Health and safety incidents increase towards Christmas – London Business News | London Wallet

Workplace accidents are known to increase in the run up to Christmas and over the festive season, and for this reason, digital signage provider ScreenCloud has put together tips on how businesses can use signage to keep their staff safe at this time of year.

There are several reasons why workplaces might experience a higher number of accidents during the festive period, on top of employees being very busy at this time and therefore under additional pressure.

Decorating the workplace or rearranging furniture could create tripping hazards or block fire exits. Wet winter weather can also increase the risk of slips and trips.

Mark McDermott, CEO of ScreenCloud said, “As we get closer to Christmas, there are extra reasons for businesses to make sure their safety signage is up to scratch. Depending on the type of workplace, it’s likely to be busier than other times of year with additional temporary staff, members of the public or both.

“We believe digital signage is the best way to display your safety messages – you can update your signs in real time, to let everyone at your workplace know about anything from a faulty lift to a spillage in a certain area. You can also use digital signage technology to show messages in multiple languages.”

Safety signage is a legal requirement, especially in higher risk work environments like industrial settings, but it also performs several other functions. It educates visitors and new employees, prevents accidents, maintains safety standards and secures the premises.

Tips for businesses

ScreenCloud has prepared some top tips on how to use digital signage technology to create safety signs with maximum effectiveness.

Signs that include text should use large lettering in clear, readable font to make sure their message is visible. Sans serif fonts like Arial are easiest to read at distance.

Any colours that are used should be high-contrast. Black text on a white background has been proven to be the easiest to read, making this an ideal choice for signs that include any text.

Digital signs can use simple or easy-to-understand icons or symbols, to help people understand the message quickly. You can also use photos or pictures to show how to correctly and safely use a piece of equipment.