SITE SAFETY || Safety Signs & Tags · All safety signs should be visible and legible. If an active sign is vandalized, becomes rusted, or is coming off the affixed location, it must

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Sign refers to a permanent ortemporary notice or placard thatprovides a warning or safetyinstructions for industrial workersor members of the public who maybe exposed to hazards.

Tag is a kind of sign usually made ofcard, paper, pasteboard, plastic orother material used to identify ahazardous condition. Tags areusually used temporarily.

OSHA Standard 1910.145(a)(1) Accident Prevention Signs & Tags states specifications apply to the design,application, and use of signs or symbols (….) that indicate and, insofar as possible, define specific hazards that couldharm workers or the public, or both, or to property damage. These specifications are intended to cover all safetysigns except those designed for streets, highways, and railroads. These specifications do not apply to plant bulletinboards or to safety posters.

SITE SAFETY || Safety Signs & TagsVolume 2 Issue 28

Signs and tags are an important part of work area safety. They protect workers, visitors and the generalpublic. If there is a potential hazard, signs must be visible at all times. OSHA has specific regulationspertaining to signs, symbols and tags. Employees should review this safety topic and then becomefamiliar with the signs and tags that are needed for specific work areas in the workplace.

All safety signs should be visible and legible. If an active sign is vandalized, becomes rusted, or iscoming off the affixed location, it must be replaced immediately. Any sign that is no longer relevantshould be covered or removed immediately.

Safety signs on a crane. (*1) Common wet floor sign. (*2)


➢ Danger signs indicate that there is an immediate threat and special precautions are necessary.

➢ Red should be the main color on the top of a black and white Danger sign.

➢ Don’t assume everyone is aware of clear and present danger, signs are important!

➢ Use Danger signs to mark hazardous areas to prevent potential serious injuries to employees andothers that could be in the area at any time.

Examples of Danger signs & tags in use.


OSHA Standard 1910.145(c)(1) Danger signs. There shall be no variation in the type of design of signs posted towarn of specific dangers and radiation hazards. All employees shall be instructed that danger signs indicateimmediate danger and that special precautions are necessary.

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(*4) (*5)

RED >> DANGER >> where immediate hazard existsYELLOW >> CAUTION >> to warn of potential hazardsORANGE >> WARNING >> notices, including biohazards

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➢ Caution signs warn against potential hazards or caution against unsafe practices, that if not avoided,could result in minor or moderate injury.

➢ Caution signs are yellow and black to ensure they are easily visible.

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SITE SAFETY || Safety Signs & Tags

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OSHA Standard 1910.145(c)(2) Caution Signs. Caution signs shall be used only to warn against potential hazards orto caution against unsafe practices. All employees shall be instructed that caution signs indicate a possible hazardagainst which proper precaution should be taken.

Examples of Caution signs & tags in use.

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➢ Other signs and tags that may berequired include:

• Warning Signs

• Safety Instruction Signs

• Exit Signs

• Slow-Moving Vehicle Emblem

• Notice Signs

• Biological Hazard Signs

• Accident Prevention Tags


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OSHA Standard 1910.145(c)(3) Safety instruction signs. Safetyinstruction signs shall be used where there is a need for generalinstructions and suggestions relative to safety measures.

OSHA Standard 1910.37(b)(2) Each exit must be clearly visibleand marked by a sign reading “Exit.”

OSHA Standard 1910.145(f)(7) Warning tags. Warning tagsmay be used to represent a hazard level between "Caution" and"Danger," instead of the required "Caution" tag, provided thatthey have a signal word of "Warning," an appropriate majormessage, and otherwise meet the criteria of this section.

➢ Warning signs indicate a potentially hazardous situation.

➢ Safety Instruction signs are used to provide information, procedures or instructions.

➢ Notice signs are often blue and provide information that is considered important but not directlyhazardous (example: security or hygiene).

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SITE SAFETY || Safety Signs & Tags

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More information about the use of safety tags:

➢ Accident prevention tags are used to prevent accidental injury or illness to employees who areexposed to hazardous conditions that may be unexpected or not readily apparent.

➢ Tags shall be used only until the identified hazard is eliminated or the hazardous operation iscompleted.

➢ Tags don’t need to be used where signs, barricades or other means of protection are being used.

➢ A biological hazard warning sign or tag shall be used to signify the actual or potential presence of abiohazard and to identify equipment, containers, rooms, materials, or experimental animals whichcontain, or are contaminated with, viable hazardous agents.

Examples of biological hazard warning signs and tags in use.

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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMERThis material is the copyrighted property of Weeklysafety.com, LLC. Purchase of this material from Weeklysafety.com, LLC grants the owner the right to use this material for workplace safetyand education purposes only. Use of this material for any other purpose, particularly commercial use, is prohibited. This material, including the photos, may not be resold.Weeklysafety.com, LLC does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or processdisclosed in these materials. Photos shown in this presentation may depict situations that are not in compliance with applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safetyrequirements. These materials are meant for informational purposes only and it is not the intent of Weeklysafety.com, LLC to provide compliance-based training. The intent is more toaddress hazard awareness in the construction and related industries, and to recognize the potential hazards present in many workplaces. These materials are intended to discuss FederalRegulations only, as individual State requirements may be more stringent. Many states operate their own state OSHA and may have standards that are different from information presentedin this training. It is the responsibility of the employer and its employees to comply with all pertinent OSHA safety rules and regulations in the jurisdiction in which they work.

PHOTO ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Unless specified below, all photos are the copyrighted property of Weeklysafety.com, LLC and may not be used in any other training materials or resold for any purpose.

For more information on this weekly safety topic, other topics that are available and the full list of FAQs please visitwww.weeklysafety.com or email [email protected].

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• (*1) Photo Credit – kasihasibaer; Gefahr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/kasi-hb/2478840392/

• (*2) Photo Credit – Innes Hegedus-Garcia; Caution! https://www.flickr.com/photos/miamism/11487157185/

• (*3, *4, *6, *12) Photo Credit – Photos by MySafetySign.com

• (*5) Photo Credit – darkday. Confined Space with View. https://www.flickr.com/photos/drainrat/15299451627/

• (*7) Photo Credit – Sam.Weiss.; CAUTION! https://www.flickr.com/photos/samuelweissphotography/3205031799/

• (*8) Photo Credit – Robert Scoble; Wind Tunnel warning signs. https://www.flickr.com/photos/scobleizer/4930924235/

• (*9) Photo Credit – ryaninc; Caution Tape Bathroom. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ryaninc/258953077/

• (*10) Photo Credit – David Shellabarger; Warning. https://www.flickr.com/photos/godsmoon/3507882/

• (*11) Photo Credit – Leo Fung; Eye Wash Station. https://www.flickr.com/photos/fungleo/368911498/

• (*13) Photo Credit – SmartSign; Biohazard. https://www.flickr.com/photos/smartsignbrooklyn/10275748206/

• (*14) Photo Credit – futureatlas.com; Biohazard danger symbol. https://www.flickr.com/photos/87913776@N00/4390817992/

• (*15) Photo Credit – Zach Copley; BART Biohazard? https://www.flickr.com/photos/zcopley/5414556581/

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/


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SITE SAFETY || Safety Signs & Tags · All safety signs should be visible and legible. If an active sign is vandalized, becomes rusted, or is coming off the affixed location, it must