In almost all workplaces and on construction sites, you can find health and safety signs . Their use in specific places is required by law. Safety signs inform employees and other people in a given space about hazards, health risks and applicable rules of conduct. In this article, we describe the basic types of health and safety signs and explain where and why they should be used.
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What construction safety signs are defined by regulations and standards?
Health and safety signs are not placed randomly, nor can they have a random appearance. They must be adapted to national regulations and European standards. Thanks to this, the message is understandable and unambiguous for everyone. The principles of using health and safety signs in Poland are regulated by legal acts such as:
- Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 26 September 1997 on general occupational health and safety regulations. In accordance with § 6 section 1 of this regulation, places in the workplace where there are hazards to employees should be marked with visible colours or safety signs. Requirements in this respect are included in Annex No. 1 (Detailed principles for the use of safety signs and signals) and in Polish Standards.
- Act of 26 June 1974 – the Labour Code – the provisions regulate the obligations of marking dangerous places and those related to the preparation of an employee for work in a specific position.
- Regulation of the Minister of Economy of 8 July 2010 on minimum requirements for occupational health and safety related to the possibility of the occurrence of an explosive atmosphere in the workplace.
- Regulation of the Minister of Economy and Labour of 14 October 2005 on the principles of occupational health and safety when securing and removing products containing asbestos and a training programme for the safe use of such products.
- Council Directive 92/58/EEC of 24 June 1992 on the minimum requirements for the provision of safety and/or health signs at work (the directive has been implemented into Polish law).
In the case of a construction site, regulations play a key role:
- Act of 7 July 1994 – Construction Law.
- Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure of 6 February 2003 on occupational health and safety during construction works.
The law requires the construction manager to properly mark it by using appropriate signs and boards. These actions are intended to increase the safety of employees and other people who are present or may appear on the construction site. By taking health and safety signs seriously, work on the construction site becomes not only safer, but also more comfortable and efficient.
Basic types of health and safety signs
Due to the nature of the message, health and safety signs can be divided into 4 main types:
- warning signs – they warn of potential dangers, indicating risks and hazards in a specific location (e.g. excessive noise);
- prohibition signs – they have characteristic white, red and black colours and provide information about behaviours that are prohibited in a given place (e.g. smoking is prohibited);
- mandatory signs – with a blue background and a white pictogram, order to perform specific actions in given circumstances (e.g. order to wear a protective helmet);
- information signs – provide information about important places and equipment important from the point of view of safety, they can be recognised by a white pictogram and a green background (e.g. a sign informing about an emergency exit).
Correct placement of signs on the construction site
OHS warning, prohibition and order signs should be located directly at places of increased risk/danger, in the immediate vicinity or at the entrance to the construction site, when the threat is of a general nature. OHS signage must be legible and clearly visible.
In the Onninen construction wholesaler you will find all the commonly used occupational health and safety signs, information boards and warning boards on construction sites. We cooperate with leading brands in the Polish occupational health and safety industry, such as Mój Dom and Trytyt. In case of any questions, we encourage you to contact our advisors.
Check out the offer of warning signs at the Onninen wholesaler