If your organization relies on workplace safety signage, a reputable printing company can add value in several ways. For example, experienced printers can do the following:
- Produce workplace safety signage at higher volumes
- Provide a greater array of print processes and materials
- Provide a library of OSHA and ANSI-compliant signage designs
- Guarantee high quality work
With high quality safety signage, your organization will better protect itself and its employees – which minimizes work interruptions and supports greater profitability.
Why High-Quality Safety Signs Matter in the Workplace
Workplace safety signage plays an important role in establishing a safe work environment, as it does the following:
- Identifies hazards in the environment
- Provides employees with advance notice of high risk areas
- Establishes a safety-first mentality among employees
- Supports regulatory compliance
In short, businesses rely on safety signs to mitigate hazards and protect their employees. And to ensure those safety signs do their job, businesses partner with reputable printing companies to produce high quality safety materials.
According to the National Safety Council, there were 4,695 preventable worker deaths in 2022 and more than 4.5 million injuries that required a physician follow-up. The key point here is that these injuries and deaths were preventable with better safety measures in place. That starts with better safety communication, partly established through improved safety signage.
And though quality safety signage minimizes worker risk, it’s also important for regulatory compliance, including OSHA compliance.
OSHA does regulate safety signs directly. Its accident prevention sign standards, 29 CFR 1910.145 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.200 for construction, set requirements for sign classifications, colors and signal words, and they reference ANSI Z535 for design. On top of that, OSHA’s General Duty Clause requires employers to address recognized workplace hazards and take injury-prevention measures, which is why clear, well-placed signage matters on every site.
How a Reputable Printing Company Adds Value to a Company’s Communications
A reputable commercial printer can serve as your company’s signage and marketing partner, providing high quality signs when and where they are needed. In addition to their excellent reliability, reputable commercial printers can add value through the following:
Providing high volume runs of safety signage – Commercial printers have the resources to produce larger runs of safety signage, so they can respond to clients’ signage needs as they evolve over time. If your organization is establishing a new worksite, for example, a reputable printing company can rush out any safety signage to get it up to standard quickly.- Providing a wide range of print products – Experienced commercial printers have a variety of printing technologies they can use to print on a variety of materials. This includes basic paper-based products, which may be appropriate for some interior spaces. However, most safety signage must be printed on durable materials to withstand tough environmental conditions. Aluminum, for instance, is a popular option for heavy duty industries, as it offers durability, corrosion protection and a lightweight build.
However, printing on metal requires specialized processes that you’ll only find at an experienced commercial printer. If your company requires durable safety signage, it will need a reputable printing partner. - Offering a library of OSHA and ANSI approved signage designs – OSHA and ANSI have standardized the designs for safety signage, including specifics on colors, text, iconography, and layout. Your safety signage will need to be designed to these standards to be compliant.
To ensure compliance and to expedite the design process, some reputable printing companies have a library of approved safety signage designs to choose from. All companies have to do is select the signs that make sense for their workplace and the printer will do the rest. - Ensuring high quality print finishes – High quality signage is easier to read and stands out from the environment. Those are critical considerations for safety signs, as better visibility means a better response from workers. A reputable printing company has quality checks in place to ensure a sharp, high contrast finish that ensures optimal visibility.
What to Look for in a Reputable Printing Company
A reputable printing company can provide strong value to their business partner. The challenge is identifying which commercial printers are reputable among the rest. If your brand is searching for a reputable printing partner, here’s what to look for:
- Experience in providing workplace safety signage – Your printing partner should have extensive experience in providing workplace safety signage. Safety signs are regulated by federal agencies, so they must meet certain standards, and they play a major role in protecting workers from harm on the job.
- The ability to act as a one-stop printing shop – Your company may only need safety signage today, but who knows what its print needs will include in the future? Branding or marketing materials, work banners, safety sheets and posters, paperwork, branded letterhead and more may be needed in the future. A reputable printing company can provide a full range of print products to its clients. If your printer can exercise this versatility, your company’s future print needs will also be covered.
- Prompt communication and customer service – Print needs can emerge suddenly and change just as fast. A reputable printing company understands this and is invested in responsive communication and customer service. You may need a quote for a new project quickly, you may need to make changes to your existing print products, you may need to explore other print concepts, and a reputable printing company makes it easy to do so.
Safety signage plays an extremely important role in the workplace, and if your commercial printer can provide all of the above, they can also provide high quality workplace signs.
A Reputable Printing Company Will Ensure Your Workplace Safety Signage is Effective and Compliant
If your business has extensive workplace safety signage needs, a reputable printing company will add value with its specialized equipment, scalable processes, in-depth safety signage knowledge and guaranteed high quality work. The result? A strong ROI in terms of improved safety and better compliance.
Workplace Safety Signage FAQs
What should we ask a printer before ordering safety signs?
Ask which standard the designs follow, OSHA and the ANSI Z535 series, and whether the printer works from an approved design library or builds each sign from scratch. Ask what materials are available for your conditions, whether signs come in Spanish, and whether you can reorder a sign by its catalog number so replacements match what is already posted. A printer that answers those questions quickly has done this work before.
Are your safety sign designs OSHA and ANSI compliant?
Our CEMEX-certified designs are built to follow OSHA and ANSI requirements for colors, signal words, symbols and layout, so you choose the signs your site needs instead of designing them from scratch. For custom signs, we design to those same standards. Read more about CEMEX safety materials and placement.
Can we get safety signs in Spanish?
Yes. Spanish versions are available for CEMEX signs such as CS-246 PPE Required ES, and we can produce Spanish versions of custom signs too. On crews where Spanish is the first language for many workers, posting the Spanish version next to or in place of the English sign makes sure the message is understood.
How often should workplace safety signs be replaced?
Check signs during regular safety walk-throughs and replace any that are faded, cracked, dirty past cleaning or blocked from view. Replace them right away when a hazard, process or piece of equipment changes, because an outdated sign can be worse than none. Sun-facing outdoor signs usually fade first, so look at those most closely.
Why use one printer for safety signs and other company print?
One printer keeps colors, logos and safety messaging consistent across signs, banners, posters, decals, magnets, cards, business forms and training books. It also means one contact and one set of files when a new site opens. Browse our occupational safety products to see the range.
Does it matter if our safety signs come from a union print shop?
For union contractors, labor-management safety committees and organizations that buy union, it often does. Carroll Printing & Promotions is the Gulf Coast’s oldest Union printing company and has printed in Houston since 1921. Learn more about our union printing.
How do I get a quote for workplace safety signage in Houston?
Call 713-228-9331 or send your sign list, catalog numbers, sizes, materials and quantities through our request a quote form. We work with construction, oil and gas, energy and automotive clients across the Gulf Coast and nationwide. Our industrial safety signage guide is a good place to start planning.
