are temporary and often not relevant when construction is complete, many people overlook their significance and simply take them down or ignore them when walking through the facility. However, if you take the time to learn the meanings of these signs, you can save yourself some time and headaches later. Here are some of the most common signs you will find on job sites around the country and what they mean when you see them.
Temporary Traffic Control
The big, round signs you see everywhere on job sites can have multiple meanings, but they all mean one thing: Slow down. Temporary traffic control zones are designated areas where construction workers or their machinery will be working. You will need to slow down when you see these signs to make sure no one gets hurt on your commute. When in doubt, do not go through that zone—turn around if you must—and contact your project manager if you are not certain what a sign means.
Jump over for more information about Job site signs which are going to be useful for people like carpenters, builders, electricians, etc. The most often used traffic control is a red circle with a diagonal red line running across it, which means absolutely no access is allowed at any time. This zone also contains construction workers and their machinery so better keep distance from them as they work on your project and note down safety regulations while you are entering into these zones so that you can prevent yourself from encountering any accidents in the future.
Job Safety Analysis
Conduct a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) before beginning work at a construction site. When starting any construction project, look for job site signs to determine if your company already performed a JSA. Also, make sure to inform your manager or safety professional if you notice anything that might need attention, such as hazardous chemicals or electrical equipment in areas where they might pose a safety hazard. Such precautions will help keep your team members safe from injuries and accidents, which will result in less downtime on job sites. How-to signage: There are several types of signage used on job sites depending on what situation is being addressed. For example, directional signage is used when it is necessary to direct traffic away from hazards or temporary situations. Caution signage warns workers and others who might be visiting job sites about potential risks.
No Smoking Signage
When it comes to construction site signage, there is a clear favorite: no smoking signs. Job site signs can be warning signs or safety-oriented signs. While most types of job site signs apply to several aspects of general safety and worker awareness, there are some specifically related to smoking on a job site. No Smoking signage should always be visible on a construction site to warn workers against lighting up in unsafe areas, near hazardous materials or machinery, or while they are operating equipment. Simply put, secondhand smoke is unhealthy for those who inhale it. Construction workers that breathe in polluted air suffer from higher instances of respiratory diseases such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), emphysema, and asthma than those who don’t; furthermore, research suggests that toxins released by cigarette smoke may lower their overall immunity, thus making them more susceptible to serious infections like pneumonia—and these results aren’t limited to just smoker versus non-smoker status.
KEEP OUT Signs
Like a lot of things in life, Keep Out signs exist for a reason. And, unfortunately, that reason is usually that someone got hurt or something bad happened there. If you see a Keep Out sign on any building site you are working on, it could mean many different things. For example, did a crewmember get injured inside? Are dangerous chemicals located within? Whatever it may be, take heed of these signs—they are not just around to irritate you.
Floor Drains at Construction Sites
The presence of a floor drain on a construction site or job site can indicate that a wash bay will be installed. This may also mean that water-sensitive materials are being used on-site, such as drywall. Before choosing an enclosure for your washer, you should confirm whether it needs to be near an existing floor drain since you will need to run plumbing to connect it. Floor drains also represent potential problems if they are clogged; clogs could prevent flow through dryer vents, potentially causing ventilation systems to fail and leading to mold growth within enclosures. To prevent these issues from arising, experts recommend keeping floor drains clear at all times by having someone regularly walk through the construction site while carrying a bucket and cleaning brush; if full buckets are left outside of enclosures in plain view, workers will have no excuse but to ensure that their work area is free from clogs before leaving each day.
Ready to get your safety signs designed and installed? Contact us today at (508) 747-3465 or via email at greg@brennersigns.com.