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501 EM 385-1-1 Construction Safety Hazard Awareness for Contractors Sections 7 - 13
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501 EM 385-1-1 Construction Safety Hazard Awareness for Contractors Sections 7 - 13

Types of Signs

08.A.06 The type of sign or tag used in a particular situation must be appropriate for the degree of hazard or intent of message. The workplace safety signs with Danger and Caution headings have standard legends that must be used exactly as shown in the USACE Sign Standards Manual. If a sign with a unique legend not appearing on pages 11-4 to 11-7 or in the UNICOR catalog is needed, the procedures detailed on page 1-13 should be followed.

The sign legend must be concise, easy to read and should contain enough information to be easily understood. > See Figure 8-1 for Sign and Tag Signal Word Headings, > See Figure 8-2 for Example Tag Layout, > See Figure 8-3 for Example Sign Layout,

TYPE PURPOSE DESIGN
DANGER Indicates a specific immediate and grave danger, a hazard capable of producing irreversible damage or injury, and prohibition against harmful activity. Layout as shown in Fig 8-1. Shall have “DANGER” in white letters at top of rectangular safety red background placed at top of sign. Safety alert symbol shall precede signal word. Base of symbol shall be on same horizontal level as base of letters of signal word- height equaling or exceeding signal word height. Alternate OSHA or ANSI requirement calls for lettering to be black letters on white background or white letters on black background and symbol/pictorial panel, if used, shall be square with black safety red, or black and safety red symbol on a white background. The USACE standard requires that the specific danger be described in black letters on a white background. On other approved Danger signs, the message is white lettering on a red background.
CAUTION Call attention to a specific potential hazard capable of resulting in severe, but not irreversible, injury or damage. Layout as shown in Fig 8-1. Shall have "CAUTION" in yellow on black background and lower panel for additional sign wording in black on a yellow background.
GENERAL SAFETY Includes notices of general practice and rules relating to health, first aid, medical equipment, sanitation, housekeeping, and general safety. Layout as shown in Fig 8-1 or consisting of single panel. Shall have appropriate keyword as signal word in white on a green background in the upper panel and a lower panel for additional sign wording or symbols in black or green on a white background. Alternatively, the entire sign may be white letters on a green background.
FIRE AND EMERGENCY Used only to label or points the way to fire extinguishing equipment, fires escapes and exits, gas shutoff valves, sprinkler drains, and emergency procedures. Layout as shown in Fig 8-1 or consisting of a single red panel. Shall have the appropriate keyword as the signal word in white on a red background in the upper panel and a lower panel for additional sign wording or symbols in red on a white background. Alternatively, the entire sign may be white letters on a red background.
INFORMATION Provide information of a general nature, such as designation of facilities or services, in order to avoid confusion or misunderstanding. Layout as shown in Fig 8-1 or consisting of a single panel. Should have signal word “NOTICE” in white on blue background in upper panel and lower panel for additional wording or symbols in blue or black on a white background OR entire sign may be white letters on blue background.
EXIT Used to indicate exits. Lettered in legible letters, not less than 6 in (15.2 cm) high, on white field. The principal stroke of letters shall be at least 3/4 in (5.1 cm) in width.

Danger Signs

  1. Danger Signs. Danger signs must conform to the following requirements:
    • (1) Danger signs will be used only when the circumstances indicate an imminently hazardous situation that, if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury.
    • (2) Signal word.
      1. (a) USACE Standard: The signal word "Danger" is white on a red background at the top of the sign.
      2. (b) ANSI Alternate Standard: Danger signs must have the signal word "DANGER" in white letters placed at the top of a rectangular safety red background placed at the top of the sign. The safety alert symbol must precede the signal word. The base of symbol must be on the same horizontal level as the base of the letters of the signal word - the height equaling or exceeding the signal word height. > See Figure 8-1 .
      3. (c) OSHA Alternate Standard: As an alternative, Danger Signs may have "DANGER" in white letters on a safety red oval background with a white border on a black rectangular field. This distinctive panel must appear in the uppermost portion of the sign. No other signal word or symbol must be used within this distinctive shape and color arrangement.
    • (3) The message panel.
      1. (a) USACE Standard: For workplace safety signs the lettering describing the specific danger is black letters on a white background. On other approved Danger Signs, the message is white lettering on a red background.
      2. (b) OSHA or ANSI Alternate Standard: The lettering must be black letters on a white background or white letters on a black background and the symbol/pictorial panel, if used, must be square with a black safety red, or black and safety red symbol on a white background.

Warning Signs

  1. Warning Signs. Warning signs must conform to the following requirements:
    • (1) Warning signs may be used only when the circumstances indicate a potentially hazardous situation that, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury. The hazards may be the same as those associated with Danger signs but are of significantly less magnitude.
    • (2) Signal Word.
      • (a) USACE Standard: On approved Warning Safety signs the signal word "Warning" appears in black lettering on an orange background under a black top border. There are no Warning workplace safety signs in the Corps system.
      • (b) ANSI Standard: Warning signs must have the signal word "WARNING" in black letters on a rectangular orange background placed at the top of the sign. The safety alert symbol must precede the signal word. The base of symbol hall be on the same horizontal level as the base of the letters of the signal word - the height equaling or exceeding the signal word height. See Figure 8-1 for Sign and Tag Signal Word Headings.
      • (c) OSHA Standard Alternative: As an alternative, Warning Signs may have the signal word "WARNING" in black lettering within a safety orange truncated diamond on a black rectangular background. The distinctive panel must be located at the uppermost portion of the sign. No other word or symbol must be used within this distinctive shape or color arrangement.
    • (3) The message panel.
      • (a) USACE Standard: On approved Warning signs the message panel must be in black lettering on an orange background.
      • (b) OSHA or ANSI Alternate Standard: The message panel must be in black lettering on a white background or white lettering on a black background. The message may, as an alternative, be in black letters on a safety orange background. The symbol/pictorial panel, if used, must be square with a black symbol on a white background. The symbol panel used as an alternative may be square with a black symbol on an orange background.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

8-2. Which signs are to be used only when the circumstances indicate a potentially hazardous situation that, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury?

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