Tips for the Correct Placement of Excavation Safety Signs
Excavation sites are complex and hazardous work environments. As such, maintaining high safety standards is crucial for the well-being of workers, visitors and the immediate community. Excavation safety signs are essential since they warn people about potential danger and inform them about procedures for staying safe within a worksite. However, excavation safety signs are only as significant as their placement. This article highlights tips for the correct placement of safety signs in excavation sites.
Clear View -- The purpose of erecting an excavation safety sign is to protect all parties within and without a site, and this can only happen if a sign is visible. Therefore, safety officers must be conscious of sign placement because incorrect positioning could have dire consequences. For instance, a cyclist riding straight towards an excavated hole at night might fall into a ditch if an excavator blocks the safety sign from view. Since some excavation safety signs come to view at the last moment, there is usually very little time to react and prevent an accident. For this reason, excavation workers must do all they can to avoid placing obstructions in front of safety signs. This ensures that passersby have a clear view, preventing accidents.
Stable Base -- Excavation safety signs are made from sturdy material, but they can still easily fall or turn if they do not have a stable base. This is particularly true if you consider the rugged nature of excavation sites' terrain. Therefore, if you plant a safety sign on loose soil, it might turn away from its intended direction or fall, making it ineffective. While you can pick up a sign and put it back in position, nobody will be around to do the same when it falls at night. As such, look for a stable spot to erect a safety sign. Alternatively, you can make a concrete base for a sign to achieve the same purpose.
Reasonable Distance From the Excavation Site -- Although the primary function of excavation safety signs is to prevent accidents, placing them too close to the site is counterproductive. Planting safety signs too close to an excavation site can interfere with operations. For example, an excavator needs ample space to operate efficiently. Therefore, the inconvenience caused by improper placement of safety signs might force workers to remove the signs temporarily. However, such decisions might expose passersby and other site workers to the risk of falling, especially if safety signs are not returned to their original places.