Hi, Bryan McWhorter here with Safeopedia and another safety moment. How well do you recognize your safety signs and symbols?
They say a picture's worth a thousand words, but more importantly, they transcend language barriers. Do you recognize these comment, safety signs and symbols? You now understand how really effective they can be.
A simple sign of safety symbol allows workers to effectively identify a risk, uh, hazard and be able to respond accordingly. So your best safety programs take advantage of these. They're able to convey complete messages with a simple sign or a symbol. So it's great to be able to alert workers or employees or, you know, people, uh, say potential of hazardous gas. Just by having that sign.
So again, they're aware of the hazard, the risk and know how to, uh, appropriately handle it, know how to respond. Accordingly.
Doesn't matter if they're dealing with hazardous gas or an alligator in a pond, we recognize a hazard. And again, now are aware of the danger.
Now there are two different types of safety symbols. There are those that are used for general safety and those that are designed specifically to label chemicals that could be hazardous. And these are agreed upon by the global harmonization system.
And the reason for that is, again, regardless of what country, region you're at, whatever language you speak, we want the same symbols used everywhere. So people can quickly recognize 'em identify the hazard, the risk, and again, understand how to respond accordingly.
Now, these symbols don't do a whole lot of good. If again, we go back to my first question, how well do you understand and use these?
This should be a part of your program for safety that you're using these and that people are trained in them. So again, when they see that symbol, they recognize it has meaning to them. So it should also be part of your refresher training that happens annually.
For more great information on safety signs and symbols, check out the article on Safeopedia by Jessica Barrett, it was published on September 22nd, 2020, and presented by AD Safety Network. Until next time Bryan McWhorter with Safeopedia, stay safe.