Wet Floor
Signs Types and Purpose
When you walk
into a building most of the time, the first thing you notice is
the appearance of the floor. Does it shine or is it dull and
dirty? If it seems extra shiny it could be that the floor is wet
and if so, there should be
wet floor signs indicating such.
Wet floor
signs are not simply to let you know the floor is wet, rather to
give a visual warning that there is the possibility of unstable
footing which could cause a person to slip and fall sustaining
injury. If you mop or refinish your floor causing it to be wet
and someone slips and falls and the warning signs are not in
place, there is a big chance are you will get sued and you will
lose.
Insurance companies and private industry lose millions of
dollars every year because a wet floor was not marked with
warning signs or wet floor cones.
A good rule of thumb to remember when using wet floor signs is
to insure they are visible from every point of entry into the
area where the work is being conducted. This will insure that
anyone entering your work space will notice the warnings and
take extra care as they pass through. Many of the signs today
will not only be bi-lingual but have a pictogram as well giving
an extra visual aid of the warning.
There are a number of different types of wet floor signs all
designed to do one thing; warn of potential hazards due to the
floor being wet. The most common type is the sandwich board
style which is a two sided sign indicating the message. Another
popular style is the pop up safety sign which looks like a
pyramid with the visual warnings on each side. There are also
expandable types and banner signs available. One other type is
the cone style which basically looks like the cones you will see
in a highway construction zone. Depending on each application
and area to protect will help determine which wet floor sign is
right for the application.
Using wet floor signs are the most economical way to insure the
proper marking and warning of a potentially hazardous area.
Always use the proper warning signage not just to be compliant,
but more so to give visual warning so that people entering an
area can avoid injury. |