Frequently Asked Questions

NFPA Sign Regulations

• What do you recommend for NFPA labeling on storage tanks?

• How large should my NFPA sign be?

• What is the material is best for our new NFPA signs? They are outside and face the sun.

• What are the NFPA Diamond Ratings?

Safety Sign Design

• I've heard that Johnson and Johnson was suing over the rights for the first aid symbol (the red cross). Does anyone in particular own the rights to this, and can I get in trouble for using it?

• Why is flourescent green the new standard for pedestrian signs and school signs?

• How does retroflective material make my traffic sign more effective?

• A variety of accidents could occur. Some are serious and others are minor. Which type of accident should I consider when selecting the correct header?

• When should I use a Bilingual Sign?

• The header definitions seem to have precise definitions for both 'Will' and 'Could' in describing when to use a given header. Can you give me more detail here?

• When should we use an ANSI sign designs instead of the traditional OSHA safety sign designs?

• Our warning labels use ANSI formats, but our industrial safety signs seem to follow the OSHA styles of 1910. What do you recommend?

• For symbols that have a red 'Not' mark on them, should the circle slash be on top of or below the symbol?

• Are there rules for when the skull symbol can be used? What is the history of this symbol?

• In looking over the differences in sign hazard levels, I am confused on how to best determine injury severity. Do you have any guidelines here?

• Do you have setup fees for custom signs?

• I want to use the red cross on my first aid sign. But, you do not seem to show this symbol. Why not?

• Can you help explain which recycling symbol that I should use on our labels and signs?

• Should I use all capital letters for my sign? Or, should I use upper and lower case letters?

• How large a sign should we order?

Safety Sign Regulations

Fire Extinguisher Location Signs

• Do we have to use signs that jut out from the wall to identify the fire extinguisher locations?

• What are the rules regarding the materials used for fire extinguisher signs?

• Do fire extinguisher signs need to be photoluminescent, or "glow-in-the-dark"?

• How many fire extinguisher signs do we need?

• What are the rules regarding Fire Extinguisher training?

Biohazard Warning Signs

• What are the Biohazard Label Regulations? And, whom does it cover?

• How are pathogens and biohazards different?

• How are the Biohazard symbols used in making a Biohazard sign?

• We help handle evidence in DNA testing. Many investigators typically handle these materials. Should we use Biohazard labels?

• What are some good procedures for handling biohazards?

• What is OPIM? Is there a special biohazard label for this?

• In determining when to post a biohazard sign, what other toxins should be considered biohazards or pathogens?

Radiation Signs

• Can you help me find information on Radiation warnings?

• What is the 'Trefoil' symbol?

• What are the OSHA regulations that I need to study for warnings?

Sign Installation

• How do I fasten the signs to a fence?

• What types of sign mounting posts do you sell?

Sign Materials

• What is photoluminescence? And, how is this different from fluorescent signs?

• When should I use a fluorescent sign?

• Should I fasten my sign to the inside or outside of our fence?

What do you recommend for NFPA labeling on storage tanks?

Magnetic NFPA placards are most material choice here. These adhere very well and do not come off, even in gale force winds. Unlike adhesive NFPA placards, magnetic versions can be easily removed, though. And, compared to aluminum placards, there is no worry about using screws or other attachments. Many others use one of our reflective NFPA diamond signs. These can be seen at night.

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How large should my NFPA sign be?

NFPA signs as large as possible. Give the emergency workers plenty of distance before nearing the hazardous area is a real advantage. Keep them away from the explosion. Let them choose the right fire-fighting equipment. Bigger signs can be seen from a greater distance.

so, consider our reflective NFPA signs. These can be spotted in a blackout. A flashlight quickly illuminates the door to the room that houses the volatile or hazardous materials. The High Intensity reflective NFPA signs are especially bright –even when approached at an acute angle.

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What is the material is best for our new NFPA signs? They are outside and face the sun.

We have selected our sign materials for excellent durability. They are screen printed with a heavy coat of the most durable inks that we have found and then, usually, cured at a high temperature to best insure good bonding to the sign substrate. We have been making signs for over 20 years and have really learned what works (and what does not).

The High Intensity Reflective NFPA signs and the Aluminum NFPA signs are particularly reflective.

But, I must mention that questions of durability are always fraught with uncertainly. Fading can be unpredictable. A sign that faces north might last 3-4X longer than an NFPA placard that faces south. Other key factors are temperature changes and rain.

Finally, we need to address what "durability" truly means. Some think that the sign is still useful if the message on the sign can somehow still be read, even if the print has already faded and all that remains are a few shadows of the original colors. I disagree. Hazard signs are meant to be read easily. NFPA signs are about fast and communication in an emergency, not about deciphering an obscure message. You shouldn't have to be a CIA agent or an archaeologist expert at gravestone rubbing to decode a sign! Useful life means not only that the sign or NFPA placard is readable, but that its original impact has not significantly deteriorated.

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What are the NFPA Diamond Ratings?

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I've heard that Johnson and Johnson was suing over the rights for the first aid symbol (the red cross). Does anyone in particular own the rights to this, and can I get in trouble for using it?

Many people use the first aid symbol on signs, labels, and countless other objects. The reason that Johnson and Johnson was suing the American Red Cross was because they started selling merchandise with the logo on it in order to turn a profit. J & J based their suit on the fact that the not-for-profit company started licensing the symbol to commercial partners for profit.

The Red Cross and J & J actually share the rights to the symbol, and the Red Cross offers open sharing of their logo on their website. Since the Red Cross logo (not to be confused with the First Aid Symbol)is frequently used, the recent dismissal of this suit sets a precedent that the symbol can be used freely.

Because of this, you will see the American Red Cross logo almost anywhere that leads people to safety, aid, or disaster help, and you will find this near-universal symbol on many of our signs.

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Why is flourescent green the new standard for pedestrian signs and school signs?

Flourescent yellow-green signs are being used in school zones and pedestrian zones to warn that people may be in the area. Since an overwhelming number of deaths are due to traffic accidents, 3M wanted to find a more effective way to warn drivers of pedestrian and school zones. They found out that yellow-green flourescent signs were 50-100% more effective at preventing accidents in busy areas. These signs also work best at the most dangerous times of day -- dawn and dusk.

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How does retroflective material make my traffic sign more effective?

With over 50,000 pedestrian fatalities resulting from vehicle accidents, there is good reason why the Federal Highway Administration has shown that retroflective yellow-green signs are the most effective sign for warning drivers of potential danger.

Nobody wants to get in an accident, but retroflective signs can help stop these accidents from happening. With the two effects of flourescence and retroflectivity, these bright, attention-grabbing signs grab light and make a bigger impact on drivers. These MUTCD-compliant signs are saving lives, every day.

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A variety of accidents could occur. Some are serious and others are minor. Which type of accident should I consider when selecting the correct header?

The ANSI Z535 standard states that you should use. “Worst credible severity of harm if an accident occurs”. In practice, this means that sign buyer might lean towards the conservative alternative when weighing various severity and injury likelihood scenarios. For example, choose DANGER instead of WARNING for a given hazard. Please look over our Sign tips for more background on hazard selection.

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When should I use a Bilingual Sign?

This is a common question. Although there is no definitive answer to this question, we recommend using a bilingual sign when workplace instructions are frequently translated into another language, if your company recruits or actively issues advertisements in non-English media outlets or if there is a substantial non-English speaking audience that needs to be aware of the potential hazard.

For labels that need to be read outside the workplace we recommend that you use a Spanish sign, for example, if (1) Spanish newspapers and radio stations are prevalent in the area or (2) that the primary education is available in both Spanish and English. Of course, a warning label or sign should try reach as wide an audience as possible.

Typically, the bilingual module is attached on the right or at the bottom of the label. It is important that a dual language sign not look cluttered.

Second language is added as a module to the bottom of a sign.

Too many languages make it hard to read.

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The header definitions seem to have precise definitions for both 'Will' and 'Could' in describing when to use a given header. Can you give me more detail here?

The ANSI Z535 definitions are as follows:

Will: Indicates an event that is expected to happen with near certainty.

Could: Indicates an event that is possible but not nearly certain.

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When should we use an ANSI sign designs instead of the traditional OSHA safety sign designs?

This entire issue is rather controversial. Let me answer indirectly. Let’s look at actual signs ordered in the marketplace. Here, the OSHA safety sign designs dominate. It seems that a vast majority of industrial sign buyers still purchase the OSHA style signs, especially when they order simple stock signs. ANSI safety sign designs represent a very small part of this market. The shift, if anything, has been to signs that show both a text message and a picto (but still keep the traditional OSHA sign elements such as all caps, the Danger oval header and centered text).

On the other hand, there has been a trend for custom signs towards the ANSI designs. Although the OSHA sign designs predominate for custom orders, there is a gradual trend towards the ANSI designs. This is especially true for signs that involve more text. Utilities and pharmaceutical firms seem to be moving more and more of their custom designs towards ANSI styles.

For me, I can see some real advantages in the ANSI designs. They certainly handle complex text better. A simple, one-line "High Voltage" sign can be improved when you add an Action statement, consequences, a symbol, use mixed case and, in many situations, add emergency information. These signs can be quite impactful.

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Our warning labels use ANSI formats, but our industrial safety signs seem to follow the OSHA styles of 1910. What do you recommend?

Yes, this is quite common. The ANSI designs were first proposed for product labeling. These label design standards were originally developed by FMC and Westinghouse in the 1970's and became part of the ANSI label standard in the 1991. The ANSI sign standards took longer to fully push the same layouts.

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For symbols that have a red 'Not' mark on them, should the circle slash be on top of or below the symbol?

This question has been studied by several researchers. The answer depends, generally, upon the complexity of the underlying graphic. If, for example, the graphic has a great deal of detail that would be obscured by a diagonal red over-slash, the slash could be placed underneath the black symbol. In the example above, the slash is best shown underneath the black graphic (the version on the right). In this example you can see the operator's hands and how he uses his legs and weight to drive the shovel into the ground. Adding these details make the digging metaphor much clearer.

For more information, see Dr. Wogalter's study, "Pictorial Negations: Preferences for Different Circle Slash Variations" or R.E. Dewar's study, "The Slash Obscures the Symbol on Prohibitive Traffic Signs", Human Factors, 18, 253-258.

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Are there rules for when the skull symbol can be used? What is the history of this symbol?

Skull and Crossbones symbol is typically found, now, on chemical hazards. Other, related symbols are the 'Mr. Yuck' symbol and the 'dead bird' symbol. For more detail, click here.

Poison
Infectious, Lethal

'Mr. Yuck', Child's Warning
for Dangerous
Substances in Home

Poisonous Gas
Dead Bird

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In looking over the differences in sign hazard levels, I am confused on how to best determine injury severity. Do you have any guidelines here?

ANSI defines serious injuries as those that typically have one or more of the following characteristics:

• results in permanent loss of function or significant disfigurement

• requires substantial and prolonged medical treatment

• involves long periods of disability

• involves considerable pain and suffering over long periods of time

For more information, see ANSI Z535.

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Do you have setup fees for custom signs?

No! Order custom signs from us without aggravating setup fees.

For most printers, adding a setup fee for plates, art, dies or special colors is a way to disguise the true cost of your custom signs. Setup fees are also a legacy of traditional sign printing presses – when special plates were needed.

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I want to use the red cross on my first aid sign. But, you do not seem to show this symbol. Why not?

This symbol should not be used for signs. A green cross, rather than a red cross should be used. Click here to learn more.

First Aid

First Aid

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Can you help explain which recycling symbol that I should use on our labels and signs?

There are many choices. For more background, click here.

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Should I use all capital letters for my sign? Or, should I use upper and lower case letters?

In most cases, we recommend caps or a bolder font for the headline. But, try to use mixed case letters for the rest of the sign. If the sign has a great deal of text, type your legend as it would be seen in a book or article. Too many capital letters becomes confusing.

Note that we read phrases or groups of letters at a time. You read clumps of letters, together, as one shape. Reading individual letters in all capital letters, would slow us down and has been described as how an early child reader proceeds. ("It is like having your lips move when you read.") In a type font, the ascenders and descenders provide important clues. One of the reasons that we do not spot many typographical mistakes is that we do not read letter by letter. Our "expectations" of what is about to be said allows us to speed through the passage. See the sign below. It is not easy to spot the typo.

You may use the capital letter height for readability guidance. The illustration below shows how much more readable the upper and lower case word is than the all caps version having the same "footprint." Both headlines have the same "footprint". Yet, the upper and lower case version is more readable than the all-caps version.

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How large a sign should we order?

The ANSI Z535.2 sign standard uses a ratio of 25 feet of viewing distance per inch of text height, assuming favorable viewing conditions.
For unfavorable viewing conditions, this ratio lowers to 12.5 feet of viewing distance per inch of text height.
For more optimistic traffic sign 'rule-of-thumb' is 50 feet per
inch of text height.

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Do we have to use signs that jut out from the wall to identify the fire extinguisher locations?

In fact, the NFPA rules are often misinterpreted here. Some building inspectors have required that fire extinguisher signs be mounted perpendicular to their cabinet or when the fire extinguisher is mounted on a wall bracket.

An NFPA interpretation (November, 99), however, mentions that this is not a requirement. The rules only require that "extinguishers mounted in cabinets or wall recesses...be marked conspicuously."

In practice, however, the perpendicular signs remain our most popular – and for good reason. While "a conspicuous sign, including those mounted parallel to the wall, meet the intent of [the NFPA rules]", the advantages of a sign that can be seen as you approach it from an angle are obvious. Most locations are approached from an angle. Sign visibility suffers. Moreover, many fire extinguishers are kept in recessed cavities and are even harder to locate.

In an emergency, seconds may count. A sign that can be seen from as many different angles (and as many different light conditions) is certainly an advantage.

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What are the rules regarding the materials used for fire extinguisher signs?

The signs need, merely, to be "conspicuous". Signs that fade quickly or are too small are not conspicuous. Our GlowSmart signs are some of the most conspicuous in the market.

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Do fire extinguisher signs need to be photoluminescent, or "glow-in-the-dark"?

Again, there are no common rules here that mandate this treatment. On the other hand, fires often cause blackouts. A photoluminescent or reflective sign only increases the chances that vital fire protection equipment, shut-off's, etc. will be found quickly. Photoluminescent signs glow in the dark after the lights are off. Reflective signs take the light from a flashlight or backup light and return the light in a way that makes the sign evident. Give your emergency crews and other fire fighting teams all the help that they deserve.

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How many fire extinguisher signs do we need?

We recommend that you consult with the regulations above. For a quick overview, of how many are needed, see the excerpt below (from the OSHA standard 1926) regarding Portable Firefighting Equipment, Fire Extinguishers and Small Hose Lines:

• A fire extinguisher, rated not less than 2A, shall be provided for each 3,000 square feet of the protected building area, or major fraction thereof. Travel distance from any point of the protected area to the nearest fire extinguisher shall not exceed 100 feet.

• One 55-gallon open drum of water with two fire pails may be substituted for a fire extinguisher having a 2A rating.

• A ½-inch diameter garden-type hose line, not to exceed 100 feet in length and equipped with a nozzle, may be substituted for a 2A-rated fire extinguisher, providing it is capable of discharging a minimum of 5 gallons per minute with a minimum hose stream range of 30 feet horizontally. The garden-type hose lines shall be mounted on conventional racks or reels. The number and location of hose racks or reels shall be such that at least one hose stream can be applied to all points in the area.

• One or more fire extinguishers, rated not less than 2A, shall be provided on each floor. In multistory buildings, at least one fire extinguisher shall be located adjacent to stairway.

• Extinguishers and water drums, subject to freezing, shall be protected from freezing.

• A fire extinguisher, rated not less than 10B, shall be provided within 50 feet of wherever more than 5 gallons of flammable or combustible liquids or 5 pounds of flammable gas are being used on the jobsite. This requirement does not apply to the integral fuel tanks of motor vehicles.

• Carbon tetrachloride and other toxic vaporizing liquid fire extinguishers are prohibited.

• Portable fire extinguishers shall be inspected periodically and maintained in accordance with Maintenance and Use of Portable Fire Extinguishers, NFPA No. 10A-1970. Fire extinguishers which have been listed or approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, shall be used to meet the requirements of this subpart.

• Table F-1 in §1926.150(c)(1)(x) may be used as a guide for selecting the appropriate portable fire extinguishers.

In practice, though, you may also want to consider other factors, such as the training and mobility of the workers or others in the building, the type of construction, the existence of other fire protection systems, evacuation plans, etc.

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What are the rules regarding Fire Extinguisher training?

See, OSHA 1910.157, which is excerpted here: "Where the employer has provided portable fire extinguishers for employee use in the workplace, the employer shall also provide an educational program to familiarize employees with the general principles of fire extinguisher use and the hazards involved with incipient stage fire fighting."

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What are the Biohazard Label Regulations? And, whom does it cover?

Warning labels shall be attached to all containers used for the storage or transport of potentially infectious materials. The labels shall be orange or red-orange with the biohazard symbol in a contrasting color. Red containers or bags can be substituted for warning labels. [See 29 CFR 1910.1030].

The Bloodborne Pathogens Regulation ([9 CFR 1910.1030] applies to all persons who may reasonably anticipate contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials in the course of their employment. This includes contact with skin, eyes, mucous membranes or contact from piercing the skin. This regulation is mainly focused on compelling employers to create a written Exposure Control Plan in order for the employer to describe to the employees how they will be protected from exposure.

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How are pathogens and biohazards different?

Pathogens are agents that can specifically cause disease. Biohazards are infectious agents or dangerous biological materials that present a risk or potential risk to human health. We offer labels or signs that cover both hazards.

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How are the Biohazard symbols used in making a Biohazard sign?

A BioHazard sign needs to contain the symbol shown below, as well as the word "BioHazard" or "Biological Hazard".

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We help handle evidence in DNA testing. Many investigators typically handle these materials. Should we use Biohazard labels?

It is believed that any evidence that entails bodily fluids should be labeled with biohazard labels, tags or tape. These labels help make sure that your civic workers, police and laboratory technicians are aware of the possible health hazards when they handle such samples of evidence, such as the dangers of contracting Hepatitis B and HIV.

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What are some good procedures for handling biohazards?

There are many different types of biohazards, and many different levels of danger. For many hazards, something as simple as household bleach is usable to disinfect environmental surfaces or clean up spills of potentially infectious materials. For a complete description of one procedure for handling biohazards, see the link below.

http://www.state.mn.us/ebranch/doli/pdf/bbpcpl2.pdf

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What is OPIM? Is there a special biohazard label for this?

OPIM means, other potentially infectious materials. This means that it can be anything that can carry types of pathogenic microorganisms or any other potential risks. There is no specific biohazard label for this because in a sense, it can be anything.

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In determining when to post a biohazard sign, what other toxins should be considered biohazards or pathogens?

While HBV and HIV are specifically identified in the Bloodborne Pathogen (BBP) standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), the term includes any pathogenic microorganism that is present in human blood or OPIM and can infect and cause disease in persons who are exposed to blood containing the pathogen. Pathogenic microorganisms can also cause diseases such as hepatitis C, malaria, syphilis, babesiosis, brucellosis, leptospirosis, arboviral infections, relapsing fever, adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (caused by HTLV-I), HTLV-I associated myelopathy, diseases associated with HTLV-II, viral hemorrhagic fever, and West Nile Virus. Although not a microorganism, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease can be transmitted through blood.

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Can you help me find information on Radiation warnings?

Please visit site: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/10cfr835_00.html

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What is the 'Trefoil' symbol?

For a quick overview, click here.

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What are the OSHA regulations that I need to study for warnings?

There are many possible links. Click here as a start.

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How do I fasten the signs to a fence?

Use our inexpensive fence clips. They come in pairs. For most people, fastening a sign with our clips is actually a 'one person affair'.

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What types of sign mounting posts do you sell?

We offer a complete line of u-channel, round, and square sign posts. We stock these sign posts in both green and galvanized finishes. Custom and decorative sign posts are available. To buy sign posts, click here.

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What is photoluminescence? And, how is this different from fluorescent signs?

These are two common material features for signs. Photoluminescent signs glow-in-the-dark. Fluorescent signs just exaggerate the impact of the color during the day time (and, especially, at dawn and dusk). Click here to learn more.

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When should I use a fluorescent sign?

Flourescent signs get noticed faster. They are a great way to add emphasis to your warning. The 3M reflective sign materials offer terrific durability. Click here to learn more about how fluorescent signs work.

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Should I fasten my sign to the inside or outside of our fence?

A sign inside of the fence is not effective.

Outside of the fence, it conveys the warning.

It is far better to put the sign on the outside. That way the sign is most easily seen and read. With a strong fastening system, the sign is very hard to steal – even for professional scrap metal vandals. A sign on the inside of the fence is not as effective.

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