Understanding the New ANSI Z535 Safety Sign

Fire Door Safety - the UK Perspective

Reading British books and manuals can be challenging for us in the States - it's like we are two countries separated by a common language.  None-the-less, it can be informative and insightful to see how they do it across the pond.  When it comes to Fire Doors, the British Standards (BS) tend to follow the International ISO standards more closely that we do in the US, where we mostly link to ANSI (albeit, the US ANSI standards are gradually migrating to be aligned with the ISO standards as well).

The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (that's "Architectural Hardware" in US English) has produced a set of guides that show good examples of Fire Door hardware and the associated signage.  Part 1 provides a general overview of Fire Door purpose and function, and Part 2 delves into the Maintenance required and provides good examples of problems you might look-out for.


You can download these two guide books here:
Part 1 - Overview: www.means-of-escape.com/sites/default/files/Fire & Escape Doors Part 1.pdf
Part 2 - Maintenance: www.means-of-escape.com/sites/default/files/Fire & Escape Doors Part 2.pdf

To flash, or not to flash. That is the question.

Event Support Vehicle Traffic can present a hazard to pedestrians and other vehicles around a show site.  It is common practice for everyone to leave their amber 4-way emergency / hazard flashers running continuously in a effort to alert others.  This practice may seem to be beneficial, but after awhile it just clutters the visual landscape and is tuned-out by those it may benefit the most.

To further complicate matters, if some of the flasher lamps on the vehicle are burned-out, then it may appear that the vehicle driver is signalling a turn when they are not.  When the amber 4-way emergency / hazard flashers are on, it also makes intentional use of the turn signals non-apparent.  Additional rational for this can be found on the HazardsOFF web site.

In an effort to homogenize the use of flashers at the appropriate times, a group of UK event organizers have started a campaign to get uniform policies throughout the event work staff to NOT use flashers.

Visit the HazardsOFF web site of more information, window stickers, policy advice, and more.

www.hazardsoff.org.uk

ZOMBIE HAZARD

When it comes to OSHA compliance,  proper workplace signage can be your first line of defense against being cited for failure to post hazard communications.  The October DuraLabel newsletter hits the nail on the [zombie's] head this month, and they have been so kind as to allow us to re-post their timely information here.

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Hazard check for October:  Maintain walkways to eliminate soggy leaves; adjust outdoor lighting; get brake jobs for auto fleet; and most importantly – protect your workers from zombie invasions.

As the undead begin to encroach during the waning daylight hours, it’s critical to make sure your safety signs are OSHA-compliant.  OSHA’s primary hazard classifications for danger, warning, caution, and biohazard are designed to be noticed – important when you want to ensure your employees show up for work alive the next day.  Use the following information to keep your employees safe, and at the same time avoid being cited by OSHA.

DANGER

Danger signs indicate an immediate hazard which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury.  Danger signs should be reserved for the most serious hazards and signify special precautions are necessary.

The DANGER signal word is printed in  white letters on a red background  and preceded by the safety alert symbol.  The message panel, beneath the signal word, is where the safety message is printed, usually in black or red over white.  You can also print in white over a black safety panel.  Pictograms may be used to help workers recognize hazards sooner and from safe distances.

WARNING

Warning signs are one hazard level below danger signs.  They describe a hazard which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

The WARNING signal word is written in  black on an orange background  header and proceeded by a safety alert symbol.  The text in the message panel may be printed in white letters on a black panel or black letters on a white panel.  Warning signs and labels can be any size and printed in a landscape or portrait format.  Keep in mind, alternative design and color options should only be used to improve worker comprehension.

CAUTION

A caution sign indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury.  Caution signs are used in areas where potential injury or equipment damage is possible, or to caution against unsafe practices.  Caution signs should only be used if there is a risk of personal injury.

The CAUTION signal word is written in  black letters on a yellow background  and is preceded by a safety alert symbol, except when used for a non-personal injury.  The message panel below the signal word contains the safety message and any additional safety symbols.  Everything printed inside the message panel is black text on white or white text on black.

BIOHAZARD

OSHA 1910.1459(e)(4) states, “The biological hazard warnings shall be used to signify the actual or potential presence of a biohazard and to identify equipment, containers, rooms, materials, experimental animals, or combinations thereof, which contain, or are contaminated with, viable hazardous agents… presenting a risk or potential risk to the well-being of man.”  The symbol design must conform with the example shown and contain the word “BIOHAZARD" or “BIOLOGICAL HAZARD.”

The biohazard symbol can be black, fluorescent orange, or an orange-red color.  Background color is optional as long as there is sufficient contrast for the biohazard symbol to be clearly defined.  A biohazard can also be indicated on a danger or warning sign and may include the safety alert symbol.  If incapacitated zombies are strewn about your work area, they should be tagged with biohazard signs.

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Not included the DuraNews article was the correct use of ANSI NOTICE signs, so:

NOTICE

A notice sign provides information regarding operational policies.  Notice signs are used to inform workers about operational procedures that may affect safety or to instruct workers that specific PPE is required in the workplace.

Notice signs may include other graphic symbols to convey intent.  The NOTICE signal word is written in  white letters on a blue background , or  blue letters on a white background .  The message panel below the signal word contains the policy message and any additional safety symbols.  Everything printed inside the message panel is black text on white.

For more information about signage, labels, and markers that are useful around your production environment, go to DuraLabel's web site.

Lean, Mean, Sign Makin' Machine

Brady Label Company makes a lot of great ways to tag your building, shelves, and equipment; and getting that point across to people isn't always very easy.  The adage that 'a picture is worth a thousand words' is put to work in this new guide book.

It's light on text and heavy on good examples about how a little signage can go along way towards managing your mess.

The book is FREE and can be ordered in hard copy or downloaded as an Adobe PDF.

Go to:  www.bradyid.com/forms/custom/lean-pocketbook-request/

Marking your Territory

For most of the venues I visit, the second most prevalent NFPA violation I see is junk blocking electrical panels and fire protection equipment. (The number one violation I see is non-fire retardant scenery and costumes - but I'll rant about that another time.)


You've seen it (or more correctly - you've see the crap blocking it):  Mounds of equipment stacked in front of Circuit Breaker Panelboards, Fire Hose Cabinets, Fire Alarm Pull Stations, Fire Extinguisher Cabinets, etc.  How the heck is someone supposed to get to it if they can't even see it!?

Keeping a tidy house (or shop or stage) is a never-ending task. It requires that all personnel understand that you can't pile stuff in front of electrical panels and fire protection equipment.  It doesn't matter if it is 5 seconds, 5 minutes, 5 hours, 5 days, 5 months - it can't go there.

So, what's a facility manager to do?

How about if you MARK THE AREA CLEARLY ?  Stop-Painting.com has a solution:  The offer BIG round floor-mounted signage dots that are 17.5" diameter.  The electrical panel sign at left is one example of what they offer.  They make custom-worded signs for other applications, too.  For added durability, they also offer a clear epoxy resin sealer kit so that you can apply a protective coating over the signage dots.

They also offers their Superior Mark floor tape that is THICK and has beveled edges so it doesn't snag on rolling stock.  You can get it in 36" pre-cut strips with 45 degree interlocked corners so they are easy to install and get the proper distance from the panelboard face.  The strips come in six colors.  Red is best for Fire Protection Equipment, and Yellow is best for Electrical Equipment.

For the panel face you should install signage that fit the available space that looks similar to this:

Note that for high voltage panels that the clearance must be greater, and also note that the clear space is IN FRONT OF THE PANEL - not measured from the wall face.  NFPA 70 NEC Reference:  Chapter 110.26.

The code also requires that the width of the clear area be the greater of:
a.)  The width of the equipment, or
b.)  A minimum of 30".

OSHA Cranes and Derricks Standard as iPhone App

December 14 - The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA - http://www.scranet.org/) now offers a free mobile phone application for instantly accessing all necessary crane hand signals. The new application is available in the iTunes App Store (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/crane-operator-hand-signals/id403502739?mt=8) and Blackberry App World (http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/18294?lang=en).

Every signal included is compliant with the new OSHA Cranes and Derricks Standard, Appendix A to Subpart CC of Part 1926-Standard Hand Signals. Each signal is shown graphically so that operators can quickly and easily reference the appropriate signal for each command. All signals are available in English and Spanish.

This new app is intended for use before entering the workplace. SC&RA does not encourage the use of smartphones on jobsites.  The Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association (SC&RA) is an international trade association of more than 1,300 members from 43 nations. Members are involved in specialized transportation, machinery moving and erecting, industrial maintenance, millwrighting, crane and rigging operations, manufacturing and rental.

The U.S. Department of Labor‘s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a historic new standard, addressing the use of cranes and derricks in construction and replacing a decades old standard. The significant number of fatalities associated with the use of cranes and derricks in construction and the considerable technological advances in equipment since the publication of the old rule, issued in 1971, led the Labor Department to undertake this rulemaking.
 
The final rule was published on August 9, 2010 by the Federal Register and became effective 90 days later.  The rule can be found at http://www.osha.gov/FedReg_osha_pdf/FED20100809.pdf.

A copy of the regulatory text is available at: http://www.osha.gov/doc/cranesreg.pdf

'Paint it black' isn't just a song by the Rolling Stones

Dontcha just hate those glaring  EXIT  signs?  Some director's sure do.  They'll go so far as having the stage crew cover them up, or better yet:  Paint over them!

This is a great way to get a big fat fine from your Fire Marshal or the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction), as it is an obvious deliberate act.

While we're on the subject of  EXIT  signs, it is important that you file a written request for repairs whenever you find them damaged or otherwise disfunctional.  Common problems with  EXIT  signs are:

• Lamps burned-out (LED replacement lamps are very cost-effective).
• Glass / Acrylic letters broken or missing (leaving exposed bulb).
• Failed Battery Back-up (you have to test these at prescribed intervals per the NFPA).
• Broken or Missing Covers.
• Sign units torn from the wall and hanging by wires.
• Sign units missing (I see these in brand new buildings!)
• Sign units over doors that are not really Fire Exits (I see these in brand new buildings!).
• Sign units above / adjacent to overhead rolling doors.
• Sign units in  Black Box  theatres covered by perimeter drapery tracks so that audience can't see them.
• 'Light-pipe' designs that don't effectively pipe the light to the sign (internal obstruction or bad product design?).
• Sign units that are obscured by pipes, ducts, tracks, junk, stuff, scenery, greenery, or other crud.

I dunno, I guess I just drew a blank where the Fire Extinguisher was kept.

Where's Waldo's Fire Extinguisher?

Here it is!

Maybe a photoluminescent sign like this would help.

Photoluminescent Fire Extinguisher Sign Resources:

EverGlow: www.everglow.us/?everglow=&photoluminescent=6&signs=safety-equipment-signs

GloBrite: www.globritesystem.com/safety.php#fire

NiteBright: www.nb-usa.net/Products_EXIT%20THROUGH%20LOBBY%20-%20NYTL.html

My Safe Sign: www.mysafetysign.com/Safety-Signs/Fire-Extinguisher-Signs.aspx

The Big Red Word vs. the Little Green Man

SLATE author Julia Turner has a great article about the ongoing controversy between the common US  EXIT  sign and the internationally recognized ISO standard 'running man' sign.

You can read it here:  http://www.slate.com/id/2246107/

Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs. Blocking-up the scenery, messin' up my mind.

Or so says the Five Man Electrical Band.  "Do this.  Don't do that. Can't you read the signs?"  Well, when the lights go out, it can be difficult to see exactly where everything is.  So the next time you're in the market for EXIT signs, NOTICE signs, CAUTION signs, DANGER signs, or any other informational signs, think about purchasing photoluminescent signs.  The look 'normal' in the light, and they keep on glowing when the lights go out.  Better quality signs will keep their glow for 12-24 hours.

Resources:  Just enter "Photoluminescent Signs" into a search engine and you'll get about a bazillion hits.  You can start with the vendors I've mentioned over the past week or so, too, as they are some of the major players in the market.

Things that Glow-In-The-Dark

"Glow-Tape" is a staple of any theatre operation.  Its great for making all those things that are shin-busters, head-bangers, and fall-hazards.  How many times have you run-around five minutes before a show with a flash-light 'charging-up' the glow-tape?  Crazy, isn't it?  Especially if you have to do it again between each act.  And after awhile, it just won't 'take a charge' and you have to repace it.  What a pain.

Technology marches forward, and we in the theatre industry benefit from it.  Cool.  The problem is, what if no-one told you there was a better way?  Introducing high-tech glow tape that really does the job.  Strontium-Aluminate (SrAl) is a chemical compound that is non-toxic, non-radioactive, and generally safe to work with.  It has the ability to be 'charged-up' (activated with UV light) and maintain it's glow for 8, 12, 24, even 48 hours (depending upon the exact formulation) after it is activated.  Some products will glow for up to 45 days.  Wow.  Good Stuff.  Very Good Stuff.  This ain't your father's glow tape.  Uh-uh.  And get this: A quality Strontium-Aluminate based product will typically last 20-30 years.  Oooh.  Ahh.  (And the crowd cheers.)

Over the next few posts I'm going to provide information about some of the great benefits and products that are out there that are extremely applicable to the performing arts environment.  Glowing stuff is not just for backstage, it's for many locations around your facility.

For starters, lets look at the great literature that is available.  Check out these web sites for some very good reading material:

PSA (Photoluminescent Safety Association): http://www.plsafety.org/
Check-out their various tabs, particularly the 'Codes' section.

PSPA (Photoluminescent Safety Products Association) http://www.pspa.org.uk/
Download their "PSPA Guide to the Use of Photoluminescent Safety Markings Part 1 Egress Markings in Stairwells" document on the Technical | Standards tab - it's a treasure trove of recommendations.

And for a commonly used reference in the US, visit the New York City Department of Buildings web site to get "Reference Standard 6-1 - Photoluminescent exit path markings"
www.nyc.gov/html/dob/downloads/pdf/rs_6-1.pdf

Head count, please! No SRO seating.

Part of the House Mangers' job is to ensure the safety of the attending patrons. If your customers survive the show, they might come back and buy another ticket! Each Assembly Occupancy" (that's building code speak for "theatre, auditorium, venue, show space, etc.) must have the maximum legal occupancy clearly posted. This means that you shouldn't sell 30,000 tickets for a space designed for 10,000 people. It leaves 20,000 rather frustrated and sometimes angry fans looking for a place to vent their concerns. This recently happened at a major new sports venue. The management team decided to ignore the Fire Marshal's occupancy limits, and the resulting crush of people invaded the spaces reserved for regular seating ticket holders. The customers that pre-paid for their tickets were none to happy. Bathrooms were overloaded, long waits at concession stands, and many that did not ever get to see the game.
Further information can be gleaned by reading the article in the Dallas Morning News:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/092209dnmetpartypasses.4026d63.html and this article on Yahoo: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-cowboys-partypass&prov=ap&type=lgns

It's 10:00 - Do you know where your Fire Extinguishers are?

When you have fire extinguishers in your facility it is very important that you and your staff:

• Know where they are
• Know when they were last inspected
• Know how to use them

Knowing where they are is important not just for you and your staff, but for the person that has to check them as well. I frequently find units in the same building that have five or six different inspections YEARS. It is obvious that each successive inspector did not know where all of the fire extinguishers were located. Suggestion: Draw a building floor plan and annotate the location of all of the fire protection devices:

• Fire Extinguishers
• Fire Alarm Pull Stations, Smoke Detectors, Rate-of-Rise Heat Detectors
• Special Devices (Fire Door releases, Fire Curtain(s), Smoke Vent(s), Elevator Lobbies)
• Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP)
• Alarm Strobes, Horns, Bells
• Emergency Lights
• Fire Sprinkler Heads
• Fire Hose Cabinets

Keep it filed with your inspection records, and post copies for your staff. Other good information to keep with this would include contacts:

• Fire Marshal
• Fire Alarm Company
• Fire Sprinkler Company
• Fire Extinguisher Service Company
• Rigging System Service Company
• Smoke Vent System Service Company

Note the dates on the inspection tag in the picture above -- they are ambiguous (no year), and difficult to read. To help identify yearly inspections are being done on all equipment, use a different color of tag each year (red, yellow, blue, green, white, etc.) so that non-conforming tags stand-out more noticeably.

Know when and how to use a fire supression device. Get training for your staff and students. If you can't actually put-out a real fire, then do the next best thing and use a fire extinguisher training device like the BullsEye or I.T.S. Extreme from BullEx Safety (http://www.bullexsafety.com/).

Lineset Numbering - It's not just for the index strip!

Here are some good examples of rigging management. Not only are the index strips and arbors CLEARLY numbered, but the batten end, loft blocks, and head blocks are also marked.

This also makes it easy to keep lineset inspection records straight during your annual safety check-up.

Great signs

Such a simple concept, but missed by many - label the door to the electical room.

Exit, stage right

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code says, and for good reason, that you can't block or lock theatre exits during periods of occupancy. Doors, if equipped with latches and / or locks must be readily operable by anyone needing to exit the building.

The picture above shows a locking bar that was installed up-side-down (note the "Lift Up" text):


The locking bar is pinned in place by TWO hairpin cotter pins (one visible at each end).







And the right leaf has a dead-bolt that pins into the floor at the bottom (which probably would not be visible should a crowd of people rush the door)







Additionally, the signage applied to the door should be worded:
NOTICE: This door shall remain unlocked during occupancy.

Report it where?

Part of a Theatre Safety Program is Hazard Recognition and Reporting. There should be a clear and concise manner to report safety issues (unlike this sign, which was carefully placed in an entrance-way door, on both sides, but with none of the required information provided). Anonymous reporting should be available so that there is no fear of retribution.