Safety Sign andLabel Design

SWEDE 2011 – Bastrop, Texaspresented by Dan Cowan, Oncor

Cause and effectThe life cycle of our equipment can easily reach beyond “off-the-shelf” label designs. Equipment – 30-40 years on-site typical

Labels – some colors may fade away inas little as 2 years without protection!

Use Standards to convey expectations consistently!

Standards – ANSI, ASTM and UL

•Response to life cycle needs:

Incorporating National Standards

These sources include:1. ANSI Z5352. ASTM D256, D4956 and E8103. UL 969 and UL 94-VTMOther National Standards also exist.

By referencing sources that are readily available and accepted, one can be confident that the end product will provide consistent results from several manufacturers.

Benefits of incorporating National Standards

1. System wide consistency regarding visual alert system of potential hazards

2. Expectations and deliverables are explicit to all manufacturers

3. Sign and Label – Design, Performance and Details may be clearly defined

ANSI Z535

• Basically - Z535 of American National Standards Institute clearly provides significant and essential design elements

Z535.1 Safety Color CodeZ535.2 Environmental and Facility Safety SignsZ535.3 Criteria for Safety SymbolsZ535.4 Product Safety Signs and LabelsZ535.5 Safety Tags and Barricade Tapes

(for Temporary Hazards)

ANSI Z535.1 Safety Color code

Defines technical definitions, color standardsand color tolerances for safety colors, so the end user may have a consistent reference that will assist the manufacturer when creating Safety Signs and Labels.

Various sources are referred to within Z535.1 that further explain

intent, application, expectation, color specifications

1983 version

2011 version

ANSI Z535.2 Environmental and Facility Safety Signs

Society diversity - standardized visual alerting system for safety signs and labels.

FIVE keys to meet the objective:1. Safety Alert Symbol (with triangle-exclamation point)2. Signal words: DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION, NOTICE3. Background Color behind the Signal word: • red, orange, yellow, blue/green or black

4. Label background – white is preferred and retroreflective5. Text: left justified and mixed case

ANSI Z535.3 Criteria for Safety Symbols

• Symbols effectively communicate with: • - people who cannot read • - who do not understand text • - in consideration for Cultural diversity

• “Symbols have demonstrated their ability to communicate effectively regarding accident

• prevention and for personal protection”, ANSI Z535.3

• For complete details, please refer to ANSI Z535.3• To purchase a copy go to www.nema.org/stds/

Z535.3 Criteria for Safety Symbols – Electric Shock –

• Electric Shock – body with wire and lightning bolt

• Electric Shock – Hand with wire

• Some users prefer the Hand with wire due to its simplicity and the ease of enlarging it on signs and labels

• Example…

Z535.3 Criteria for Safety Symbols

• Hand with wire…label has 8 inch width and hand is over 3 inches wide in this graphic:

• Easy to see and Easy to read…

ANSI 535.4 Product Safety Signs and Labels

• Used on the product itself.• Not for Substations- • Not for Padmounted Enclosures- • Not for Towers.

• Proper application example: Waste Transformer Oil• Depending on the contents in the drum – use the appropriate Signal Word and hazard color code:

• Danger - (red background)• Warning - (orange background)• Caution - (yellow background)• Notice - Information only – (blue background)

ANSI Z535.5 Safety Tags and Barricade Tapes(for Temporary Hazards)

This Standard is similar to Z535.4 except it is specifically for use with temporary hazards

• Utility applications:• Lock-out tags (may be Red, Orange, Yellow or Blue

background)• Message tags (pre-printed ownership markers)• Information tags (that allow hand-written notes)• Barricade tapes (these are usually off-the-shelf items) so the

Manufacturer would be following this Standard

Example of Red flag

ASTM D256 Impact Resistance test

The ANSI Z535 does not cover impact resistance, so we refer to ASTM D256 to qualify signs and labels by impact tolerance.

• Why?• If defacement occurs easily, premature failure and costs

increase. Shipment, moving and the installation of equipment - typical environmental impacts - could destroy the label or sign.

• For instance: Vegetation that may grow around a padmounted equipment device and then scratch or rub the label for an extended period of time…the Impact resistance would reduce or even prevent premature destruction

ASTM D4956 Retroreflective Sheeting

Retroreflective sheeting -cornerstone of effective safety labels and signs.• Type 1 Class 1 re: 235°F internal temps

Reflective labels and signs provide a visual aid to enhance awareness. Drab colors and flat paint are often used to reduce visibility of electrical enclosures.

Reflective labels counter this hidden overture.

ASTM 4956 provides many details for the base material, overlaminates, optical properties, adhesive thickness and adhesive bonding and other characteristics important to utility signs and labels.

ASTM E 810Retroreflective Sheeting

Standard test for Retroreflective sheeting assures consistent quality and performance.

When used with ASTM 4956 we can be more certain that the label manufacturer has the base material that maximizes display when needed.

UL 969Marking and Labeling Systems

This Standard test method provides for consistent quality and performance at the site of manufacture for certain labels and signs.

These requirements cover:Adhesive attached labelsUnprinted materials (overlaminates, etc.)Covers the “complete finished product” Provide for test criteria (Permanence and Legibility)

Include reference to UL 969 within specification to validate the test criteria and provide detail reference.

UL 94 -VTMFlammability of plastics

These test covers how a material reacts to:Surface burnsVertical burnsHorizontal burns

We include flammability standards within a specification to validate the test criteria and provide detail reference, since grass fires do occur from time to time, and we need the labels and/or signs to survive these events, when possible.

Support and Validity of Standards

Using ANSI, UL, ASTM and other widely proven national industry standards providesfor consistent recognition of hazards.

Various Electrical products carry a tag, label markings that read: “Danger” (red background) or “Warning” (orange background) as shown earlier.

• This consistent message format will in fact increase awareness by the general public of potential electrical hazards as we apply it within electric utility systems.

• Competition to provide labels and signs for utilities with similar products is validated when industry standards are known and applied.

Bottom line: Awareness

The use of safety labels and signs is clearly aimed at conveying:1. Hazardous conditions2. Information

We convey Safety messages through:• - Text• - Symbols• - Use of Color

The goal is to communicate with the observer:• Regardless of age-• Even if the observer may NOT be able to read-• The observer needs to get the “message” quickly…

Safety Sign andLabel Design

SWEDE 2011 – Bastrop, Texaspresented by Dan Cowan, Oncor