Workplace safety is a two-way street. It’s an area of concern for both employers and employees and can help increase productivity while also keeping employees safe and healthy. But where do you start?
The first step towards ensuring safety on the job is to inform employees of potential safety risks in the workplace. Prohibition signs help you achieve this reliably and affordably and without causing interruptions to your workflow.
What Are Prohibition Signs?
Prohibition signs tell and remind employees of the actions and activities they should avoid at the workplace. You can quickly spot a prohibition sign by its characteristic red circle and diagonal cross-through. The prohibited action or activity is usually depicted with a standardized black symbol that’s easy to understand. This allows you to pass your message effectively even in diverse workplaces where language barriers might be an issue.
With a prohibition sign, you can provide employees with a constant reminder of safety risks right where these risks are likely to occur. Besides helping employees stay safe, thesesigns are essential in ensuring compliance with work, health, and safety regulations. Prohibition signs are readily available on online marketplaces like RS and in different materials, including PVC, vinyl, and PP rigid plastic.
Common Prohibition Signs in the Workplace
Here are some common workplace prohibition signs you’re likely to come across:
No Smoking Sign
One of the most common prohibition signs in the workplace, the No Smoking sign, is crucial in maintaining a healthy and accommodating work environment for non-smoking employees. It’s also essential in workplaces with flammable materials where smoking can lead to potential fires.Â
Besides protecting the health and safety of employees, the No Smoking ensures compliance in areas where it’s mandatory to display the sign. It also promotes compliance on the side of employees in jurisdictions where smoking in indoor public spaces is illegal.
No Entry Signs
The No Entry sign notifies employees that a specific area is off-limits to unauthorized personnel. It’s helpful in workplaces with hazardous chemicals and heavy machinery and can help reduce accidents by preventing untrained individuals from entering high-risk areas. And in the case of an emergency, it can help first responders immediately identify areas that require attention.
No Mobile Phones Sign
The No Mobiles Phone sign reminds employees not to use their smartphones when working. It’s not only on the road where your mobile phone can cause an accident. Employers can prevent distractions and reduce the likelihood of accidents by discouraging mobile phone use in hazardous areas or when operating heavy equipment.
Not Drinking Water
Workplaces display the Not Drinking Water in areas where contamination is highly likely to reduce the risk of poisoning. When a water source is intended for industrial use, this sign can let workers know it’s unsafe for drinking.
Most regulators have strict regulations against putting drinking water sources in certain areas in the workplace. To ensure compliance, workplaces must display the No Drinking Water sign in these specified areas even when the water is safe for drinking.
No Running Sign
Running can cause workers to slip on slippery surfaces or trip on objects risking injury. The No Running sign helps prevent such accidents. It’s also displayed near machinery to help workers maintain a safe distance. The No Running can also help ensure a calm and orderly exit during emergencies.
No Forklift Trucks Sign
You’ve probably seen the funny or not-so-funny videos of forklift truck accidents at Amazon warehouses. Can you imagine those machines hitting a worker? It could be disastrous.With this sign, you can ensure forklift trucks don’t enter pedestrian areas in the warehouse, risking collision and other injuries. This way, you’ll both improve safety and enhance compliance.