Why do you need Health and Safety Printed Signs?

Workplace safety is the responsibility of everyone in the workplace. Employers need to ensure that all safety procedures are carried out for the benefit of employees, and all employees need to follow these procedures to keep themselves, and anyone else on site, safe. Safety signs are one of the best ways to informeveryone on how to stay safe and protect their health.

What is the legislation for displaying signs, and what could happen if you fail to comply? Let us explore the legal requirements for safety signage and how Printech Express can supply you with quality signs for your workplace.

What is the UK Legislation for Displaying Safety Signage?

According to the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, the following requirements need to be met:

•Employers need to provide and maintain safety signage in any place wherethere is a significant risk, and where signage can reduce that risk.

•Employers need to make a risk assessment before determining where to place signs. This assessment needs to “identify hazards, the risks associated with those hazards, and the control measures to be taken”.

•Safety signage should warn of any significant risks but should not be used as a substitute for control measures.•Other legal provisions may require the display of safety signage other than immediate significant risk. For example, fire signs are often legally required in workplaces. Employers should be aware of any related provisions that enforce signage.

•Employers must offer adequate training and instructions so that all employees understand the meaning of signage where necessary. This includes information on common sign types, as well as the meanings of sign colours and symbols.

These regulations apply to all employers, employees,and contractors working in the UK or worksites in offshore British territories and the UK Continental Shelf.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

The following risks apply if you do not comply with signage regulations:

•Breaches may initially result in a noticeof improvement. However, severeor repeated breaches can result in fines up to £20,000. These fines can be even more significant if the breach could cause a fatality and may even result in imprisonment. In addition, employees who are injured when a breachisn’t handled correctly can take legal action against the business.

•As well as legal and financial penalties, non-compliance will damage the reputation of a business. This could even lead to disqualification from the industry.

•A breach’s most significant and tragic consequence is where a worker is injured or killed. Many worksite deaths are due to health and safety breaches, particularly lack of appropriate signage.

Printech Express

Here at Printech Express, we create a wide range of internal and external safety signage for any workplace. All our signs are in regulation sizes to meet legal requirements and protect both workers and visitors alike. We offer fast turnaround on all deliveries in the UK. Please get in touch with us to find out more about our safety signage options.