Safety, Security and Well-Being with Signage

Free OSHA Safety Best Practices Guide

Custodial professionals, building services, contractors and industrial cleaners who mop, clean windows, vacuum, scrub tanks and do pressure washing have a second job – serving as critical safety agents for building and plant managers. Cleaning and janitorial staff can assist the facility managers or safety staff by noting any damaged, missing or unreadable signs or labels. These should be reported to their supervisor.

Understanding the Meaning of Signs and Labels Such as Lockout/Tagout and Right-To-Know

There are safety hazards throughout buildings and facilities and cleaning staff need to comprehend safety signs and labels. They should be familiar with lockout/tagout (LO/TO), a life-saving procedure in which repairs are made to machines when power sources are removed, locked out, tagged out and isolated.

They may, in some circumstances, need to follow LO/TO procedures. Cleaning and janitorial people need to recognize, and obey, the signs, labels and tags they see. LO/TO in particular, can be of special concern because LO/TO signs and tags are not used every day. So cleaning and janitorial staff that work in industrial facilities should receive LO/TO training and know what they need to do in response to LO/TO signs and tags.

Cleaning staff must also comprehend the Right-To-Know labels used in a facility, as these warn about hazardous and dangerous chemicals.

Free NFPA Diamond Guide for RTK Labels

A complete reference to the RTK Label - NFPA Diamond

Use Proper Signs and Markings

Cleaning and janitorial staff should use appropriate signs, barriers and warning systems as they are doing their work. These warn others about hazards such as slippery floors, fall hazards and areas that are closed.

My staff use wet floor signs, falling ice signs, orange or red cones on or near hazards and caution tape,” said John Csehill, The Infinity Concern, Inc. “Signs are most effective when placed in break areas or by the time clock but they must be constantly changed to be noticed or they will simply become part of the unnoticed background like a light switch you never use.”

Janitorial services that need to make their own signs and labels turn to DuraLabel

Bridging the gap between standard janitorial signs and facility safety signs such as LO/TO signs and tags will help foster a safer and more secure work environment.

At times, there is a need for custom labels or signs, for pipe marking, arc flash, organizing supplies or identifying vehicles. For this type of marking, a thermal transfer printer such as the DuraLabel Toro is the solution. The battery-powered, mobile 4-inch DuraLabel Toro printer enables users to print on the go.  

Our research has shown that thermal transfer sign and label printers create longer-lasting labels and are more durable in industrial settings than ink jet printers. If your labels fail to perform for any reason, then safety is compromised. And that’s something no one wants.

Thermal transfer printers may be used by cleaning professionals who service office buildings, hospitals, stores, manufacturing facilities, warehouses and distribution centers. Compatible with a wide range of printing supplies, safety messages are always clear and constant.

“We focus on manufacturing facilities and adjacent offices as our customer base. This is where signage becomes important since most of our customers work in the manufacturing areas while we are doing our jobs,” said Ken Galo, L & K Office and Industrial Cleaning Services. “We have to pay attention to lockout and tagout signs from maintenance personnel so we don’t turn on a circuit breaker to get power to a line of outlets for our buffers or charging an auto scrubber. Since many lines carry power in a grid, an open outlet in the corner may also be connected to a pole outlet that a machine is using and the maintenance may have the power off while doing a repair.”

More about types of signage and supplies

Signs and labels have come a long way in recent years – particularly vinyl supplies. Your environment will dictate the kinds of labeling supplies that will make the most sense. Consider the following scenarios:

• Wayfinding signs and facility maps direct visitors and employees to entrances, exits and departments. Wayfinding signs need to be highly visible, appropriate for the design scheme of the office, building or school and must communicate key messages with few words. In some cases, wayfinding signs may help guide people in emergency situations such as fires and power outages.

• Repositionable tapes are specially engineered to adhere to many of the same flat surfaces as many permanent labels. These labels are made to provide lasting service and can be reapplied again and again. Use for temporary inventory labeling, work-in-progress signage, maintenance project signage, identifying temporary work stations and marking items needing repair.

Getting up to speed on all the sign, label and printer options takes time and patience. Start by visiting www.DuraLabel.com for background about printers, supplies and how-to information about applying labels, preparing labeling surfaces and tiling to make large signs.

By Jack Rubinger