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August
2007
Read the Signs
Employers who simply post warning signs
concerning safety hazards around the workplace run the risk of having them ignored
by employees, says Michael Wogalter, psychology professor in the
cognitive ergonomics
laboratory at North
Carolina State University.
In a recent edition of
the Workers’ Compensation
Report, Wogalter argues
that ambiguity will
undermine the sign’s
important message. He
makes the following recommendations:
- Use pictorial symbols
whenever possible. Such
symbols are more effective in conveying a message than plain
text.
- Make sure the sign includes signal words.
Such words jump out at the reader and help
register the importance of the message.
Examples include “warning” and “danger.”
- Use “Alert Symbols” whenever possible.
These are symbols that most people understand and may
be more visible than text, such as a
stop sign.
- Make sure the sign does
not blend in. Wogalter suggests furnishing signs in
colors that stand out, making them more visible in
already crowded work
environments.
- Wogalter adds that including a motivation for
the warning may be
necessary to further emphasize the sign’s
importance. Such motivation may include
risk of injury or illness if not followed.
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