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Construction Signs - A Guide To Improving Safety on Your Site


Construction sites present a unique range of hazards to workers, guests and visitors. And one of the clearest ways to ensure the risk of injury is minimised is by using the right signs at all times. Most construction sites are temporary environments - they may be around anything from a few weeks to a number of years. Either way, the signs that are needed vary depending on the type of site in question, the length of time it expects to be in operation and the number of workers you have at any given time. In this guide, we will cover the minimum sign requirements for a temporary construction site, along with other options available to suit specific settings.

What construction signs do I need to have on my site?

In any working environment, the signs that you use should be implemented to minimise the risk of injury due to hazards. Before embarking on any health and safety overhaul, we recommend undertaking a risk assessment to highlight all potential areas of concern. There are numerous templates available online including this one from HS Direct and this link from the Health and Safety Executive. Understanding the key hazards on your construction site ensures you can implement a successful sign solution. This should be clear and uncrowded. Signs should not confuse each other and therefore, you should always be cautious not to overuse them.

When deciding which signs are necessary on your site, it is important to take into account what type of construction work will be taking place. Is it just simple groundworks? Are heavier infrastructures involving civils likely to occur? Or, is it just a basic residential construction? This will allow you to understand the potential risks that can occur. Larger sites will also need larger quantities of signs to ensure they can be read and understood by everyone. All of these factors should be accounted for during your risk assessment.

When it comes to the bare minimum, you want to protect all workers and visitors from potential injury. So, at the very least, you should have an:

  1. Fire Assembly Point Sign In the event of an emergency, it is important that everyone knows where to meet. This allows your dedicated fire marshall to note down who is present and ensure everybody has left the building. Health and safety is a key consideration on construction sites as there is an increase in heavy duty machinery and dangerous activity happening every single day. Therefore, fire assembly point signs are vital. They come in a variety of different formats, so it’s up to you which style you choose. Our simple Fire Assembly Point with Tick Sign is large and bold, easy to read by everyone and conforms with British Standard requirements. We also have Photoluminescent Emergency Assembly Point Signs that glow in low light conditions. And our Numbered Fire Assembly Point Signs should be used in larger settings or those with high employee levels.
  2. Multi-Hazard Construction Signs Offering a host of information in one place, these detailed signs are there to ensure that every staff member understands the key information. They are a vital addition to site offices and work best where staff turnover is high. Each one will feature numerous banners filled with information including instructions, orders and directional rules. Anything from ‘Safety helmets must be worn’ through to ‘Unauthorised entry to this site is strictly prohibited’ can all be found in one rounded sign. Again, there are a variety of different options available to suit your needs. We have Multi-Hazard Site Safety Signs in Large Landscape dimensions. In other settings, especially those with international employees, our Multi-Hazard Site Safety 9 Point Sign features large logos that are universally understood and recognised.
  3. Access Signs With high staff turnover, it is important that you clearly restrict areas of your site to unauthorised personnel. Not only does this protect the business, it also minimises the risk of injury for non-approved individuals. The right Access Sign will do just that, helping you to clearly identify areas of unauthorised access. In addition, they can be used for visitors and guests to your sign, with an easy to understand design. Again, there are a host of different styles out there from the simple No Access Sign and No Unauthorised Persons Allowed Sign through to others like the Scaffolding Incomplete, Do Not Use and No Admittance Without Work Permit Sign. A risk assessment will identify where these signs need to be positioned.
  4. General Construction Signs It may sound unusual but it is important that you identify a construction site as what it is. There should be signs clearly displayed around that guarantee it cannot be mistaken as an open area. When used appropriately, this minimises the chance of the general public putting themselves at risk. And again, like the options listed above, they should be displayed in the places highlighted during a risk assessment. Choose from simple Construction Site Keep Out Signs through to Site Entrance designs and Danger Demolition in Progress - the right signs can ensure traffic move smoothly throughout your workplace.
What legislation covers construction signs?

The laws surrounding health and safety on construction sites expects those working on sites and members of the public to be properly protected. And, the official legislation that dictates signage is the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996. This covers all places of work which are currently blanketed by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. You can download a full version of this document here.

How do I know which signs my construction site is missing?

As mentioned before, the best way of identifying the need for signs is through a risk assessment. This will flag up areas that aren’t properly signed, particularly areas where injuries tend to occur or questions are frequently asked about the correct procedures. Additionally, the team here at Lasting Impressions prides ourselves in being experts in our field. Therefore, we are always there to help should you need assistance with identifying the right sign for your needs. Get in touch with us today and let’s ensure your construction site is safe and protected appropriately.