The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is continuously reporting a string of fines against manufacturers and engineering firms for failing to provide the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), and especially respiratory protective equipment (RPE).
But, alongside providing the required equipment, health and safety regulations mean companies need to clearly display engineering warning signs and safety symbols to communicate risks.
Here, we’ve rounded up five essential PPE signs firms should invest in to ensure they’re meeting engineering safety standards and effectively protecting workers.
One of the essential engineering workshop safety signs is ‘Eye protection must be worn’. This sign highlights the need to wear safety goggles or face shields in areas where activities such as cutting, grinding, or welding take place. The flying debris, chemical splashback, and sparks all present serious risk to the eyes and can cause severe damage to workers’ vision.
To provide a handy reminder, place signage detailing these engineering safety rules near workstations where these hazards are present (cutting stations, chemical storage areas, welding bays), as well as at workshop entrances.
In a similar vein, many engineering workshops are home to noise levels which exceed the exposure limits of 85 dB. This means employees can be in danger of hearing loss if they don’t use proper protection equipment.
Sings outlining that ‘Ear protection must be worn’ are a core element of the engineering safety rules for high-decibel areas, whether that’s compressor rooms, machine shops, or metal fabrication areas.
Displaying these signs prominently in heavy machinery workshops will not only safeguard your workers’ hearing, but also keep your firm compliant with workplace health and safety regulations.
Airborne contaminants are not limited to wood dust in manufacturing environments. Engineering workshops can also expose staff to a range of harmful fumes, gasses, and other microscopic particles.
To comply with engineering safety standards, it’s essential to have prominent signs warning that dust masks or respirators must be worn in these areas. These will be most crucial in areas housing hazardous substances, such as chemical processing zones or paint booths, as well as other spaces with poor air quality, like woodworking areas.
Another area that sees many claims reported by the HSE is hand injuries. These can happen due to exposure to hazardous materials, but also hot surfaces or sharp objects, meaning engineering safety symbols for hand protection are a must-have.
You can reduce the risk of chemical exposure, cuts, and burns to your workforce by introducing signs reminding employees that gloves must be worn in areas such as assembly lines, metal working stations, and environments where chemicals are being handled.
Feet are also often at risk of injury, be that from sharp debris, falling objects, or heavy machinery. This is why your engineering workshop safety signs should also include signage enforcing the use of protective footwear.
These signs should serve as reminders to employees to put on mandatory protective footwear such as steel-toed boots when entering areas such as workshops, loading bays, or other zones where heavy equipment is in operation.
Engineering warning signs from Label Source
More than simply ticking a compliance box, engineering safety symbols are essential for creating an environment where workers feel safe. When you ensure staff have all the necessary PPE, and clearly signpost when and where they should use it with the help of engineering workshop safety signs, you’re reducing the risk of accidents, employee injury, and consequent hefty fines.
Browse our full range of PPE signs to safeguard workers and ensure you’re meeting engineering safety standards, or get in touch if you need further advice.
