Summit Sign & Safety

Personalized Parking Signs

2012-01-01T17:57:00.000-08:00

This Personalized Parking Sign is your first impression on visitors, contractors and customers alike, and shows your employees that you care about them and their families.

The addition of a company logo and digital imagery makes this personalized piece a cherished parking spot for a proud employee or a great reminder that working and arriving safely is your responsibility not only for yourself and your company, but for those that you love.

We carry a full offering of traffic and roadway signs, ADA, High-prism reflective, directional and speed limit, emergency roll-up, pedestrian and school - and you can create custom street signs with our online design center!

Aluminum itself provides the strength of metal, yet never rusts. It can withstand virtually any environment even wash-downs, harsh elements, abusive conditions, and features good chemical, abrasion, and impact resistance. Aluminum is excellent for indoor and outdoor usage, making it ideal for a wide variety of industrial strength applications. This diamond-shaped personal parking sign comes with corner holes included (post-mount or other hole placements and sizes are available on request).

Summit Sign and Safety continues its quest to provide you with world-class customer service, the newest technological innovations (including high-quality digital imagery) and a stock OSHA safety sign, label, tag and traffic banner library that eclipses the competition. From Front Gate to Back Dock, we have the right products for you!

The Visual Edge™

2011-11-21T18:36:00.001-08:00

The Visual Edge™

The Visual Edge™ sign layout goes right to the edge then continues to wrap around all four sides giving depth to your message.

Its added depth provides extra visibility and awareness, getting your sign noticed from various angles, leading to a safer or increasingly motivated workplace.

When mounted, the frameless Visual Edge™ Sign literally projects outward from the wall. The two vertical edges become space for additional messages or other designs along the side of the sign.

This aluminum sign measures 22" x 28" and clearly shows our digital capabilities. add your own custom text and logo to "Personalize It!"

Aluminum provides the strength of metal - yet won’t rust - and can withstands wash-downs, harsh elements and abusive conditions. It has good chemical, abrasion, and impact resistance, is excellent for indoor and outdoor usage, and comes with a 5-year guarantee.

Each Visual Edge™ Sign is constructed of .040" thick aluminum. The printed image is protected by a durable over-laminate coat for outdoor exposure. Four 2" deep edges are turned 90 degrees and reinforced with angle brackets to add structural strength from flex-bends. Mounting keyhole hooks are installed and hidden on the backside.

Summit Sign and Safety continues its quest to provide you with world-class customer service, the newest technological innovations (including high-quality digital imagery) and a stock OSHA safety sign, label, tag and motivational banner library that eclipses the competition. From "Front Gate to Back Dock," we have the right products for you!

Banners are a Great Motivational Tool for Employees

2011-10-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

Banners are a great motivational tool for employees. And they’re perfect for enhancing the launch, support and spread of an existing safety message or quality control program. Banners come in a wide variety of sizes but are typically larger than normal signs. This banner is 34 inches wide by 5 feet long and, as you can see, uses high-quality digital printing. Adding your custom text and your logo, you can put together an infinite number of messages to get the point across to your workforce that safety is a priority at your facility. This is what we call Personalization.

Motivational banners promote safety and quality in a big way and capture attention with large graphics and full color quality images. They're perfect for showing that you care about the safety of your employees, so why not say it with:

Bright, colorful, eye-catching imagery, text and logos
Bold color graphics and photographic images to convey the message
Choose general safety messages, point out specific safety concerns and procedures, or motivate employees for quality production
Printed on tough, durable 10-oz. reinforced vinyl with double-stitched hems

Banners are the perfect personalization product. What's more, they normally measure 28" high by 4-ft. or 8-ft. - ideal for long life indoors, and durable for outdoors. Metal grommets surround the banner for mounting and hanging. Four pieces of 2-ft. rope are also included.

Summit Sign & Safety continues its quest to provide you with world-class customer service, the newest technological innovations (including high-quality digital imagery) and a stock OSHA safety sign, label and tag library that eclipses the competition. From "From Front Gate to Back Dock" we have the right products for you!

5S, Compliance and the Glove Board™

2011-10-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

The Glove Board™ is a constant reminder to employees they must wear only approved hand protection on the production floor. It's a valuable solution to the visual workplace, and a part of any 5S, 6S or lean program. Show them different glove options to help ensure compliance with OSHA Standard 1910.138.

The Glove Board™ reinforces awareness of instituted safety policies for specific hand protection and is designed to smartly and prominently display types of gloves and their attributes, provide information on their specific use and to show actual glove samples – all designed to eliminate guesswork and build compliance. Workers can even try them on!

Personalize The Glove Board™ with a logo, tagline, text, legend and photographic quality imagery of actual gloves or spec sheets from the manufacturer. Our only limitation is your imagination! This particular board measures 24" x 72" on Dura-AlumaLite™.

The Glove Board™ kit includes: 1 board with mounted bulldog-style clips, 20 pre-printed yellow magnetic strips, 5 blank yellow magnetic strips, 15 blank white magnetic strips, and 1 permanent marking pen.

Summit Sign & Safety is a reseller of safety identification, high visibility apparel, personal protection equipment and facility management products. but we specialize in the stock and custom identification solutions for: signs, labels, letters, numbers, safety tags, lockout/tagout, confined space, identification tags, pipe markers hazard communication (haz-com), right-to-know (RTK), DOT placards, traffic control, facility identification; as well as safety motivation and training. For promoting safety awareness in your facility, we also offer electronic digital display scoreboards, training posters, federal labor law posters, safety awareness banners and motivational banners.

Click here to receive our FREE our Top Seller Safety Identification Products Catalog!
Learn about sales, new products & more Special pricing, exclusive products & more

Custom Digital Scoreboards

2011-08-31T03:32:00.000-07:00

Nothing says you care about the safety of your employees quite like a Changeable Face Digi-Day® Electronic Scoreboard.

The Changeable Face Digi-Day® allows for keeping track of days without a lost time accident with one initial set-up, and that's it! Set the time of day, and the direction in which you'd like your Digi-Day® to count and let it do all of the work for you. And by changing the face, you can keep the number of days fresh in the mind of your employees or co-workers.

Use the Changeable Face Digi-Day® as a motivational tool also! Let your employees post the reasons why they work safely, and the images of the people they work safely for; their family and loved ones!

You can Personalize It! - build your own inserts with out online builder. Choose your own colors and text, and your own digital imagery and your logo!

There's nearly 50 stock faces to choose from too, including seasonal, family and WorkHealthy themes. The faces are made of a durable, gloss-laminate that store behind each other as inserts. When you change the face, give the old one away as a gift! Makes a great, instantaneous safety program!

Summit Sign and Safety continues its quest to provide you with world-class customer service, the newest technological innovations (including high-quality digital imagery) and a stock OSHA safety sign, label, tag and motivational banner library that eclipses the competition. From Front Gate to Back Dock, we have the right products for you!

Custom Barricade Tapes

2011-08-25T19:51:00.000-07:00

Also known as perimeter tape and barrier tape, high-visibility barricade tapes are a temporary yet efficient and effective way to surround or section-off hazard areas, danger zones and construction sites. They send the warning message to keep out of restricted areas. Barricade tapes are also ideal for crowd and traffic control purposes.

These tapes are non-adhesive and self-wound on a roll. They un-spool, cut easily, and can be fastened with any method - adhesive tape, nail, staple or tie off. Printed tapes have clear, bold warning message that is continuously repeated the length of the roll (we also offer glow tapes). Lightweight, yet durable, tapes are 3-mil polyethylene plastic that can withstand indoor elements and outdoor weather conditions. Material is economical and disposable, yet can be reused. Rolls are compact and can be stored for emergencies or planned projects.

You can customize your barricade tape to include your own message and digital imagery, depending on the job at hand. And we have a large selection of stock tapes ready to ship in 24 hours. We also carry retractable tape barriers, barricade tape dispensers and Tape-Tite™ which fits most 2" diameter posts and causes the tape to remain taught.

Portable barricade tape dispensers work quickly, safely, and efficiently. The caddy design is constructed of lightweight, yet tough polypropylene plastic with steel safety cutting blade. Easily spool off tape and get fast, smooth cuts eliminating stretched tape and waste and snarls.

Summit Sign and Safety continues its quest to provide you with world-class customer service, the newest technological innovations (including high-quality digital imagery) and a stock OSHA safety sign, label, tag and motivational banner library that eclipses the competition. From Front Gate to Back Dock, we have the right products for you!

2011-07-31T18:53:00.000-07:00

More than ever, now's the time to WorkHealthy™. Health management initiatives, including workplace health promotion/wellness programs, help employees live healthier lives while at the same time improving your bottom line through reduced health costs and increased productivity.

Employee health promotion programs should be viewed and managed as a strategic investment to be maximized rather than an expense to be minimized. Because American businesses are the country's largest provider of health insurance, they are uniquely situated to provide leadership in finding solutions to address health care costs.

Start now; plan, implement, and promote a comprehensive health promotion program aimed at improving employee health, safety, and business growth. Track the amount of pounds your employees have lost with the WorkHealthy™ Digi-Day®; or promote positive thinking through banners and cafeteria table cards. The ideas are only limited by your imagination.

Summit Sign and Safety along with Accuform Signs, can help you to motivate your workforce. Contact us and tell us you saw Samantha in a WorkHealthy™ video and find out how we can get you on the road to a healthier workforce.

6 Reasons Safety Signs are Necessary in Your Workplace

2011-07-25T04:45:00.000-07:00

Even though facility signage is often seen as an afterthought amongst safety professionals and plant managers, OSHA safety signs are a vital aspect of any safety program. Here's 6 reasons why.

1. Affordability - Signs are affordable, especially for the consequences of not adhering to a sign's warning. Some signs, depending on the size and material, can cost in the hundreds of dollars, but what it may save a company in the long run far outweighs the small amount to have it manufactured.

2. What you read, you remember - Statistics show that to remember something, you should not only hear it, but see it and read it. This ingrains it into your memory much easier than in just one of these forms of learning. And, consistency is key. So, a sign labeling something hot, or a banner reminding you to work safely, although you may get used to it, still gets etched into your memory.

3. Compliance - OSHA and ANSI standards were created for a reason: people use to (still do) die because of unsafe work practices. So although we may sometimes think a law or standard is a knee-jerk reaction to something grievous that has happened, time dictates that we have attempted to learn from our mistakes and try to establish best work practices for safety.

4. Visitors and contractors don't know what employees know - Imagine you're new to a facility, or a new employee on the first day of the job. They may be unaware of the various dangers of the environment, but there's no signs to guide them. They will find themselves in emminent danger, and without safety signs in place, that employee would be very lucky to remain safe throughout the course of his first day. In environments where danger lurks around every corner, having adequate and clear safety signs can help advise staff of the pending dangers and ultimately instill caution when it is required most.

5. Injury prevention - Signage and facility identification play a real practical role in preventing injury and ensuring staff are aware of the dangers and hazards awaiting them at given points in the workplace. Without them, many employees would lack essential direction in times of crisis, and employers might find themselves in significant legal difficulties if any accidents were to arise as a result.

6. Signs save lives - Safety signs might not seem the most interesting topic of conversation, but they really are essential in the fight against danger and risk in the workplace. By ensuring your workplace is sufficiently well signed, you can help protect the staff and visitors to the site, particularly members of the public, against the imminent dangers that could otherwise go unnoticed, leading to less industrial accidents and helping to reduce the risk to employees and ordinary people.

So, to recap, signs are an 1. affordable way to stay 2. in compliance with standards, 3. make people remember there's a dangerous situation at hand, 4. inform the public that they may be in a dangerous situation 5. keeping people from injury and 6. keeping people alive. Remember, the size of the sign, the material used and the proper message are all major parts of choosing your sign. Contact Summit Sign and Safety for all of your facility identification needs, and stay safe out there.

Light-Frame Truss and Floor Construction Signs

2011-06-21T21:01:00.000-07:00

Light-Frame Truss and Floor Construction Signs serves as a warning to firefighters, EMT’s and other personnel that a structure is made of light-weight truss-type construction - a type of building construction formed by a system of repetitive wood or light-gauge steel framing members. Signs meet Florida Statute 633.027 and Florida Fire Prevention Code 69A-3.012 Florida specific edition of NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code (Rule Chapter 69A-60, Florida Administrative Code - FAC).

This bill, created to save firefighters' lives was signed into law by Governor Charlie Crist on June 17, 2008 and became effective on December 13, 2009.

Named in honor of two Orange County Firefighters, Todd Aldridge and Mark Benge, who died in 1989 after the roof of a gift shop collapsed; the bill is called the Aldridge-Benge Firefighter Safety Act.

The Aldridge-Benge Firefighter Safety Act will require owners of any commercial, industrial, or any multi-unit residential structure, to mark these buildings in a manner that identifies them as light-frame truss-type construction. A sign or symbol will alert firefighters of the construction material and allow them to modify their tactics for fighting fires in buildings.

• Structures with light-frame truss roofs shall be marked with the letter “R”.
• Structures with light-frame truss floor systems shall be marked with the letter “F”.
• Structures with light-frame truss floor and roof systems shall be marked with the letters “R/F”.

Click here for the Summit Sign and Safety offering of Light-Frame Truss and Floor Construction Signs.

Store-Boards™

2011-06-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

At a Glance, See That Tools and Supplies are in Their Designated Storage Location.

• Provide striking, visual point-of-storage for tools, supplies, equipment

• Use shadow outlines with headings to show where tools should be

• Instantly account for missing tools and equipment

Ordering Custom Shadow Boards:

• Choose material for location, application, and durability

• Specify size and shape to accommodate equipment and fit space
• Identify equipment to be ‘shadowed’ on the board
• Provide applicable color codes for intended product use
• Choose hanging method and hardware device*
• Personalize with your company name, logo, colors, and images

Let Us Design Your Boards Online... at No Extra Cost!

Interact with our graphic designer, LIVE (via WebEx™), to create your Store-Boards™. Watch your Store-Board™ develop right on your computer. Save time by going interactive! Contact us to have a professionally designed Store-Board™ customized for you.

Materials:

• Accu-Shield™ - Guaranteed 15 years under harsh conditions. Nearly 1/4" thick.

• Max-Duty Aluminum - Guaranteed 5 years. Durable .080" aluminum will not rust.

• Max Dura Plastic-Lite - Printed image is protected by clear overlaminate on 3/8" thick PVC.

*Store-boards™ include galvanized steel tool hangers/hooks.

Not available for online purchase at this time. Please call to order.

Summit Sign & Safety

2011-06-20T20:10:00.000-07:00

Scoreboards

At Summit Sign and Safety, we take facility identification to the next level. We carry safety signs & labels, letters and numbers, safety tags, lockout/tagout products, confined space signs, and ID tags. Mark your pipes with several different kinds of pipe markers, and inform your employees with Haz-Com and Right-To-Know.

We have a large offering of traffic signs and roadway equipment to go along with your plant and facility markings, and safety motivation posters, banners and scoreboards.

Need PPE (Protective Clothing)? How about eye protection, head and face protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection, hand protection, fall protection, footwear or ergonomics? If we don't have it, we'll help you get it.

What about facility management and safety awareness? We also carry light-frame truss construction signs, traffic control, wheel chocks and safety mirrors. Spill response, storage, showers and eyewash and first aid, heat stress, fans, wipes and cleaners are also available.

Is your company utilizing the 5S methodology of continuous improvement solutions for the visual workplace including 5S signs, posters, banners, tags, and Store-Boards™? Give us a call, or check out our website. We're your one-stop shop for all facility identification and markings.

STOPOUT™ 120/240 Circuit Breaker Lockout

2011-05-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

The STOPOUT™ brand solutions for lockout/tagout are innovative, aesthetically pleasing, and built to last. The circuit breaker lockout ratchets down to quickly fit and secure onto the circuit breaker. This Durable plastic Circuit Breaker lockout device features a bar clamp design, allowing the lockout to simply slide onto a breaker switch and lock securely into place by closing the handle down. The unique design allows for fastest lockout application time and quick and easy removal as well. The device does not rely on a traditional screw mechanism to secure. It can easily be applied with just one hand if needed. No more frustration with small, difficult to grip screws. Simply lift open the handle, slide onto the breaker bar, close the hand down and secure with a padlock (sold separately). The unit uses two metal jaws for optimum secure grip. See the video on YouTube.
See all of the STOPOUT™ brand of products at Summit Sign and Safety.

Top 6 Construction Site Hazards!

2011-04-26T06:18:00.000-07:00

Construction sites are considered the most potentially hazardous and accident-prone parts of any working environment. Excessive exposure to these construction site hazards exposes workers to injury and possible death. To prevent this, a company should know how to identify and be aware of all possible dangers that can be encountered during normal business operations. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) wants every employee to have sound knowledge of their susceptibility to harm or injury in the workplace.

Listed below are the top six construction site hazards identified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):

1. Electrical- Electricity is one of the greatest hazards to people either at home or at work. Power line workers, electricians and electrical engineers work continuously with electricity and can face exposure to this hazard on a daily basis. At the construction site, the best way to prevent this kind of hazard is for the power line workers to be a safe working distance away from the power lines. Other precautionary measures includes guarding and insulating of the vehicle from which they might work. This would help prevent electrical hazards from injuring them while working.

2. Excavation and Trenching - OSHA has recognized excavation and trenching as the most hazardous construction site operation. From the year 2000 to 2006, the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics (USBLS) recorded 271 worker fatalities in trenching and cave-ins. These hazards are preventable yet injuries related to these hazards are still happening. Both employer and employee must follow safety standards and use protective equipment to minimize hazards while trenching and excavating.
3. Falls - Falling from scaffolding over six feet or a fixed ladder over twenty feet is the most dangerous and common construction site hazard. Falling from high places such as a ladder, scaffolding and roofs account for more than fifty percent of the accidents that happen at the workplace. The usual cause of this incident is slipping, tripping and using unstable ladders. There are thousands of reasons for fall hazards and to eliminate such risks, employers must have a fall protection program as part of any overall workplace safety and health program. Workers should be trained to identify and evaluate fall hazards and be fully aware of how to control exposure to such risks as well as know how to use fall protection equipment properly.
4. Stairways and Ladder - According to OSHA's construction safety and health standards, stairways and ladders are major sources of injuries and fatalities among construction workers. These recorded injuries are serious enough to put a worker out on sick leave. OSHA registered approximately 24,882 injuries and 36 fatalities yearly that are related to falling from stairways and ladders used at the construction site. To prevent such accidents and injuries, employers and employee must comply with OSHA's general rule for the safe use of ladders and stairways.
5. Scaffolding - Every year, approximately 60 workers die by falling from scaffolding; one out of five construction site falls are fatal. The most potential risk of scaffolding is due to moving scaffold components; scaffold failure related to damage to its components; loss of the load; being struck by suspended materials; electrical shock; and improper set-up. Construction workers who assemble and dismantle scaffolding and work platforms at construction sites face the risk of serious injuries due to falls. The scaffolding hazard is addressed by stated OSHA standards. They give specific requirements for the maximum load, when to use scaffolding, bracing and the use of guardrails.

6. Heavy Construction Equipment - Approximately 100 construction site workers die each year due to heavy construction equipment. The main causes of such accidents includes: ground workers struck when a vehicle is backing up or changing direction; equipment rollovers that injure the operator; mechanics run over when brakes are not properly set; and ground workers crushed by falling equipment from backhoes, buckets, and other moving construction vehicles. To prevent this kind of risk, workers should follow all construction safety guidelines necessary to eliminate the exposure to such injuries and accidents.

Safety risks on construction site are unavoidable; however, these can be prevented if workers are instructed on how to identify the hazards that might be present at the work-site. The employer must establish proper safety standards that meet the maximum requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This will ensure that workers will have a safe working environment during normal operation.

This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of construction site risks; however, these top six items are certainly important ones that all construction site employers should be aware of and continually working to eliminate them from happening.

Let Summit Sign and Safety help you in the first step to making any construction site safe - from barricades, to scaffolding tags and holders to signage and identification.

This article was written by Christopher M. Hunter. He's an expert in commercial specialty trucks. Find out more about Dump Truck Sales. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6172661

StopOut™ 120/240 Circuit Breaker Lockout

2011-04-26T04:50:00.000-07:00

The following were the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA standards for the fiscal year 2010 (October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010):

1. Scaffolding

2. Fall protection

3. Hazard communication standard

4. Ladders
5. Respiratory protection
6. (LOCKOUT/TAGOUT) CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS ENERGY
7. Electrical, wiring methods
8. Powered industrial trucks
9. Electrical systems design
10. Machines, general requirements

In response to the LOCKOUT/TAGOUT standards, Summit now carries a new brand of solutions for your workplace - StopOut™.

The StopOut™ 120/240 The Circuit Breaker Lockout ratchets (check out the video) down to quickly fit and secure lockout onto circuit breaker. The Circuit Breaker Lockout is a visible safety red to call attention to the locked out switch. The Circuit Breaker Lockout is also uniquely designed with an octagon peg which allows specially designed tags to be secured directly to the device. Lockout device measures 15/16"W x 3 1/3"L x 1 1/2"D. The durable plastic Circuit Breaker Lockout device features a bar clamp design, allowing the lockout to simply slide onto a breaker switch and lock securely into place by closing the handle down.

The unique design of the Circuit Breaker Lockout allows for fastest lockout application time and quick and easy removal as well. The device does not rely on a traditional screw mechanism to secure. It can easily be applied with just one hand if needed. No more frustration with small, difficult to grip screws. Simply lift open the handle, slide onto the breaker bar, close the hand down and secure with a padlock.The unit uses two metal jaws for optimum secure grip.
Go to the Circuit Breaker Lockout product page.
See our full line of Lockout/Tagout solutions.

OSHA Safety Signs

2011-03-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

Safety signs are used throughout many industries. There are chemical safety signs, traffic safety signs, bilingual safety signs and construction safety signs, just to name a few. Safety signs are required by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and where employees may be at risk, regulations have been established by OSHA regarding facility identification.

OSHA part 1910 relates to specifications for accident prevention safety signs and tags; part 1926.20 relates to safety and health regulations for construction including general safety signs, danger signs, warning signs, caution signs and traffic signs, including exit and directional signs; part 1915 relates to standards for shipyard employment and employee comprehension of safety signs and safety labels.

At Summit Sign & Safety, you will find OSHA products such as safety signs, safety labels, safety tags, lockout and confined space marking and identification, ID tags and pipe markers, Haz-Com, Right-to-Know and DOT safety and traffic signs, plant and facility maintenance products, motivational banners and training products.

Summit is dedicated to breaking down the barriers between employees and safety. Often, a safety sign is the greatest reminder that someone is at home, waiting for you.

Summit also has an Online Personalization Safety Sign Design Center, where, along with designing your own Personalized safety sign, you can also design your Personalized bilingual sign, no header sign, custom header sign, arc flash sign, Digi-Day® Scoreboard, NFPA placard, street safety sign, floor safety sign and hard hat labels. Personalization allows you to customize your safety sign with your own logo, text and pictorial.

For all of your safety sign needs, visit Summit Sign & Safety. Click here to order a catalog. You can email us at customerservice@SummitSignSafety.com or call 352-521-7171 / 800-786-4035. We are a family-owned and operated company.

What Does it Mean to WorkHealthy™?

2011-03-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

You know, American businesses are the country’s largest provider of health insurance. So why not promote healthy living at work, too?

Let Summit help you plan, implement, and promote health programs aimed at improving employee health, safety, and business growth.

While studies are few, and data is sparse, the weight of the evidence points to a linkage between both stress and illness and workplace injury – it’s something that shouldn’t be overlooked. NIOSH calls for more research, yet cites “growing concern” that stress can lead to incidents by interfering with safe work practices. In a recent survey of nurses conducted by the American Nurses Association, 80% said on-the-job stress levels impact workplace safety, and 59% of nurses said when they feel pressured they are more inclined to work faster and take shortcuts. It’s safe to assume that this is likely the case in the industrial world as well. Accident levels can go up dramatically when stress climbs.

Workplace wellness programs are becoming increasingly popular – more and more companies are developing programs to provide resources for the health and well being of their workers, from full-time staff to temporary workers, to on-site contractors.

What does it mean to WorkHealthy™? For some it means the opportunity to work in an environment that will not make them sick. For others it means being protected from the effects of chemicals and other hazards with proper PPE. And still a few will say it means ensuring the health and safety of each employee by any means necessary. And they would all be correct. What we’ll uncover today is another answer, one that involves making healthy choices that can impact and effect safety as a whole – as a culture.

With the WorkHealthy™ line of products, You can track pounds lost, or miles walked with a Digi-Day® Scoreboard featuring WorkHealthy™ inserts, or promote positive thinking through posters, banners and cafeteria table cards.

Or personalize the inserts with your employees pictures and their own personal stories and testimonies. Our only limitation is your imagination.

Contact Summit Sign & Safety today and begin a WorkHealthy™ program in your facility.

5S for Continuous Improvement

2011-02-21T19:45:00.000-08:00

5S Poster

The philosophy of continuous improvement is more than a trend in today's business environment, and the solution is the visual workplace - for improving quality, organization, efficiency, housekeeping and safety.

The 5S methodology, as described in Hiroyuki Hirano’s 5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace, is the foundation for making companywide improvements in both the production facility and the front office, so that the Just-In-Time production strategy (inventory management) can be implemented.

The 5S’s are based on the Japanese words seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke, and, when transliterated, mean organization (sorting), orderliness (setting in order), cleanliness (shining and sweeping), standardizing (standardized cleanup) and discipline (sustaining the process). These 5S’s are the basic formula for achieving “product diversification with zero changeovers, higher quality with zero defects, lower costs with zero waste, reliable deliveries with zero breakdowns and improved safety with zero injuries.”

A sixth “S”, "Safety", is sometimes added depending on the workplace, and some argue that explicitly including this sixth “S” ensures that workplace safety is given primary consideration. But it is reasonable to assume that a properly planned and executed 5S program will inherently improve workplace safety.

Sorting
The main component of the first “S” or sorting phase is ridding a bloated production facility of any unwanted, un-needed or unused tools or materials. This happens by implementing the “red tag” strategy – applying a red tag to anything considered unnecessary in a production cycle, placing in a holding area to see if it was needed, and then ultimately discarding anything not needed; “When in doubt, throw it out.”

Setting in Order
A lot like a home garage peg-board, or a surgeon’s tray of instruments, the second “S” gives each tool a permanent place to reside so that whether the employee is new or temporary, illiterate or bilingual or just happens to need something right away, they know exactly where to find it and put it when finished. Driving even deeper into this strategy, when applicable, tools are combined when possible to perform various functions, and placement in bins, in drawers, or on shelves accounts for chronological use and proximity to the user.

Shining
When the work area is clean and maintained, maintenance and repairs can happen instantaneously, because they come to a worker’s attention immediately. In a dirty environment, machines that could be easily fixed may break down because an oil drip was not noticed until it was too late.

Standardized Cleanup
Once everything is in its place and the work environment is clean, don’t stop there. Determine daily (even shift) targets, assignments, methods, tools – then keep going. There is no limit to how often, how long, what procedure or what tools to use, until it is determined that once your daily cleaning duties are accomplished, your time can be better spent elsewhere.

Sustain the Discipline

Simply put, “Make a habit of properly maintaining the correct procedures.” Without discipline, excess materials are purchased because they’re not in the proper place, workers waste time searching for misplaced tools, the facility will get dirty again causing machines to break down, and accidents will become more prevalent.

With proper planning and execution of the 5S’s, any plant or production facility can implement the 5S’s for a visual workplace. It requires buy-in from the CEO all the way to the newest employee, but over time, will benefit the organization as a whole, keeping workers safe, keeping things organized and running properly and increasing the bottom line.

Summit Sign & Safety can provide tools like 5S Shadow Boards, tapes, tags and more. Contact Summit to learn more about how 5S products can be implemented in your facility.

5S and the Red Tag Strategy

2011-02-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

The "Red Tag Strategy" is implemented in the first phase, or sorting phase, of any 5S implementation. Its effects are seen immediately throughout any facility with little or no cost, helping to reduce inventory, improve clerical efficiency and increase productivity throughout.

Red tags are placed on all equipment and tools that are not deemed necessary for a product cycle, thereby eliminating clutter and unwanted or unnecessary items and tools. They are moved to a red tag area for further discussion, warehoused, or discarded. A red tag area may be a local, temporary place for storage of tools or items that may be needed "once in a while", but eventually (and the sooner the better) they must find their place, "when in doubt, throw it out."

The Japanese word for "red" is "dirt", and to remove dirt from a factory helps for several reasons (some obvious). But in this sense, it's for sorting and removal of unnecessary items. Red tags are conspicuous, like stop signs, and help employees realize just how much clutter can be accumulated, and just how much space gets wasted over time.

Like spring and fall cleaning, a good red tag strategy launches no less than twice a year, and the best implementation will be ongoing. The period lasts one to two months based on how many red tag projects have already been implemented. Red tags should be attached by workers outside of their normal divisions, so they have a fresh eye to an area, and no personal ties to those specific tools and equipment.

One reason the "Red Tag Strategy" is so important is that workers tend to "personalize" or get attached to tools and equipment. They often have a hard time determining what is necessary for the production cycle of the product and what is not. There is a natural tendency to want to keep tools and other equipment around "just in case".

Another reason is that some manufacturing facilities or plants have been around for a long time; some may be 100 years old or older. If there are several shifts working for many years, and many different workers throughout that time, different people may hang on to different items. Accumulation can happen quickly, or slowly, over a long time period of time, but it happens.

Target places in the factory for the "Red Tag Strategy" include inventory, machinery, equipment and space in general, such as floors and shelving. A criterion is established prior to implementation of the process, and then the red tag must be filled out properly for inventory purposes; or the item is simply thrown away. You can find red tags and other 5S and lean manufacturing signs, tags and Store-Boards™ at Summit Sign & Safety. For more information on the "Red Tag Strategy" read 5 Pillars of the Visual Workplace.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-ideas-articles/5s-and-the-red-tag-strategy-4261797.html

Arc Flash

2011-01-26T19:46:00.000-08:00

Arc flash is the passage of electricity between two grounds, such as the electrical “spark” you see when you plug or unplug an appliance. This passage of electrical current, depending on its size, combined with air, can provide a deadly explosion.

Arc flash hazards pose real and prevalent danger to workers today. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 10 OSHA reportable arc flash incidents involving more than one fatality everyday in the USA. Data from the Census of Fatal Injuries indicates that over 8% of fatalities each year are due to electrical shocks, fires and explosions.

OSHA considers the NFPA 70E standard necessary for compliance and requires employers to implement an electrical safety program to protect these workers from the dangers of arc flash hazards. Failure to implement NFPA 70E can result in huge costs to an employer resulting from an accident as well as the cost of OSHA penalties. Major components of a good arc flash program include:

• Knowledgeable workers trained for these types of hazards

• Proper labeling of arc flash hazard areas and equipment

• Safe work practices and procedures

• Engineering controls (including hardware)

• Use of recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by a trained worker

Proper labeling of equipment, when handled correctly, saves lives (and cost) from lawsuits resulting from incidents. Lost production, damage and injury claims, and repair costs can add up to millions of dollars. Companies adopting procedures and methods relating to arc flash hazards specifically to address the potential liability look to proper labeling as rudimentary, often their first line of defense in worker protection and limiting hazards.

Size and location specifications of signs and labels, as well as compliance with OSHA regulations and applicable standards can be confusing and difficult, pose safety risks and cost your company time and money. Let industry experts help you accomplish implementation of your arc flash program.

Post arc flash signs and labels to clearly identify and mark areas warning and protecting workers from arc flash, shock, and electrocution hazards. Summit Sign & Safety offers a variety of stock arc flash sign and label formats. Each meets all OSHA, ANSI and NFPA requirements. For more effective accident prevention, have your arc flash signs or labels custom printed!

Personalized Safety Signs

2011-01-06T09:23:00.000-08:00

Whether your message contains instructions, policies, directions, motivational themes or any other information, it needs to be quickly and easily understood. Graphics or pictorials are eye-catching and can help communicate your message effectively. And, you can customize the text to convey your facility’s unique message and add more value and pride to your custom sign by adding a full-color company logo (with no set-up fee, no minimum quantity or up-charge for additional colors).

The combination of a header, legend, and pictorial(s) make for an effective custom sign. Headers designate the degree of severity and the legend portion of your custom sign communicates the necessary action or message.

The sample sign shown demonstrates effective use of upper and lower case fonts. In short subject signs, like DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE for example, this is less important.

In the header, the use of capital letters and a simple-to-read bold font typically works best. In the body, consider using upper and lower case letters with large amounts of text. Overuse of capital letters can become confusing to the average reader and long lines of text typed in all upper case can be harder to read, not to mention, that in today’s society it is considered shouting when all caps is used.

Summit Sign and Safety is dedicated to helping you solve all of your facility identification needs, whether it be helping you to choose and OSHA safety sign versus an ANSI safety sign, choosing the proper header or material, or choosing the size necessary for the situation. Call our customer service team, or utilize our personalized builders, full of helpful features like our “wizards”, that can also help you decide which header, size or material is best suited to your needs.

Cell Phone and Texting Laws (as of November 2010)

2010-11-30T08:40:00.000-08:00

Cell Phone Use

As of November 2010, no state has completely banned all cell phone use (handheld and hands-free) for all drivers, but many prohibit all cell phone use by:
Novice Drivers in 28 states and D.C. are banned from all cell phone use.
School Bus Drivers in 18 states and D.C. may not use a cell phone when passengers are present.

8 states and the Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving:
(CA, CT, DE, MD, NJ, NY, OR and WA), including the District of Columbia.
All laws are primary enforcement except for MD - an officer may cite a driver for using a handheld cell phone without any other traffic offense taking place.

Texting
30 states plus the District of Columbia and Guam ban text messaging for all drivers.
11 of these laws were enacted in 2010.
26 states plus the District of Columbia and Guam have primary enforcement.
4 states texting bans are secondary enforcement.
8 states prohibit text messaging by novice drivers.
2 states restrict school bus drivers from texting while driving.

Some states such as Maine, N.H. and Utah treat cell phone use and texting as part of a larger distracted driving issue. In Utah, cellphone use is an offense only if a driver is also committing some other moving violation (other than speeding).

Summit Sign & Safety realizes that distracted driving is a major issue on our roadways today and offers solutions such as No Texting While Driving signs and labels.

Other resources:

Click here for Highway Safety Laws by State
NETS toolkit and materials

Governor's Highway Safety Association

Distracted Driving

Unique Sign Materials for Your Facility

2010-11-30T07:27:00.000-08:00

Every facility is different, so the right message on the right material for the application is important. Summit Sign & Safety can help you decide which sign needs to go where, what it needs to say and what it needs to be made of. Or you can:

Personalize your signs - Use your digital imagery, graphics, symbols and wording to design unique and eye-catching displays specific to your facility. The addition of your logo and pictures of your employees and their families creates memorable safety messages. Choose from over 20 different types of materials to meet any environmental demand and virtually unlimited sign sizes. For a quote or help getting started, call 800.786.4035.

Accu-Shield™ Signs are built to withstand the harshest environments, with a 15-year outdoor durability guarantee. Non-glare, polycarbonate plastic covers the UV-resistant ink and, with a pebble-textured backing, is specially formulated to resist chemicals, corrosion and abrasions.

Reflecta-Shield™ Signs are designed to withstand outdoor exposure with a multi-ply engineer-grade white or yellow reflective sheeting. This material is guaranteed 10 years.

Lumi-Shield™ Signs performs in the dark with the patented Lumi-Glow™ material for UV resistance and glow time of 6 hours.

AlumaLite™ Signs are durable and withstand tough conditions both indoors and out. Its superior strength-to-weight ratio resists impacts, flexing and vandalism. Defend against abrasions, impact, corrosion, chemicals and more. Comes with a 10 year guarantee.

Adhesive Dura-Vinyl™ Signs are guaranteed for 5 years and are made with a dual-layered vinyl that outperforms standard vinyl for years of dependable use and protected with a high-gloss over-laminate.

Dura-Fiberglass™ Signs are guaranteed for 10 years and won’t crack, chip, fade or turn yellow prematurely. Comes in three thicknesses and is impervious to mold, mildew, stains and rust.

These are just a few of the many different types of materials to choose from – the right sign material for the right application.
Visit Summit Sign & Safety for all of your sign needs.
Request a catalog.

Anatomy of A Safety Sign

2010-11-01T04:40:00.000-07:00

OSHA & ANSI Safety Sign Structure
Traditional OSHA-Style signs and labels are the most widely recognized design format in industry. They are widely recognized because this style of warning sign has been in use for decades. OSHA-Style signs use ALL CAPS, and the message is generally centered underneath the header. This standardized sign format continues today to be the choice for selecting messages in safety signs.

Newer ANSI-Style signs and labels are gaining in popularity. While not the OSHA standard, they are recognized by OSHA as an acceptable warning device. These sign formats and layouts are designed in conformance with ANSI’s Z535 standard. The noticeable differences often include a visual alert symbol (triangle with an exclamation point!), a large symbol in the center of the sign, and finally, upper and lower case lettering for the message section, which is left-justified. ANSI feels these sign formats are easier and quicker to read and comprehend; studies support improved comprehension.

It’s still your choice which format to use. Regardless of which format you choose, and even if you mix formats in your facility, be sure to train your employees and contractors on the importance of recognizing the hazards in your facility, by understanding the signs to safety.

DANGER - Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury.

WARNING - Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

CAUTION - Indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury.

NOTICE - Preferred signal word to address practices not related to personal injury.

SAFETY FIRST/THINK - Indicates general instructions relative to safe work practices & reminds of proper safety procedures.

Note: Other attention-getting sign formats that do not meet the true criteria of accident prevention signs are still available for your use. We include them to allow you to fulfill your various communication needs and applications that are right for your facility.

Custom Trail Map Signs from Summit Slope Signs

2010-10-29T23:02:00.000-07:00

Custom Trail Map Signs from Summit Slope Signs feature an ultra-lightweight property combined with high-strength and rugged engineering to make this composite aluminum sign extremely durable – enabling it to withstand tough conditions both indoors and out. The material resists impacts and flexing, and stand strong to abuses such as vandalism. AlumaLite™ materials are 40% lighter than solid aluminum, yet maintain the same durability, stiffness, and rigidity. The materials are comprised of two sheets of aluminum permanently bonded, on both sides, to a lightweight thermoplastic center core. This combination makes for a superior strength-to-weight ratio composite material. AlumaLite™ excels for long-term, large sign installations, requiring less structural support.
Your custom message is digitally printed for crisp, high quality legends – whether it’s a single text message or a full-color image. Printed surface is further protected by a polyester overlaminate film for added UV and scratch resistance. Service temperature range: -58° to 175°F.

No order minimums
No set-up charges
Color matching
Fast production turn-around
Quantity break discounts available
"No Questions Asked" product guarantee
Develop Message

The message on your custom sign is critical. If you are warning about hazardous situations, your message should be short, concise and quickly understood. Pictorials can be helpful where English may not be the primary language.
Size & Placement
The right size and shape of your custom sign is critical to attracting attention and providing visibility and readability for your message. Your sign needs to be seen, read and understood from an effective distance.
Place Your Order

Think it today, see it tomorrow. We quickly and accurately fulfill your custom sign request. Place your order online or by phone.

Hi-Visibilty for the Winter

2010-09-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

It's very important for workers to maintain their visibility in many occupations - whether on the roads and highways in construction crews, or as surveyors in residential, commercial or industrial areas. It's equally important for those workers to stay warm when temperatures can fall below zero in some parts of the country - especially when wind chill is taken into consideration. Add to this a major federal initiative designed to get many unemployed back to work on our nation's highways, and you've got a huge need for high visibility and warmth.

Top Image - WorkSport 400 Pro Series Jackets

Features durable water-resistant shell, hidden collar hood, adjustable cuffs and 2" (3M Scotchlite™) reflective stripes. Black fleece liner converts into a stand-alone jacket. Class 3 jacket with zip-off sleeves converts into a Class 2 vest. Includes (1) left radio/cell phone pocket, (2) outside slash pockets with zippers and (1) inside wallet pocket. Lime. ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 Class 3 compliant.

Below - 360 Pro Series Parkas from ML Kishigo
Features thermal insulation, seam-sealed construction, hidden collared hood, 6" side zipper and Reflexite® tape. Adjustable storm cuffs keep wind and snow out of critical areas and black lower body and sleeves help keep a clean appearance. Includes (2) outside lower slash pockets with zippers and storm flaps, (1) outside upper radio/cell phone pocket, (1) hidden wallet pocket in storm flap and (1) general purpose inside pocket. ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 Class 3 compliant.

Summit Sign and Safety is your source for all of your Hi-visibility needs. Visit Summit or HiVis Supply for their winter sale on these and other jackets and parkas, through October 29th, 2010.

Focus On: Wheel Chocks

2010-09-30T07:48:00.000-07:00

OSHA regulations state regarding wheel chocks:

- Used to prevent movement of a truck, trailer or railcar

- 2 blocks are to be provided during loading and unloading

- Used while a truck or railcar are boarded with powered industrial trucks

1910.178(k)...

(1) The brakes of highway trucks shall be set and wheel chocks placed under the rear wheels to prevent the trucks from rolling while they are boarded with powered industrial trucks.

1910.178(m)...

(7) Brakes shall be set and wheel blocks shall be in place to prevent movement of trucks, trailer, or railroad cars while loading or unloading. Fixed jacks may be necessary to support a semitrailer during loading or unloading when the trailer is not coupled to a tractor.

1910.111(f)...
(9) Chock blocks. At least two chock blocks shall be provided. These blocks shall be placed to prevent rolling of the vehicle whenever it is parked during loading and unloading operations.

Summit Sign has a has a large supply of Checkers wheel chocks. These rubber chocks are strong and resist damage from UV, moisture, salt, oils and other corrosives. These chocks provide grips for tire and road and won’t cause damage to the pavement or tires. They are designed so either side may be used against the tires.

Most Checker series chocks:
- Are made with durable rubber construction
- Are made to resist the elements
- Come with a steel loop carrying handle
- Fits most chock storage compartments
- Come with eyebolts for ropes or chains

The 5500 Series has a triangular design used for aircraft worldwide and come with a replaceable rope lanyard. The 1200 Series is specially designed for the mining and construction industries and are rated for tire sizes up to 105 in. (2667 mm) and loads of up to 120 tons. They feature:

- Tough urethane construction

- Oil- and chemical-resistant

- Come with a recessed carrying handle

- Come with mounting hole for ropes, chains or brackets

- If not, mounting brackets available

Visit Summit Sign and Safety to choose the Checkers wheel chocks that are designed for your needs. Summit Sign - The Peak of Worker Perfection™.

High Performance Micro-Fiber T-Shirts

2010-08-27T01:36:00.000-07:00

These ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 Class 2 compliant shirts feature Ultra-Cool™ micro-fiber polyester material with 2" wide silver reflective stripes and (1) left breast pocket.

ANSI Class 2 garments are used in bad weather conditions or in work environments where employees often divert their attention from traffic sustaining speeds of 25 mph or more.

Any combination of yellow or orange fabrics is allowable combined with reflective stripes of yellow, orange, white or silver. Class 2 has a greater flexibility in design than Class 1 or Class 3. And, as the OSHA General Duty clause and MUTCD suggests, most companies use ANSI Class 2 as a best practice and select fabrics, reflective, and pocket configurations designed specifically for their work requirements.

Class 2 apparel is used in forestry, cargo-loading roadway construction, utility and railway workers, survey crews, school crossing guards, high-volume parking and/or toll gate personnel, airport baggage handlers/ground crew, emergency response and law enforcement personnel, trash collection and recycling operations, accident site investigators, railroad inspection and maintenance crews.

Visit Summit Sign and Safety or HiVis Supply for all of your safety needs including facility identification and hi visibility apparel.

Free Shipping on Products from our Newest Catalog

2010-08-27T01:13:00.000-07:00

Traffic control signs and other related products keep traffic moving, organized and under control. By posting traffic signs, you can make your facility much more safe for those working in or visiting daily.

Help regulate traffic in and around your facility. Traffic signs are all MUTCD compliant and are made of heavy-duty reflective aluminum. Don't forget to include posts and mounting hardware.

Comply with the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) For Building and Facilities. Signs are made of .080" thick reflective or non-reflective aluminum. Printed with UV-resistant inks and supplied with mounting holes for easy installation.

Place your order from our newest catalog on any and all signs and receive free shipping (UPS Ground). Be sure to use promo code PASSF at checkout. Or go to http://www.summitsignsafety.com/ for all of your facility marking needs, as well as high visibility gear or Summit Slope Signs for all your ski slope identification.

Tag Solutions

2010-07-29T04:53:00.000-07:00

SiteTags®

Have new workers in your facility? Have bilingual workers? Quickly identify employees with SiteTags®. SiteTags® are personalized with worker photo and information. The combination of a photo, personal information and safety message are digitally printed directly onto the SiteTag®. Save the time required to apply the photos yourself. These tags measure 5 7/8" x 3 3/8".

Loop ‘n Strap™ Tags
Attach these tags by the self-fastening strap for quick marking of hazards. Loop ‘n Strap™ Tags hang by the vertical opening or looping around and fastening tab-end into the slit. These lexible tags are .023" polyethylene plastic with 5 1/4" x 3 1/4" tag body. The strap measures 1 3/8" wide x 6" long with 4" long x 7/16" wide opening. Plastic tags resist grease, dirt, and moisture and you can write on the tag with a permanent marking pen. Available in packages of 25

Custom Loop ’n Strap™ Tags
We can print your custom message and symbol (if required) on the tags. Give us your idea along with tag color (white or yellow), print color, and tag quantity — we can produce 25 or more tags. Contact us for a quote and delivery.

Loop 'n Lock™ Tie Tags
Self-locking plastic tie strap is permanently attached to the Loop 'n Lock™ tie tag. The 8" long, ribbed tie strap adjusts and locks to close for tight security. It has a rated pull strength of 50-lbs. and cannot be undone unless cut or pulled apart with excessive force. A reinforced metal grommet with 3/8" hole secures the plastic tie strap to the 15-mil Rigid Vinyl Plastic tag which measures 6" x 3 1/2". The hole size accommodates a standard padlock shackle.

Custom Loop 'n Lock™ Tags
Your custom legend and/or message along with a symbol (if required) can be printed on Loop ’n Lock™ tie tags. We can produce 25 or more tags.

Summit Sign and Safety is here to answer all of your questions about safety identification, facility marking solutions including OSHA safety tags, and hi-visibility apparel.

Area Closed - Oil Spill

2010-07-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

The Air and Waste Management Association claims that it takes only one quart of oil to pollute approximately 150,000 gallons of water. The BP, Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill clean-up efforts have begun, and the Deepwater Horizon response has seen people become sick with certain acute symptoms. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida shoreline crews are experiencing headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, throat irritation, eye pain, coughing or choking and dizziness, and from the few studies of past spills, one of them by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) after the Exxon Valdez spill, these symptoms were expected for environmental and shoreline clean-up workers. 100 degree heat will cause heat exhaustion and some of the natural chemicals found in crude oil such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, and short-term exposure to benzene will exacerbate an already dire situation.

Studies from the 2002 Prestige oil tanker spill found an increase in DNA damage and other potential long-term risks include lung, kidney and liver damage, but exposure to odors and fumes were the leading cause of reports along the waterways and shorelines.
Summit Signs is here to respond to the damaging effects of the Deep Water Horizon oil spill and has created several custom signs warning of hazards and dangers of exposure to workers and beach-goers alike. Choose from oil spill response signs, avoid water contact signs, polluted beach closure signs and contaminated water signs. We are here to support those workers engaged in beach pollution clean-up activities. Volunteers among the cleanup workers are at the highest risk, because many lack extensive training in these types of hazards. The U.S. National Guard deployed 17,000 members to help with the cleanup effort. In total, nearly 35,000 cleanup workers are involved, some of whom agreed to be tracked by NIOSH.
For other links to the effects of the oil spill and human contamination/consumption:
dailyfinance.com
awma.org
yourlawyer.com

Deepwater Horizon and Oil Spill Resonse

2010-06-28T05:18:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia states the Deepwater Horizon was an ultra-deepwater dynamically positioned, semi-submersible offshore drilling rig. Built in 2001 in South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries, she was commissioned by R&B Falcon (which later became part of Transocean), registered in Majuro, Marshall Islands, and leased to BP until 2013.

A blowout on April 20th led to an uncontrollable fire and the Horizon eventually sank, while pump/drilling for oil in the deepest oil well in history. Due to this recent Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the BP oil spill clean-up process, there is a considerable need for custom signs in response to the environmental clean-up efforts. Contaminated beaches and Beach closed signs, waterways signs and shoreline signs are a necessity to keep people in that region safe from the effects of the oil spill, contaminated water and also oil spill safety products.

Underway already include the Louisiana shoreline clean-up, Florida clean-up, Mississippi clean-up and unorganized coastal clean-ups in general. Oil spill response efforts by BP alone have reached $2.65 billion and the Gulf of Mexico response has been one of outrage to this environmental emergency response and clean-up.

Summit Signs is here to help. To effectively aid in the cleanup process, and correctly identify the specific hazard to the general public, we offer stock and custom sign legends. In addition, we also offer barricade tape, waste labels and high visibility apparel.

Avoiding Arc Flash Hazards

2010-05-26T16:11:00.001-07:00

Generally speaking, arc flash is the passage of electricity between two grounds, such as the electrical “spark” you see when you plug or unplug an appliance. This passage of electrical current, depending on its size, combined with air can provide a deadly explosion.
Arc flash hazards pose real and prevalent danger to workers today. According to the BLS and the Oberon Company, there are 10 OSHA reportable arc flash incidents involving more than one fatality everyday in the USA. Data from the Census of Fatal Injuries indicates that over 8% of fatalities each year are due to electrical shocks, fires and explosions.
OSHA considers the NFPA 70E standard necessary for compliance and requires employers to implement an electrical safety program to protect workers from the dangers of arc flash hazards. Failure to implement NFPA 70E can result in huge costs to an employer resulting from an accident as well as the cost of OSHA penalties.

Major components of a good arc flash program include:
- Knowledgeable workers trained for these types of hazards
- Proper labeling of arc flash hazard areas and equipment
- Safe work practices and procedures
- Engineering controls (including hardware)
The proper use of recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by a trained worker and proper labeling of equipment (when handled correctly) saves lives (and cost) from lawsuits resulting from incidents. Lost production, damage and injury claims, and repair costs can add up to millions of dollars. Companies adopting procedures and methods relating to arc flash hazards deem proper labeling as their first line of defense in worker protection and limiting hazards.

Size and location specs of signs and labels, to clearly identify and mark areas warning and protecting workers from arc flash, shock, and electrocution hazards - for compliance with OSHA regulations and applicable standards - can be confusing and difficult, pose safety risks and cost your company time and money. Summit Sign and Safety offers a variety of stock arc flash sign and label formats. Each meets all OSHA, ANSI and NFPA requirements. For more effective accident prevention, have your arc flash signs or labels custom printed! Let Summit help you accomplish implementation of your arc flash program.

Fire Safety Signs & Labels

2010-05-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

From any given point within a building, employees and other occupants must easily identify the nearest fire safety equipment. The use, application and correct placement of signs can make a major contribution to the effectiveness of a good Fire Safety Management Program.
A recent article out of Austin, Texas, Smoke Detector, Diligence Prevent Fire at Texas Capitol Building speaks to an electrical fire in April that was averted at the Austin Capitol building by security, who immediately reacted to a signal set off by a smoke detector in the reference library. Along with the proper installation and maintainance of A-B-C-type fire extinguishers, this should align with both OSHA and fire marshall recommendations for a fire safety program, including instructions posted near extinguishers that enables you or anyone else who works with you directions on how to use the extinguishers properly.
The use of proper fire prevention and response signage can benefit your company in ways you might not have imagined. Signs keep you in compliance with current government regulations, and when accompanied with proper training, signs can quicken response time in emergency situations, limiting asset losses and reducing injuries. Fire prevention and response signs ensure that employees and occupants are aware of the location of fire-fighting equipment. For all of your fire safety needs, visit summitsignsafety.com.

Summit Slope Signs

2010-05-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

The National Ski Area Association (NSAA) was established in 1962 with the primary objective to meet the needs of ski area owners and operators nationwide and to foster, stimulate and promote growth in the industry. Among other things, NSAA affiliated slopes encourage skiers and snowboarders to learn how to ski safely.
Common sense and personal awareness can go a long way in preventing mishaps on the mountain. Member ski parks condone and are asked to display the “Your Responsibility Code,” which implores skiers and snowboarders to share with fellow riders the responsibility for a great skiing experience, be safety conscious, and are responsible to know the code, including:
• Ski and ride within their ability
• Watch for skiers downhill
• Look uphill before entering a trail
• Move to the side of the trail when stopping
• Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment
• Observe all posted signs and warnings
• Have the ability to load and unload lifts
• Practice courteous ski habits

Violators of “the code” are typically kicked off the slopes by the ski patrol. For more information, visit the NSAA website.

Be sure to visit Summit Sign and Safety for all of your ski slope identification needs as well as other OSHA and ANSI related items. Summit Sign and Safety is a reseller of safety identification, high visibility apparel, personal protection equipment and facility management products.

Working Safely with Lead-Based Products

2010-04-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

On April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the rule, beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

The main points from the EPA rule include:
- Any lead-based work must be performed by certified firms using certified renovators
- Firms must post signs clearly defining the work area and warning occupants and other persons not involved in renovation activities to remain outside of the work area
- Signs must be in the primary language of the occupants
- Signs must be posted before beginning the renovation and must remain in place and readable until the renovation and the post-renovation cleaning verification have been completed
- If warning signs have been posted, additional signs are not required by this section
- The worksite shall be prepared to prevent the release of leaded dust, chips and other debris and practices should minimize the spread of these particles

A warning sign shall be posted:
- At each entry to a room where hazard reduction activities are conducted when occupants are present
- At each main and secondary entryway to a building from which occupants have been relocated
- For an exterior hazard reduction activity, where it is easily read 20 feet (6 meters) from the edge of the hazard reduction activity worksite
- The employer may use signs required by other statutes, regulations or ordinances in addition to, or in combination with, signs required by this paragraph.
- The employer shall assure that no statement appears on or near any sign required by this paragraph which contradicts or detracts from the meaning of the required sign.
- The employer shall post the following warning signs in each work area where an employees exposure to lead is above the PEL.
- The employer shall assure that signs required by this paragraph are illuminated and cleaned as necessary so that the legend is readily visible.

Other products denoting lead-work:
3M™ Particulate Respirator 8233 N100
Excellent choice for lead abatement, pharmaceutical manufacturing, welding, metal pouring and work involving OSHA substance specific particle exposures in concentrations up to 10 x the OSHA PEL, excluding those containing oil aerosols and asbestos. Features the 3M™ Cool Flow™ Exhalation Valve, comfortable foam faceseal, adjustable straps, and lightweight construction. Respirators are individually packaged.

Plastic Barricade Tape
Also known as Perimeter Tape and Barrier Tape. High-visibility Barricade Tapes are a quick, temporary, and effective way to surround or section-off hazard areas, danger zones and construction sites. They send the warning message to keep out of restricted areas. Also ideal for crowd and traffic control purposes.

Safety Awareness Kits

2010-03-30T00:34:00.000-07:00

When you have an important message to convey, consistent communication is a must! A repeated message is more likely to be remembered.

Safety Awareness Kits are value priced and make it easy and affordable to communicate a consistent message throughout your facility.

Picture a digital scoreboard mounted in the guard station or near a time clock; a safety awareness poster hung in the lunchroom; or a motivational banner on the shipping dock. Safety Awareness Kits have you covered. You can even add an All-Weather DIGI-DAY® to most sets to send your message anywhere you want it to be seen!

This safety awareness kit - GO HOME SAFE TODAY OTHERS ARE DEPENDING ON YOU - consists of:
1 - 28" x 20" Indoor DIGI-DAY® Scoreboard
1 - 28" x 8-ft. Horizontal Banner
1 - 74" x 28" Vertical Banner
1 - 24" x 18" Poster

Choose from nearly 30 different sets including sports themed, family, patriotic, safety-centric, canadian and bi-lingual.

Be sure to visit www.summitsignsafety.com for safety awareness kits and other OSHA and ANSI related items. Summit Sign and Safety is a reseller of safety identification, high visibility apparel, personal protection equipment and facility management products.

Never Run Out Of Tags Again!

2010-03-23T17:09:00.000-07:00
Innovative, convenient, and economical, Tags-By-The-Roll™ allow you to easily keep a large quantity of tags at the ready. Take the roll wherever you go on the job. Simply pull the tag out of the box, tear it off, and use! It's that easy.

PF-Cardstock tags are die-cut shaped like a traditional tag, yet connected end-to-end with perforations and rolled into a protective cardboard dispenser box. 6 ¼" x 3" 10-mil PF-Cardstock tags are tear-resistant and waterproof; tags are made from pulp-free polyolefin-based synthetic material and feature a 3/8" oversized hole.

Available in rolls of 100 and 250 tags!

The writable matte surface is printed on both sides with space to sign, date, and add notes. Place your Tags-By-The-Roll™ in a convenient location, on a work cart or carry to wherever lots of tags are needed.

Choose form four stock legends:

AED Signs, Tags & Labels

2010-03-08T08:51:00.000-08:00
Just having your new AED (Automated External Defibrillator) device is not enough. Be sure to clearly identify this vital piece of emergency life-saving equipment with AED signs, AED cabinet labels and AED inspection tags.

AED's should be marked much like fire extinguishers throughout your facility and provide optimum viewing from the front and sides. AED Projection™ Signs have 180 degree visibility. These signs are made of .100" high-impact plastic with permanently bonded images on two panels, then protected with a 1-mil over-laminate film. AED Projection™ Signs also include pre-drilled mounting holes, including screws and self-adhesive foam tape if needed.

Hang AED signs directly above the device in corridors, hallways, stairways, terminal areas, or doorways.

Use AED record tags with multiple line spaces to record equipment and machinery inspection, servicing, an maintenance activities over a period of time. Status tags mark the changed situation of equipment needing attention and action required.

Keeping Multi-Cultural Employees Safe

2010-02-08T11:47:00.001-08:00
Wherever the workforce has a mix of English and foreign speaking employees together, it is common for manufacturing, plant, and warehouse locations to use bilingual signs, labels, and tags with the same text repeated in English and other applicable languages. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2006), there are over 44 million Hispanic people alone in the U.S. – or 15% of the 2006 population. Of this group, 3 out of 4 people - 34 million – spoke Spanish to some degree of fluency. Estimates say that the Spanish speaking population will be 25% after the current census is concluded.

Bilingual signs are designed to help ensure and convey the same proper direction and safety information to non-English speaking workers, as English signs. Today’s workforce includes many population segments from all parts of the world, including Asia, Europe – even the Middle East. Within the U.S., some 54 million people speak a language other than English (at home), according to the U.S. Census Bureau (2007 American Community Survey). This means that nearly one out of six Americans speak a language other than English. Generally, many of these Americans speak English to varying degree of fluency. However, language and cultural diversity, along with limited English proficiency can pose communication challenges in the workplace. Such barriers in communication can create an unsafe work environment. Companies with diverse workforces and multinational locations must ensure the safety of every worker — no matter what their language.

Custom Language Safety Signs – Made Easy, Simple & Fast! Any Message, Any Language.

Whether speaking English, Italian, Aramaic, or Zulu, we can produce a sign with virtually any message translated into the language of your choice. While you may not have in-house language skills, we understand your need for reliable translation services. With our resources, we can provide your message in many different languages. We can advise you on the layout and presentation, plus provide choices of graphics to make the message more understandable, and, as usual, with no minimums or set-up fee. Typically your primary message will be in English, then specify the other language along with the preferred dialect (example - Spanish with a Puerto Rican dialect). If required, specify safety header - OSHA or ANSI style, and symbols.

Already have an adequate translation? Then go to our online sign-building center make your own “Personalized” bilingual or multi-lingual sign with your digital image, text and logo. It’s that easy!

Fed Bans Texting While Driving in Commercial Vehicles

2010-01-27T05:51:00.000-08:00
Yesterday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood banned texting in all commercial vehicles including large trucks, buses and motorcoaches, in a long awaited action to curtail highway accidents and fatalities. Drivers may incur a $2,750 fine and are subject to civil and other criminal penalties.

Use of Electronic Devices While Driving

Distraction.gov, the DOT's official website for Distracted Driving, simply says, "PUT IT DOWN."

A 2008 survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals an increase in the use of electronic devices while driving and some regional differences in this practice.

The survey shows that the hand-held cell phone use rate in 2008 translates into 812,000 vehicles being driven by someone using a hand-held cell phone at any given moment during daylight hours. It also translates into an estimated 11 percent of all vehicles that had drivers who were using some type of phone (hand-held or hands-free).

- Nationwide, those drivers observed visibly manipulating hand-held electronic devices increased from 0.7 percent to 1.0 percent.
- Some 1.7 percent of drivers 16 to 24 years old were observed visibly manipulating hand-held electronic devices, up from 1.0 percent the previous year.
- More drivers in Western States were observed manipulating hand-held electronic devices (2.1%) than in the other regions of the country (from 0.4% in the Northeast to 0.8% in the Midwest).
- The use of hand-held devices increased the most in the West, from 0.6 percent in 2007 to 2.1 percent in 2008.
- The observed use rate of hand-held electronic devices was higher among females (1.2%) than among males (0.8%).

Police-reported data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) General Estimates System (GES) show that:

- In 2008, there were a total of 34,017 fatal crashes in which 37,261 individuals were killed.
- In 2008, 5,870 people were killed in crashes involving driver distraction (16% of total fatalities).
- The proportion of drivers reportedly distracted at the time of the fatal crashes has increased from 8 percent in 2004 to 11 percent in 2008.
- The under-20 age group had the highest proportion of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes (16%). The age group with the next greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the 20- to-29-year-old age group (12%). - Motorcyclists and drivers of light trucks had the greatest percentage of total drivers reported as distracted at the time of the fatal crashes (12%).
- An estimated 21 percent of 1,630,000 injury crashes were reported to have involved distracted driving.

The following NHTSA data sources were used in the research:
Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)
National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) General Estimates System (GES)
National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey (NMVCCS)
The 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study
National Occupant Protection Use Survey (NOPUS) of Driver Electronic Use
Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey (MVOSS)

Track Safe Days with a Digi-Day® Scoreboard!

2010-01-15T06:21:00.000-08:00

Statistics show that signage begins to blend into the background within 90 days, and safety engineers/coordinators and facility managers know that keeping track of days without a lost-time accident can become hectic, even tiresome.
But there is an easy solution to both of these safety related problems – the Digi-Day® Scoreboard.
Effectively promote a safe and accident-free workplace by keeping score of consecutive safe work days and keep the appearance of your scoreboard fresh, new, and noticeable – change the face in seconds!
Get your Digi-Day® noticed by changing the face of your scoreboard!Four sides of the spring-loaded frame have a flip-up feature to quickly change the insert to replace the face, then snap close the four sides. Choose general safety, american pride, sports or family-themed/seasonal faces for your Digi-Day®. Also comes with a remote control - just set the counter and walk away! Or customize the look of your Digi-Day® with your own digital imagery.
Want a free Digi-Day®? Check out our latest promotion: buy 12 safety-themed faces for $59/month, and get the Digi-Day® free!
The Visual Edge™ Digi-Day® Scoreboard features a design that goes right to the edge and then continues to wrap around the side of the scoreboard. When mounted, the sign can be seen from various angles for extra visibility. The edges allow for vertical safety messages and logos to be printed on the side of the scoreboard, thereby adding to overall visibility and safety awareness.
Or, for placement outside (in protected environments), we have an Outdoor Digi-Day® Plus+ Scoreboard – these signs can also contain your specific message, full color graphics, symbols, a company logo, and even additional digital displays!

Lumi-Glow™ & Ultra-Glow™ Signs

2009-12-15T04:25:00.001-08:00

Summit Signs offers an extensive line of glow products; Lumi-Glow™ Performance Products - your guide in the dark, & Ultra-Glow™ Exit Signs - The next generation in technology.

Lumi-Glow™
Any light source can "energize" this photoluminescent material, allowing for "glow-power" of up to six hours! In regular light the sign surfaces appear nearly white, with a slight green appearance.

Lumi-Glow™ Meets the Following Standards:

ASTM E2030 — Guide for Recommended Uses of Photoluminescent Safety Markings

ASTM E2072 — Standard Specifcation for Photoluminescent Safety Markings

ASTM E2073 — Standard Test Method for Photoptic Luminancof Photoluminescent Markings

ASTM E-162 — Surface Flame Spread of Photoluminescent Film

ASTM E648 — Critical Radiant Flux of Photoluminescent Film

ASTM E662 — Rate of Smoke Generation of Photoluminescent Film

DIN 67510 Parts 1 - 4

PSPA Standard 002 Part 2 1993 Class A Rev. 2: 09/99

IMO Resolution A.752 (18)

ISO/CD 15370

Bombardier SMP 800-C Toxic Gas Generation of Photoluminescent Film

Dura Lumi-Glow™
Available as flexible self-adhesive sign and plastic sign - bonded to impact-resistant .060" polycarbonate. Both have the surface sealed with a UV-poly clear overlaminate film to protect the image against fade, dust, dirt, and splash. Choose signs to match the symbols on the life saving and fire control plan.

6" x 6" Fire Control Signs
Fire control equipment onboard ships are to be clearly identified. SOLAS Chapter ll-2, Regulation 15.2.4 requires all fire equipment be marked in accordance to IMO Resolution A.654(16), revised as IMO Resolution A.952(23) – “Graphical Symbols For Shipboard Fire Control Plans.”

IMO Safety Signs on Dura Lumi-Glow™
Mark escape routes, life saving devices, and emergency fire equipment on ships, ferries, tankers, cruisers, offshore oil rigs, as well as harbors and ports – and identify and see these markings, even when primary and emergency lights fail. Contain symbols for immediate recognition of instructions, directions, and identification to the crew, workforce, contractors, visitors, and public in an on-board emergency situation. Signs are visible in light and dark with green-yellow glow surface. The glow, photoluminescent signs are suitable for both indoor and outdoor usage.
Ultra-Glow™
Virtually maintenance-free, Ultra-Glow™ Exit Signs meet the strict requirements of the UL Listed 924 standard without the need for electrical power, changing bulbs, registration or documentation, and concerns over chemical content!
This advanced-formulated sign has contrasting-color EXIT letters that can be seen in regular light and in the dark with highly visible glow-green background with darkened EXIT letters. Letters measure 6" high x ¾" stroke width. Directional arrows are provided. Sign panel measures 7.5" x 13" and is made of durable, impact-resistant material.
Summit Sign & Safety, The Peak of Worker Protection.™

Pennsylvania No Idling Law

2009-12-14T05:24:00.000-08:00

The Diesel Powered Motor Vehicle Idling Act, commonly known as Pennsylvania’s Act 124 of 2008, was signed into legislation by Governor Ed Rendell on October 9, 2008, and went into effect on February 6, 2009.

The Act restricts diesel-powered vehicle owners and operators from idling vehicles over 10,000 pounds for more than 5 minutes in any 60 minute period when engaged in commerce, except for provisions made specifically by the Act. A vehicle “engaged in commerce” is any diesel motor vehicle of this weight with a visible logo or business name or any “specially referenced” vehicle of this type, including school buses.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection maintains diesel vehicle emissions are harmful to the environment and, “…contribute to elevated ozone and fine particulate concentrations in Pennsylvania.” A fact sheet by the PDEP states as much as one gallon of fuel is consumed by diesel-powered vehicles while idling for one hour. It is also believed that newer technology such as auxiliary-powered units and better management practices can reduce unnecessary idling.

In addition to the owner/operator restrictions, the Act states, “An owner or operator of a location where subject vehicles load or unload, or where 15 or more parking spaces are provided for vehicles subject to the Act, must erect and maintain at least one permanent sign to inform drivers that idling is restricted in Pennsylvania.”
Official specifications can be found at PA Dept. of State specs for sign. Links available on the web page direct you to PennDOT’s Publication 236M, Sign R7-100, which is the PennDOT-approved sign. Signs must be manufactured to the approved specifications.Act 124 supersedes any previous anti-idling rules that are not considered more stringent than previous rules already addressed by counties situated in Pennsylvania.

Visit Summit Sign & Safety, "The Peak of Worker Protection.™