Workplace Safety: PPE Standards and Hazard Signage

1.1. General Protection and Prevention Measures

2.1. General Requirements for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE must provide adequate protection against risks and meet the following general requirements:

• Ergonomics: Designed and constructed so that, under normal conditions, the user can perform their activity while maintaining the highest possible level of protection. The optimum level of protection is that beyond which the inconvenience resulting from the use of PPE would prevent its use.
• Safety: PPE must not pose a risk itself. The materials used and their degradation products must have no adverse health effects on the user. Contact areas must be free of roughness, sharp edges, or projecting points to avoid injury or irritation.
• Comfort and Convenience: Must adapt fully to the user's morphology and be as light as possible without compromising strength or effectiveness.

4.2. Safety Colors

Colors must attract attention and indicate the existence of danger. They are also used to indicate the location of safety-critical devices and equipment. The safety colors are:

• Red: Meaning: Prohibition, danger, alarm, and fire-fighting equipment. Details: Dangerous behaviors, stop, emergency, evacuation, and identification of fire equipment. Contrast Color: White.
• Yellow or Yellow-Orange: Meaning: Warning signal. Details: Attention, precaution, and verification. Contrast Color: Black.
• Blue: Meaning: Mandatory sign. Details: Specific behavior or action, such as the mandatory use of personal protective equipment. Contrast Color: White.
• Green: Meaning: Rescue or safety signal. Details: Doors, exits, passages, rescue material, relief stations, and return to normal. Contrast Color: White.

4.3. Geometric Shapes and Symbols

Geometric shapes are used to assist those who may have difficulty perceiving certain colors. Symbols or pictograms supplement safety signs and are incorporated within the following shapes:

• Warning Signals: Triangular shape. Black symbol on a yellow background, with black edges. For road traffic, the background is orange to avoid confusion.
• Prohibition Signals: Round shape. Black symbol on a white background, with red edges and a transverse band (from left to right).
• Mandatory Signals: Round shape. White symbol on a blue background.
• Fire-Fighting Equipment Signals: Rectangular or square shape. White symbol on a red background.
• Rescue Signals: Rectangular or square shape. White symbol on a green background.