Staying Safe On Site: All You Need to Know About Safety Signage

Not all signage can be co-opted towards your marketing strategy. While signs such as hoarding, jumpform, or fence panels perform a safety and security function as well as marketing, Safety Signs are a specific type of signage dedicated to security. There’s no getting around it: they’re required by legislation, and their form, colour scheme, and text are highly regulated. That’s where we come in! We’ve got your back so you don’t get caught out. Our safety signage is specially designed to meet Australian construction standards and is customisable to your logo and your specific security needs. When you trust Mesh Direct for your safety signage, you’re in good hands. We’ve put together everything you need to know about safety signage, what we can do for you, and what makes our signage stand out! 

What is Construction Site Safety Signage?

Construction site safety signage is mandatory across Australian construction sites. It includes a range of signs used for health and safety messaging, site safety, or warning and danger signs, and is regulated by strict colour codes. The main types of safety signage we provide are Prohibition (black or red), Mandatory (blue), Danger (red), Warning (yellow), and Emergency Information signs (green). 

The principal purpose of safety signage is to warn visitors and staff about potential hazards, restricted areas, or security regulations in order to minimise the risk of injury or damage. For this reason, it should be installed before any work begins at the site and needs to be placed at primary entrance points, areas of specific and particular hazards, or transitions between public access/restricted areas. It should also be placed at eye level with no obstruction to visibility. 

Why is Safety Signage so Important?

Safety signage is designed to (surprise) keep people safe – staff, visitors, and the general public alike. It’s therefore essential from a human security point of view. As well as this, preventing injury or damage ensures the work can progress smoothly, making it easier for the project to evolve according to plan, budget, and deadlines. Perhaps most significantly for site managers, however, the correct safety signage is central to getting your project off the ground in the first place: there are strict regulations, the Australian Standards adopted by local governments, which dictate the criteria safety signs should meet in order for a project to be legally viable. 

A Little Legislation…

The Australian Standard covering safety signage is AS 1319-1994, setting out the requirements for the design and use of safety signs. The standard doesn’t specify a required material or size, only that size and material should be adapted to the sign’s purpose and location. However, AS 1319-1994 recommends that any symbols be at least 15mm per metre of viewing distance, and any uppercase text be at least 5mm per metre of viewing distance. This should be increased by at least 50% for poor lighting or viewing conditions. Most importantly, employees and visitors alike should be informed of the purpose of each sign. 

The Different Types of Safety Signage

Mesh Direct produces a variety of safety signs, all printed on our lightweight and waterproof corflute substrate. They all meet Australian construction standards and are customisable to your logo, your location, and your specific needs. 

Prohibition Signs

Prohibition signs are used to communicate actions or activities which are not permitted. Their designated form is a red circle with a red diagonal line through it, superimposed over a black pictograph that indicates the activity referred to. In general, the background is white, and any text is black. 

Mandatory Signs

These signs designate an action or activity which must be carried out. Their symbolic shape is a blue filled-in circle with a white pictograph, which we can custom-print for your site. These signs are generally placed over a white background, and any text is usually black. 

Danger Signs

Danger signs are used to warn about a specific hazard or hazardous condition that is likely to be life-threatening. It’s characterised by the word DANGER in white on a red oval, surrounded by a black rectangle. This element usually forms the heading of a white, rectangular sign, or it may occupy the left side of a horizontal sign. 

Warning Signs

Warning signs alert visitors and staff to a hazard or hazardous condition that is not likely to be life-threatening. These signs are recognisable as a black triangle with a yellow background, and a black pictogram identifying the hazard. Any text will appear in black. 

Emergency Information Signs

These signs indicate the locations of directions to emergency-related facilities. These include exits, safety equipment, or first aid facilities. Their background is green with any text or pictograms in white. 

What Makes Mesh Direct Signage Different?

At Mesh Direct, we don’t just make safety signage. We make safety signage for YOU. Our signs are custom printed, but they always comply with all Australian Health and Safety regulations, so there’s no need for you to worry about the bureaucratic details. From your logo to any pictograms or text you might need, the world is your oyster. But that’s not all! What really makes Mesh Direct signage stand out is the quality of the materials we use.

Crazy for Corflute

We print our safety signs on hardwearing, lightweight, and waterproof corflute. It’s highly durable and offers unbeatable print quality, so your safety signage will stand out amongst the chaos of construction, for as long as you need it to. This rigid, flat substrate is also remarkably easy to install on all sorts of structures, including walls, fences, and hoarding. What’s more, corflute can be easily trimmed and cut into any size or shape, so it’s easy to make signs that are just for you. The whole process, from design to installation, is hassle-free. 

On Board with EcoBoard

This 100% recyclable and biodegradable substrate is the perfect alternative to traditional corflute for the ecologically minded project manager. With excellent print quality and the option for coated or uncoated finishes, EcoBoard is a great material for short-term projects. It meets all Australian building standards and is as easy as corflute to customise and install.  

Get in Touch!

Feeling inspired? Get in touch here for a quote or advice regarding safety signage for your next project.