Safety and Health Program- Safety and Health Signs and Tags Upgrade Chapter

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Safety and Health Signs and Tags

Policy and Purpose:

All devices, structures and areas where hazardous materials are used, or where hazards or possible hazards may exist will be identified with appropriate hazard warnings.

Signs and tags are not intended as substitutes for preferred abatement methods such as engineering controls, substitution, isolation, or safe work practices. Rather, they are additional safety guidance and increase the employee's awareness of potentially hazardous situations.

Tags are temporary means of warning all concerned of a hazardous conditions, defective equipment, etc. Tags are not to be considered as a complete warning method, but should only be used until a positive means can be employed to eliminate the hazard; for example, a "Do Not Start" tag is affixed to a machine and is used only until the machine can be locked out, de-energized, or inactivated.

The Safety and Health Manager maintains a supply of a variety of safety signs and tags for use by Company personnel.

Responsibilities:

Supervisor-

Posts appropriate warning signs for materials of a hazardous nature (poisonous, toxic, flammable, carcinogenic, biological hazard, radioactive, etc.) or hazardous conditions (high voltage, slippery when wet, welding arcs, etc.).

Employee-

1. Conducts themselves in the manner (safe procedures, protective equipment, clothing, etc.) as called for by the hazard warning signs and training.

2. Assists the supervisor in recognition of any potentially hazardous condition that may need identification by hazard warning signs.

Safety and Health Manager-

1. Periodically surveys all operations to ensure proper identification of hazardous areas or conditions by use of warning signs and immediately notifies supervisor of any lack of, or improper markings.

2. Assists the supervisor in defining proper identification, and acceptable location of signs in compliance with existing OSHA, Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or other regulations.

3. Provides fabricated hazard warning signs.

4. Maintains a supply of all frequently used hazard warning signs.