Updated on 04/02/2025
Working under hazardous conditions is unavoidable for many companies. This makes it even more important that employees comply with all the regulations that apply in a high-risk environment.
A visual workplace is a tidy workplace that is visually recognisable to every employee and where the risks present are immediately clear to everyone. This makes the workplace a lot safer.
Employees can thus work more productively. After all, they do not have to worry about where exactly they are allowed to go and whether they are taking the right precautions.
So, how do you create a visual workplace?
Organizing can be done in 5 ways, using the following aids:
- Pictograms
- Status marking
- Zone marking
- Lockout tag
- Pipe marking
Below, we discuss how and when to use a specific type of warning sign within your company to provide extra protection for your employees.
Signs
There are two things an employee needs to know before entering an area;
- What are the risks in this area?
- How can I protect myself from these risks?
Signs provide immediate and clear answers to these two important questions. Place the correct pictograms in all high-risk areas to prevent major mistakes with serious consequences.
The sign colours perform an important function. First of all, they convey the message. Then, each colour represents a specific meaning regarding safety.
- Red (biggest signal function): prohibition or fire-fighting equipment
- Yellow: caution warning
- Green: safety and escape routes
- Blue: commandment
The shape of the signs also has a meaning:
- Round: prohibition and commandment (mandatory)
- Triangle: warning
- Rectangle: safe conditions
Pictograms are available in various formats. The size you need for a certain area in your company depends on the reading distance.
Use the drawing below as a guide so that the pictograms you use are as legible as possible.
Status marking
Status marking lets you know immediately that you must not use a machine or device.
Status markings are also known as visual tags. Use these when a machine or device is temporarily out of service for inspection or maintenance. Status marking is also very suitable for checklists, for example for the identification and naming of chemical products.
Zone marking
Zone marking conveys visually the information that entering a certain zone is forbidden. This is most commonly used in areas such as warehouses, loading docks and lanes.
You may think of cordoning off an area using only tape. But there are many other options for cordoning off a dangerous area. You might think that your only option for cordoning off an area is by using tape.
However, you could also use posts with chains, or cones, or fold-out signs. Even ‘glow in the dark’ marking is possible. During an emergency, this type of marking clearly shows the route to the nearest emergency exit, even in the dark.
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Lockout/tagout
With lockout tagout, you protect your employees from the dangers of electric current and machines in operation during work activities. The best known examples of lockout/tagout products are padlocks, lock boxes and various locking systems.
Equipment and machinery are switched off and the LockOut-TagOut materials are applied. Then specialists can safely carry out maintenance or a repair. This creates a safe environment for workers performing maintenance or repair work on machinery or equipment. By ensuring energy sources are fully isolated, workers can work with confidence, knowing they are protected from unexpected energy releases.
Lockout-Tagout is more than a procedure; it is a safety philosophy. It is crucial for employers to provide sufficient training and awareness to ensure Lockout-Tagout is correctly applied and integrated into daily operations. (Source: Lockout-Tagout: Protect your employees with the appropriate signage)
There are three types of key systems for LoTo materials: keyed different, keyed alike and master keyed. The system you choose depends on your company's circumstances. You will need to find a compromise between convenience and safety.
- Keyed different: With this system, you can't open one padlock using the key to a different padlock. This system is best used in circumstances where employees are only allowed to open their own lock.
- Keyed alike: This system uses identical locks, which can be opened with the same key. Use this system when someone is assigned multiple locks.
- Master keyed: With this system, there are several locks with their own key, and one master key. Ideal for employees who have to open their own locks, but some control is still needed. The supervisor has a master key to unlock any of the locks.
Would you like to manage your lockout/tagout program even more efficiently? In that case, use shadowboards. These ensure that your locking systems and padlocks are returned to the correct place. This increases efficiency in the workplace.
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Be sure to read also: Lockout-Tagout: Protect your employees with the appropriate signage
Pipe marking
Pipe marking is required by law. Pipes carrying hazardous substances must be identified in accordance with European Directive 92/58.
By investing in the correct pipe marking, you can prevent accidents at work. Ignorance can sometimes have serious consequences for safety.
It is important to know where and how to mark pipes. Do this on all visible parts of the pipes, and make sure you attach the stickers to a clean and dry area. Depending on the applicable legislation, pipe markings have specified colours.
Pipe marking usually includes the following details:
- Flow of the hazardous substance
- Relevant hazard symbols (CLP)
- Identity of the dangerous substance
- A signal word, for example ‘warning’
- A corresponding colour
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All these different solutions can be used separately, but also combined to create a safe working environment.