Do Safety Posters Really Work in an American Industrial Facility?

Safety posters are rarely an effective tool in promoting safety in an industrial facility.  There are three basic reasons a safety poster in an industrial facility is not effective.

They are:

1 – Small Size
2 – Low usage rate
3 – Poor Design

An industrial safety poster’s overall redeeming value in an industrial facility is that they do not cost much. Sometimes the immediate goal of a safety poster is to keep cost low.

However, safety posters can help improve safety, but the company has to use a large number of them due to their small size and lack of visibility in a busy industrial work environment. The best use of a well-designed safety poster is in a lunchroom or a break room where the small safety poster size is not a disadvantage.

When a well-designed safety poster is used in the proper area it can catch people's attention and communicate important safety messages in a clear and concise way. The poster's message should be easy to understand, and the graphics or images should be visually appealing and relevant to the audience.

In terms of location, safety posters should be placed in in numerous areas where they are most likely to be seen by the target audience, typically at eye level. For example, posters about safe lifting techniques should be placed in areas where people frequently lift heavy objects and the safety posters can be easily seen while working.

The audience also plays a role in the effectiveness of safety posters. If the target audience is already aware of the safety risks and the importance of safe behavior, then posters may serve as a reminder. However, if the audience is not aware of the risks or is not motivated to change their behavior, then posters alone may not be enough to promote safety.

Overall, safety posters can be a useful tool in promoting safety awareness and encouraging safe working behavior, but they must be placed in smaller areas or areas where workers can stop momentarily to view the message.   

Unless the facility is very small, safety posters should be part of a larger safety program that includes training, communication, and enforcement of safety policies and the larger more easily seen safety banners.

Safety Banners USA

One of America’s largest designers and manufacturers of industrial safety posters.