Why are signs so important?

Signs, we see them every day: whether it’s safety signs looming above the motorways as we commute to work, or the soft, green glow of an emergency exit sign in the dark of a cinema screen, or the direct message of a no smoking sign, signs play a major role in our everyday lives. In fact, your average person sees so many signs during the course of their day, be it hopping in the car and driving to the supermarket, or patrolling the high street, they are unlikely to notice just how widespread and numerous signage really is. However, signs are not just there to warn us of potential dangers or hazards, they can also be used to help point us in the right direction. For businesses, they can even entertain and intrigue passers-by...

More than words can say with a sign

In language, something can often say two things; what it connotes and what it denotes. Denotations are often more literal, as they often become a mark or indicator for something, and this is what we often think of signs as. Emergency exit signs, for instance, are a symbol for alternative routes.

Where will my sign get noticed?

When it comes to getting the most out of your signs, positioning is everything. There are various places and methods to post a sign, and many companies often lean to different strategies.

More often than not, function will dictate form. Health and safety signs, as an example, should be clearly displayed near the respective health risk. 

How signs can improve your office space

Whether we’re aware of it or not, each and every one of us comes face to face with threatening hazards during our day-to-day working lives. Many of us take them for granted, but when it comes to helping us avoid common workplace injuries, health and safety signs save countless people from serious injury, sometimes even death, each and every year.

Get Your Message Noticed

The first and arguably most important point of any sign is to be noticed. This is especially true for health & safety signs, where being visible is the difference between whether an accident occurs or not. In short, being visible is everything.

Of course, we’ve already discussed where to place a sign to ensure it’s seen, yet these notices do a lot themselves.

The Do's and Don'ts of First Aid

While every workplace has a dedicated and trained health and safety person to administer First Aid, it is very useful if everyone knows some basic procedures. Emergencies have a way of happening unpredictably and fast. Immediate steps must be taken, alongside calling for help. A simple understanding of what to do in the event of an accident or injury is beneficial for all.