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Signs are the warnings of hazard, temporarily or permanently affixedor placed, at locations where hazards exist.

Barricade means an obstruction to deter the passage of persons orvehicles.

OSHA Standard 1926.200(a) Signs (…) required (…) shall be visible at all times when work is being performed, andshall be removed or covered promptly when the hazards no longer exist.

SITE SAFETY || Signs and BarricadesVolume 1 Issue 52

Signs and Barricades are an important part of work area safety that protect workers, visitors and thegeneral public. If there is a potential hazard, signs must be visible at all times and when necessary,appropriate barricades must be in place.

OSHA has specific regulations pertaining to signs and barricades so use this safety topic to review andbecome familiar with the signs and barricades that are needed in specific work areas.

RED >> DANGER >> where immediate hazard exists

YELLOW >> CAUTION >> to warn of potential hazards

ORANGE >> WARNING >> barricades or notices

All safety signs should be visible and legible. If an active sign isvandalized, becomes rusted, or is coming off the affixed location, itmust be replaced immediately. Any sign that is no longer relevantshould be covered or removed immediately.

Barricades should be inspected daily (or more often) to ensure theyare still in place and working as intended.

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Danger signs indicate that there is an immediate threat and special precautions are necessary.

Red should be the main color on the top of a black and white Danger sign.

Don’t assume everyone is aware of clear and present danger, signs are important!

Use Danger signs to mark hazardous areas to prevent potential serious injuries to employees andothers that could be in the area at any time.

Examples of Danger signs in use.


OSHA Standard 1926.200(b)(1)/(2) Danger signs shall be used only where an immediatehazard exists… Danger signs shall have red as the predominating color for the upperpanel; black outline on the borders; and a white lower panel for additional sign wording.

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Caution signs warn against potential hazards or caution against unsafe practices, that if not avoided,could result in minor or moderate injury.

Caution signs are yellow and black to ensure they are easily visible.

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OSHA Standard 1926.200(c)(1)/(2) Caution signs shall be used only to warn against potential hazards or to cautionagainst unsafe practices… Caution signs shall have yellow as the predominating color; black upper panel andborders: yellow lettering of "caution" on the black panel; and the lower yellow panel for additional sign wording.Black lettering shall be used for additional wording.

Examples of Caution signs in use.

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Other required signs include:

• Warning Signs

• Safety Instruction Signs

• Exit Signs

• Directional Signs

• Traffic Signs

• Notice Signs


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OSHA Standard 1926.200(e) Safety instruction signs, when used, shall bewhite with green upper panel with white letters to convey the principalmessage. Any additional wording on the sign shall be black letters on thewhite background.

OSHA Standard 1926.200(d) Exit signs, when required, shall be lettered inlegible red letters, not less than 6 inches high, on a white field and theprincipal stroke of the letters shall be at least three-fourths inch in width.

OSHA Standard 1926.200(f) Directional signs, other than automotivetraffic signs specified in paragraph (g) of this section, shall be white with ablack panel and a white directional symbol. Any additional wording on thesign shall be black letters on the white background.

OSHA Standard 1926.200(g)(1) Construction areas shall be posted withlegible traffic signs at points of hazard.

Warning signs indicate a potentially hazardoussituation.

Safety Instruction signs are used to provideinformation, procedures or instructions.

Notice signs are often blue and provideinformation that is considered important but notdirectly hazardous (example: security or hygiene).

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A barricade outlines or blocks a dangerous area and warns of a boundary not to be crossed toensure employee and public safety. It is an obstruction to deter the passage of persons or vehicles.

Tapes, screens, cones, rope, wire, chains or signs can be barricades if set up properly.

Examples of Barricades.

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© Weeklysafety.com, LLC

COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMERThis material is the copyrighted property of Weeklysafety.com, LLC. Purchase of this material from Weeklysafety.com, LLC grants the owner the right to use this material for workplace safetyand education purposes only. Use of this material for any other purpose, particularly commercial use, is prohibited. This material, including the photos, may not be resold.Weeklysafety.com, LLC does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or processdisclosed in these materials. Photos shown in this presentation may depict situations that are not in compliance with applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safetyrequirements. These materials are meant for informational purposes only and it is not the intent of Weeklysafety.com, LLC to provide compliance-based training. The intent is more toaddress hazard awareness in the construction and related industries, and to recognize the potential hazards present in many workplaces. These materials are intended to discuss FederalRegulations only, as individual State requirements may be more stringent. Many states operate their own state OSHA and may have standards that are different from information presentedin this training. It is the responsibility of the employer and its employees to comply with all pertinent OSHA safety rules and regulations in the jurisdiction in which they work.

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• (*2, *3, *4, *6, *7, *8, *12) Photo Credit – Photo by MySafetySign.com

• (*5) Photo Credit – darkday. Confined Space with View. https://www.flickr.com/photos/drainrat/15299451627/

• (*9, *10) Photo Credit – www.publicdomainpictures.net/

• (*11) Photo Credit – Leo Fung. Eye Wash Station. https://www.flickr.com/photos/fungleo/368911498/

• (*13) Photo Credit – Photo by RoadTrafficSigns.com

• (*14) Photo Credit – Rudi Riet. Barricades. https://www.flickr.com/photos/rudiriet/605900658/

• (*15) Photo Credit – Ryan McKnight. Road construction in Dupont. https://www.flickr.com/photos/branderguard/14356903028/

• (*17) Photo Credit – Grant Hollingworth. Construction zone. https://www.flickr.com/photos/granth/390755991/

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/


site safety || signs and barricades › weeklysafety › topics › v1-52...signs and barricades are...

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