Must-Have Office Safety and Security Signs

Safety and security are paramount in any corporate environment. Corporations strategically place various signs throughout these spaces to ensure the well-being of employees, and visitors. These signs serve as visual cues, convey crucial information, and offer guidelines on operating within the environment. This helps in mitigating risks and promoting a safe secure workplace.

This article will discuss the essential safety and security signs corporations & businesses cannot afford to neglect.

Importance of Safety and Security Signs

Safety and security signs are essential in any corporate setting for several reasons. They serve as preventive precautions against mishaps, injuries, and security breaches. Businesses committed to employee welfare, often adhere to workplace safety requirements for which signs become paramount.

Precise, clear signages improve communication by ensuring that people can understand safety precautions during emergency processes quickly. The safety indicators play a part in improving the overall culture of safety and security by encouraging employees to be responsible

Essential safety signs in an organization

Let's take a look at the important safety signs that one can find in an organization

Emergency Exit Signs:

Emergency exit signs are often the most recognizable safety signs in any work environment. They guide you towards the nearest exits and escape routes in case of emergency.

Why do we need emergency exit signs?

The exit signs are often illuminated symbols or text, accompanied by directional arrows, so any individual can guide themselves to safety.

These signs should comply with regulations and standards concerning size, color, and placement in a way that ensures visibility to make the evacuation less complicated during an emergency.

Fire Safety Signs:

Fire safety signs play a role during any fire accident within the workplace. These signs are often color-coded, in a combination of red and white which also include prohibitory messages to avoid causing fire-related hazards.

Why are fire safety signs essential?

You will be using it for identifying fire equipment, following emergency procedures, and evacuation routes within the premises. The ones you are likely to find are "Fire Alarm", "Fire Extinguisher" and "Assembly Point”.

Hazard Signs:

Hazard signs are crucial to alert personnel to potential risks or dangers that one might encounter within the workplace. This could be anything from slippery floors, and power outlets to exposure to hazardous materials.

What are the common Hazard signs?

The hazard signs come with pictograms or symbols, accompanied by lettering, which can be understood beyond the language barriers, to convey any potential danger. The most common hazard signs you can find in a corporate setting are "Caution: Wet Floor", "High Voltage", and "Toxic Substance" signs.

Prohibition Signs

To make an employee aware of the activities prohibited within the work environment and to avoid any accidents that it entails, you will find a set of prohibition signs.

Why are prohibition signs important?

They are often used to direct you to avoid certain actions or behaviors within the work environment to prevent accidents or unauthorized access.

You can find these signs often featuring a combination of red and black indicating a specific prohibited action. Common prohibition signs you can find in a work environment include "No Entry" "No Smoking" "No Parking" and "Do Not Touch" signs.

Common security signs to improve your workplace

Not every place in a workplace is deemed to be accessible to every employee. To avoid any security violations, security signs are paramount in the workplace. The office space should be a safe space for employees while protecting the organizations interest.

These security signs are a tool to ensure these goals are met and are communicated to the personnel. In this section, you'll look at some of the common ones that you'd come across in any workplace.

Access Control Signs:

Corporate offices use these access signs at points where they regulate the entry of personnel. Entry and exit points within corporate premises are not open to every employee and are indicated with signs ensuring only authorized personnel can access the restricted area.

What are the common access control signs?

The common signs include "Authorized Personnel Only," "No Entry Without Permission," or "Display your ID" signs, among several others specific to the needs of the organization.

These access control signs play a role in preventing unauthorized access and keeping sensitive, confidential information secure.

Surveillance Signs:

Surveillance signs are used as a deterrent against security lapses or threats by communicating the presence of video surveillance or monitoring systems. These signs deliver a sense of vigilance and deter inadvertent acts and also discourage any attempt of unauthorized activities like theft or vandalism.

What surveillance signs are commonly used?

Surveillance signs are often accompanied by symbols not limited to cameras or eyes, often featuring sentences indicating "Area Is Under Video Surveillance" or "You're on Camera."

Security Alarm Signs:

Security alarm signs notify individuals of the presence of alarm systems, such as intrusion alarms or panic buttons, within the corporate environment.

Why are security alarm signs used in the workplace?

These signs are used to deter intruders or unauthorized individuals from the occurrence of any abnormal events that activate certain security protocols are in place. Any untoward action or breach of protocols will trigger an alarm.

What are some of the common security signs can we find?

Security alarm signs are prone to come in, but are not restricted to the red or black color combination with messages that read "Security Alarm Activated" or “Security System online."

Regulatory Compliance concerning safety and security in offices

To maintain legal compliance, the corporates must adhere to safety and security guidelines as dictated by the regulatory bodies and standard practices. Bodies like the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has stipulations for the design, placements, etc.

Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code 2020 takes care of recommendations for standardizing safety and security for employees across various industries in India.

Do the safety and security signs need maintenance?

If you are using quality materials for the signages, they are bound to last a lifetime. While you will avoid frequent replacements, the signs need standard maintenance. Regular maintenance of safety and security signs to ensure visibility and legibility.

One has to check periodically to avoid damage that may arise from prolonged exposure to moisture, heat, or cold. As working environments change owing to scaling or changes in operations, signages should be renewed to reflect the procedures, access, or hazards involved.

Conclusion

To create a safe and secure work environment, safety, and security signs are essential. These signs, ranging from access control directives to emergency exit boards, act as visual reminders of day-to-day procedures.

Corporations use them to manage risks, safeguard informational assets, and prioritize the safety of employees while taking care of the regulatory compliance linked with them. Apart from the regulatory requirements, corporations investing in extensive and legible signage serves as a visual reminder of culture and ethics to be upheld in a professional setting.