Safety Sign Information - The Sign Genius

Safety Signs with Stats

Factories are full of different types of safety signs depending on the industry and its specific hazards, but one safety sign that can be found in all of them is the "X Days without Injury" sign. What is so important about this safety sign? It doesn't alert anyone of a hazard, or display safe operation information. It only tells workers one thing - we are safe, and have been for the amount of days on this sign.

The higher the number of days on the safety sign, the higher morale grows, along with a sense of job security. Just think of yourself as an applicant with two interviews. One factory has 32 days without incident, while another boasts an amazing 798 days free from harm. At first glance you would think that the second factory has better safety measures in place, takes compliance seriously, and knows that a job done safely is a job done right.

Now what if you saw similar statistics on a road safety sign, what would you think then? Is this road traveled by safer drivers, or are the conditions less likely to be hazardous? 

Many states have started using programmable electronic signs to notify drivers of traffic jams, statewide safety notifications, and other important information. The I-80 Challenge Highway Safety Initiative is a program that recently promoted safer driving along Interstate 80, which runs across the country, from New Jersey to California. The cost of the program was substantial, but the reminders to drivers were inexpensive.

Michigan started using these safety signs in a campaign to bring fatal traffic accidents to a manageable number - zero. They are displaying one stark statistic, and only once a month, to focus drivers on roadway safety. The number they are using is the number of traffic deaths the state has seen, year-to-date. With errors and aggressive behavior being leading causes of accidents, Michigan hopes that these startling stats will increase focus and safety awareness.

By using a road safety sign like one found in a factory, drivers can be made aware of the risks that distracted driving have, and hopefully take safe driving seriously.

Watch Out for Beware of Dog Signs

Dogs are one of the oldest forms of security that the world has known. With their excellent hearing and smelling abilities, quickness, and unmatched ability for training, dogs are a low cost, high return security system. They protect so well that some people will post beware of dog signs simply because the idea of a dog helps to deter burglary. 

Posting beware of dog signs is important to two very good reasons. First, the security benefits of dogs (or just beware of dog signs) is immense. Second, warning visitors, such as a mail carrier, is important for both the safety of the person and the animal.

As summer is in full swing, many of us are taking some days off of work for short trips to the beach or to visit with friends. While you are away, your home becomes an easy target for would-be theives. One step to take is to notify your local police department of any extended vacations. Many towns keep a list of vacant homes to patrol while the owners are away. Another form of protection would be the beware of dog signs. Obviously if you have a dog already, and it stays home while you are away, you have some protection built in. Even without having the animal, though, burglars could shy away from your property for fear of facing a mean dog or a friend who has stopped by to feed or walk the dog.

Beware of dog signs protect the dog as well as your property. The tragedy of losing a dog can be an dramatic as losing a loved one. The story of a Southern California dog who was recently shot by the police raises questions about self-defense and the posting of beware of dog signs.

Attacks by dogs are rare, but property owners need to be proactive in warning visitors and public service workers of dogs on the premise. By simply posting beware of dog signs, mail and parcel carriers, police, and emergency personnel can all be alert and take procaution before meeting a dog unexpectedly.

Photo Credit: mplonsky via Compfight cc

New Jersey's Move Over Law

NJ DOT to Install Signs Informing Drivers

New Jersey State Trooper Marc Castellano was struck and killed by a vehicle on Interstate Highway 195 outside of his patrol car three years ago, after stopping to perform a search of a pulled over car. Since then, efforts have been made to inform drivers of the law that helps protect the police and emergency service workers who patrol our highways. 

The "Move Over" law was passed in New Jersey on January 27, 2009, but awareness of the new law was low, and continued to be widely unknown until Trooper Castellano's death over a year later. Castellano's mother, Donna Setaro, worked tirelessly to help the law gain awareness, and after three years of campaigning, the Department of Transportation will finally post signs alerting drivers of the "Mover Over" law.

The signs will be installed at different entry points of New Jersey. The law advises drivers to move a traffic lane over essentially whenever a police, emergency service, or tow truck or vehicle is on the side of the road. If moving over is not possible or unsafe, efforts to slow down considerably need to be made. Violators can face fines from $100 to $500.

Information about the "Move Over" law has also been displayed on the large electronic message signs on the Garden State Parkway and New Jersey Turnpike. These signs and messages help to bring New Jersey up to similar levels of awareness with neighboring states. 

Iowa's fines for their "move over" law range from $500 to $1000, up from an old fine of only $195. With the change to these stiff penalties, Iowa State Patrol has reported nearly a 50 percent decrease in violation from 2011 to 2012, and with the Independence Day holiday weekend, road safety still needs to be taken seriously.

The weekend around the 4th of July is one of the nation's deadliest times for drivers. If you are heading out on the roads, remember to always observe traffic laws and to use your best judgement.

National Safety Month

June is National Safety Month, a time for you to make an annual review of your safety concerns and to teach yourself and others about how to be safe at work and at home. This year's campaign is themed, "Safety Starts with Me."

"Safety Starts with Me" is all about how you can be a leading safety advocate in your community. By taking even the smallest steps to make others aware of safety hazards, you can greatly increase the level of safety in your home and at work.

There are four weekly themes that are highlighted during National Safety Month. They are:

1. Slip, Trip, and Fall Prevention
2. Employee Wellness
3. Emergency Preparedness
4. Ergonomics

All four themes are centered around your own safety awareness and the prevention of injury. There are also two "bonus" topics of summer safety and driving safety. Recent campaigns during Memorial Day Weekend focused on being smart in the sun - using sunscreen, avoiding work during the peak hours of heat, and replenishing fluids - and safe driving (Click It or Ticket). National Safety Month is a chance to extend the messages of those programs as well as spreading it's own message.

The slip/trip/fall prevention, employee wellness, and emergency preparedness are all interrelated topics. Safety procedures like the posting of OSHA approved safety signs raise employee awareness of dangers, such as trip and fall hazards, and emergency signs direct people to safe exits and emergency equipment. 

Ergonomics is an important safety issue that should not be ignored. Even the easiest task of the day - sitting down - can cause lasting injury if not done properly. Injuries relating to back pain, muscle aches, and carpal tunnel syndrome can all be prevented by focusing on good posture and ergonomics.

For more information about National Safety Month, visit the National Safety Council.

Click It or Ticket 2013

Seat Belts Save Lives

The Click It or Ticket campaign is back once again to promote roadway safety by demonstrating the importance of using a seat belt. The program spreads its message through multiple mediums, including:

• checkpoints with zero tolerance enforcement by law enforcement agencies
• public service announcements and signs reminding drivers to buckle up
• support from school and other local agencies

all to increase seat belt use.

This National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) campaign stresses the fact that buckling up when you get into a vehicle greatly increases your safety. The campaign is well-known for its police presence, but the tickets are a helpful reminder for some drivers and passengers.

Whatever your reason for using a seat belt, whether you were reminded by a police officer or a buckle up sign, once you buckle up, you are safer.

Of the 21,253 passenger vehicle occupant fatalitites in 2011, 52% of the victims were not wearing seat belts (source: NHTSA). It can be estimated that 80% of the public regularly wears seat belts, and the campaign hopes to raise that percentage even higher. 

With summer about to begin and drivers hitting the road for weekend getaways, officials hope "Click It or Ticket" is a message that is remembered and practiced everytime people take a trip. Of the drivers that tend not to wear seat belts, young drivers, commercial drivers, and those who drive at night are less likely to buckle up.

With 49 states, and the District of Columbia, enforcing mandatory seat belt laws, chances are that whereever you go this holiday weekend, you can count on finding Click It or Ticket reminders to help you stay safe on the road.

Photo Credit: Sister72 via Compfight cc

May's Safety Signs

May is National Electrical Safety Month

How much do you know about voltage safety signs and electrical safety?

You know not to stand under a tree during a thunderstorm, shocks from static electricity hurt, and that Ben Franklin discovered electricity by flying a kite (or something like that), right?

2013's National Electrical Safety Month is the excuse you need to learn about one of the top causes of injury and death at the workplace, sources of home fires, and the power source that juices all of our technology.

This year's National Electrical Safety Month is geared to everyone : Electrical Safety for All Ages. This is particularly true for our young and old citizens, they are more at risk to be involved in unintentional fires, especially at home.

Here are the stunning facts:

Electrical failure causes 43900 home fires, killing 438 people every year

300 workers die due to electrical incidents annually

(Source: esfi.org)

In all homes, escape plans should be carefully thought out and practiced, smoke detectors checked, and electrical equipment (cords, outlets, accessories like heating blankets) should be reviewed for prevention purposes. 

At work, the correct safety procedures should be implemented, such as the posting of electrical safety signs, the use of personal protective equipment, and lockout tagout practices should be used. Each of these practices can be reinforced to workers by the posting of the correct safety signs and training.

With this year's campaign focusing on adults and children, it is crucial to teach our kids about electrical safety. They should understand its dangers, what symbols on safety signs mean, and that outlets, panels, and other electrical equipment are not toys.

Let's take the time this May to take electrical safety seriously, to help reduce the amount of electrical fires, and to teach our children how to be safe around this great power source.

 

No Hunting Signs Protect Everyone

No Hunting Signs Provide Refuge for Hikers and Animals

Hunting and trapping have long been both favorite pastimes and a means for gathering food and materials. As long as people have been out hunting, though, there have been problems. Public safety is always the first concern of both hunters and landowners, and no hunting signs are usually enough to limit the hunters from firing weapons too close to restricted areas.

Posted No Hunting Signs provide a safe distance for hunters to operate, but with recent improvements in ammunition and firearms, these no hunting signs are proving their importance again.

New bullets and efficient weapons increase the range that a hunter has, inadvertently leading to problems for landowners and others in the area. Even if a hunter follows the rules on no hunting signs, and is the legal distance from buildings, projectiles such as bullets and arrows can overshoot their bounds either with the aid of wind or other assistance.

No hunting signs can also serve to warn hikers or other outdoorsmen, because nearby may be a hunter in an allowed hunting area, where fired projectiles might stray.

No hunting signs should be posted separately from other park signs, so that runners, cyclists, and hunters see the restricts up-front, not hidden in the small print of a camping or trail sign. Without no hunting signs, hunters could stalk deep onto properties never knowing that possibly a home or school is just over the next hill. An issue such as that one should always be avoided, and a no hunting sign can be used to keep landowners safe.

New Street Signs to Help Tourists

Bilingual Street Signs Hit Columbia

Trying to translate street signs on the go? Not for long in Columbia's tourist centers.

The mayor of Bogota, Columbia, Gustavo Petro, has succeeded in his efforts to install street signs that will be easy to understand for visitors to his city. The new signs will offer text in English, Spanish, and Braille. 

Tourists to the city have long been stuck staring at the current street signs, trying to interpret their meanings, which wastes time and affects their overall visit to the South American nation. Petro hopes that the changes to the street signs will elevate a tourist's experience and place Bogota up with the great world destinations like Paris and New York City as multicultural meccas.

The new signs will be installed in the city's historic district of La Candelaria, which is a tourist hotspot. If the bilingual signs are a hit, the city plans to expand the project to aid tourism in other parts of the city. Most of the street signs in the area will be specific to attractions for tourists, including welcome signs and ones that lead to points of interest.

Bogota officials have already picked 19 spots in the city that would be fitted with the new street signs if the project is found successful.

Many destinations around the globe offer bilingual signs to some degree. Scotland has even offered bilingual street signs for its own citizens in areas where English and the native Gaelic are spoken. While reports from Scottish officials have not found data that either supports or refutes the use of the new street signs, tourists are surely comforted by seeing the signs in their native language.

No Cell Phone Signs for the Streets

Our roads need more No Cell Phone Signs.

One of the most publicized issues concerning traffic and driving safety that still proves deadly, almost on a weekly basis, is the one of texting while driving. Last year at least 23% of collisions involved cell phones!

 

Just Drive!

There are so many drivers on the highway that exercise excessively poor judgment while driving; they need a no cell phone sign to remind them to be safe. I'm not talking about teenagers either, I'm talking about "30-something" professionals on their commute to or from work, glued to their smartphones while navigating the routes and parkways that bring them home.

 

Here's what I don't understand: first, talking on a cell phone is already illegal in many states. Why would texting be any different? Sending a SMS or text message not only diverts your attention from doing something important (driving), but it literally takes your eyes off of the road.

How much neglect can you display publicly without being arrested? How unsafe do you have to drive before you get pulled over and are given a ticket? Obviously that is an exaggeration, but if drivers don't ignore stop signs and yield signs, they probably won't ignore no cell phone signs either. I find it remarkably frustrating that the addiction to texting is becoming such an epidemic that despite these tragic stories we read about in the news, despite the commercials, celebrity endorsements, corporate sponsorship, T-shirts, after school specials, etc...people still have not learned to exercise responsibility while driving.

Smartphones are fun. I get it. I had my brief affair with Angry Birds, my kids are now old enough that they text me...even Grandma texts me.

You know what I do when I get a text? I pull over if it's important. I actually pulled over yesterday to read a text from my daughter.

So do your community a favor the next time that you are driving - put your cell phone down. If you really have to use it, go hands-free, or even better, pull over.

Ask your office and local schools to post No Cell Phone Signs in parking lots so drivers see them before their eyes are buried in a text. That little reminder may save a life. And if you are texting while driving, please put the phone down.

No Smoking Signs Are Everywhere Today!

Why? The Great American Smokeout.

Since even causal tobacco use can have a tremendous effect on your health, the Great American Smokeout is an effort to reduce the number of smokers worldwide. The American Cancer Society sponsors this program to help smokers quit the habit, joining non-smokers who observe the no smoking signs posted in buildings and parking lots. Tobacco use is a large cause of preventable disease today, and even with no smoking signs posted everywhere, more than 40 million Americans are smokers.

Smoking in the past was so prevalent that it was accepted in airplanes and around small children. These attitudes have all changed now, but it is still the mission of the Great American Smokeout to make no smoking signs unnecessary by eliminating the habit of tobacco use altogether. It is common to see no smoking signs posted in all types of environments – places where they hadn't been before the public conscience was focused on the effects of tobacco use. Through the use of educational materials, counseling, and other forms of support, the Great American Smokeout is planned to be a day for smokers to become quitters, even if it is only for one day of no smoking.

The dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke were common health issues during the 1970’s, even if most Americans were not aware of the problems, and they led to the first smokeout in California in 1976. Over one million smokers quit for that day, and its effects have been felt in every no smoking sign since then.

Our awareness to the harms of smoking and secondhand smoke have replaced ashtrays in buses and airplanes with smoke detectors and no smoking signs. Brand new cars don't even have ashtrays installed in them anymore! Being a non-smoker now means being part of the majority, and to grow that majority, we celebrate this year's Great Amercian Smokeout.

Visit the American Cancer Society's website for more information about quiting smoking. They have tips about quitting, the estimated costs that smoking has on your wallet and health, and more background information about the 37th Smokeout.