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Protect Your Employees & Your BusinessWith OSHA and ANSI Compliant Signs and Markers B Y J.R. KRAFTSigns, signals, tags and barricades are critical to the safety of employees in the manufacturing industry. It is important to know how each is used and what regulations must be followed in order to comply with OSHA and ANSI standards.The dangers that are present in a particular area determine the required signage that you need. Have a professional conduct a safety audit of your facility to help you with your signage compliance. Online sign vendor BuildASign.com offers the following guidelines to help you determine what safety signs and marking your company needs to be a safe and compliant work environment. When conducting a safety audit of your facility, remember to start in the parking lot and outlying workspaces, and then work your way into office and warehouse space. Check on whether your parking signs are the correct size and of the right material. Parking lot signs should be at least 18”x12” and made out of aluminum. Other non-office buildings that may require safety signs are maintenance sheds, waste storage areas, and loading docks. If there are any hazardous chemicals stored in these areas, you will need to obtain biological hazard signs and mount them in an easily visible location near the chemicals. Any hazardous waste must also be clearly labeled on the container and distinguished from non-hazardous waste. Most warehouse settings have a similar set of safety sign requirements. Forklifts and loading docks frequently present potential carbon monoxide hazards. These areas need to be marked clearly with warning signs as well as equipped with fire extinguishers. Aisles should be kept clear of obstructions and the use of floor marking tape is highly recommended. Other specific hazards to look for are proper attire and footwear requirements, electrical panels that need high voltage signs and a clearance area, overhead storage compartments, which need load capacity signs, and process pipes, which need pipe markers. If your facility has a compressed gas storage area, make sure you are storing your gasses in a safe and compliant manner. Common gases that are stored in these types of areas are Oxygen, LP Gas, Acetylene, and Hydrogen. Oxygen cylinders need to be separated from fuel-gas cylinders or any other combustible materials at a minimum of 20 feet or by a noncombustible barrier that is at least 5 feet tall. You should also consider marking designated areas with hazard marking tapes to avoid confusion and to make this potentially dangerous workspace as safe as possible. Chemical storage areas can be the most dangerous places in most pipeline and gas facilities. Placing the correct warning signs and markers around chemicals is essential to maintaining safety. Have a chart on the wall that identifies all hazards in the area so that it is clear where potential danger exists. Fire extinguishers and non-smoking signs must always be present and easily viewable in all chemical storage areas, spray booth operations and welding areas. Non-smoking signs must prohibit smoking within 50 feet of any chemical storage container. Whenever chemicals are transferred from larger containers to smaller ones used in other areas of the facility, you must label the small containers with the correct chemical and hazard labels. NMC, a safety identification manufacturer, offers OSHA compliant container labels and write-on hazardous communication labels. Also, make sure to use aisle marking tapes in chemical storage areas to re-enforce the safety warnings on your signs. In addition to all of the safety signs described above, there are specific sign requirements for cranes, biohazard labs, kitchens and any potentially dangerous areas. To make sure that your facility is completely compliant with OSHA and ANSI standards is it important to get a professional audit. Once you know exactly what signs and markers you need, you can obtain them from an OSHA sign provider either locally or online at websites like www.BuildASign.com. Keep safety maintenance in your work environment a top priority for all businesses in the pipeline and gas industry. Invest in the future of your company and protect your employees by making sure that all potential dangers are clearly and correctly marked. FSM J.R. Kraft is a founder and partner of BuildASign.com (www.buildasign.com), an online-based signage company whose innovative and exclusive technology offers the ability to design, proof, and order exceptionally high quality, custom signage in minutes. For more information about safety signs, and other custom signage, visit www.buildasign.com.
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