MAKROSAFE Health and Safety Posters enhance health and safety laws and regulations that are already implemented for Health and Safety Compliance. Posters are usually more visual, they draw employees closer to the realities of health and safety situations and the consequences associated with non-compliance. Health and Safety Posters are an easy and simple way of emphasizing important aspects in the workplace. They can be graphic or self-explanatory, as long as they get the message across.

Purposes of Health and Safety Posters in Compliance

1. Serve as a Warning

Posters are used to warn employees about certain actions and the results of defying warnings. Examples of warning Health and Safety Posters are 'Warning: Do not enter or Enter at your own risk.' Usually such posters are a combination of words and pictures of person/s who have suffered the consequences of defying an order.

2. Provide information/knowledge

Health and Safety Posters are used to provide knowledge about health and safety. An example would be 'Five steps on how to safely and successfully extinguish a fire.' The poster can come with pictures that demonstrate the various steps.

3. Give orders and instructions

Health and Safety Posters that give instructions and orders are usually characterised by 'dos and don'ts.' They tell you what to do and what not to do. 'Do not play pranks and horseplay in the workplace especially around machinery or Electricity is dangerous and it kills, do not overload electric sockets; Hook in your safety harness.' These are usually accompanied by pictures showing possible consequences that may follow if instructions are not followed, such as a fire explosion or body parts being stuck in machinery.

4. Demonstrate good health and safety practices

Good examples are posters about safe lifting procedures, safe operating procedures and proper hand-washing procedures along with pictures that demonstrate the various steps.

5. Highlight consequences that may be associated with negligence

Most of these posters come with pictures showing people that have already suffered an injury or illness due to their own negligence. Examples could be someone walking on crutches, have caught fire or has a limb stuck in machinery.

6. Can serve as motivation towards good practices

Employers can only do their part in motivating employees to quit bad habits but the final decision is always up to the employees e.g. smoking. Employers can put posters that discourage smoking. Good housekeeping, which also can go a long way in preventing some hazards and incidents, can be motivated through Health and Safety Posters as well.

The fact that Health and Safety Posters are more informal and come with drawings/pictures, makes them to be more understandable. The visual demonstrations may come as a wake-up call for employees and they can help them realise the consequences that comes with non-compliance.

Employers can make use of Health and Safety Posters in their workplaces to enhance and hype health and safety which will eventually enable them to meet health and safety compliance standards of creating a safe and healthy workplace. While some posters are not stipulated in Acts, they are a good sign that employers value and prioritise the health and safety of their employees.

Become a MAKROSAFE client today and enjoy the privilege of free Health and Safety Posters downloads available on our website. You can also download free Safety Alerts that will help you hype health and safe in your workplace.