Food safety signs are a fantastic way to alert your employees to key food compliance information. Signs are a great way to communicate the latest food safety information, the education topic of the month or even the dangers in your business. Either way, food safety signs are a great visual tool if they are used right. If you are developing food safety signs for your business, there are a few rules you should follow.
One Clear message
Just focus on one message. If you try and incorporate more than one message, there is a risk that your over all intention of the education and the food safety sign will be lost.
Good format
Make sure that the layout of your sign is clear and not cluttered. Don’t over do your signage with excessive graphics and words.
Language to suit
To have the greatest effectiveness, make sure that your food safety signs are in the language of your workforce. Signage will be a waste of time if it is all written in English and you have say the majority of Chinese speaking employees. If you have a mixed employee base, consider having the signage in multiple languages. Effective graphics can also be useful to convey standard messages that are understood by all nationalities.
Position and location
Ensure that the signage is positioned where employees are going to read it. Believe it or not, a great location to put educational food safety signage is on the back of the toilet or bathroom door.
Effectiveness
It is no good having a sign if no one pays any attention to it. Like anything, you still need to enforce the signage on a regular basis. You can complete mini internal audits to see if your food safety signage is still both effective and relevant.
A source of contamination
Please make sure that wherever you place your food safety signs they do not become a source of contamination. Signs can become a harbourage point for pests, especially cockroaches who like to hind beneath them. The way in which you adhere the food safety signs should also be considered to not use pins, tacks or any critical sources of foreign matter.
Tips for food safety signs
Got any other tips for food safety signage? What is the most important sign you have in your food business? Share your knowledge with the HACCP Mentor community by leaving a comment below.
To Lain’s point about the corrugated plastic, the channels are perfect for insects to lay eggs in. In fact, this is what farmers use to breed soldier flies for their compost.
Signages should be on good quality S.S. Board & pasted adhesive
Thanks for sharing 🙂
I would suggest using solid signage material. As open design like corrugated plastic or cardboard can become a hazard.
Thanks Iain. It is very hard to clean cardboard 🙁
Use real pictures of what something SHOULD look like. A picture is worth 1000 words.
Thanks Martha! Photos are a great option especially where you have multi-language staff working. I find this method works great when showing how a product should look from a quality perceptive eg. size, shape, colour
I used a picture to show what the handwashing sink should look like if it is cleaned properly. I made the notation that a clean sink will give you clean hands, and Make it Shine!
We have also used pictures to show how to properly lockout a machine for our occupational safety program. We do have a multi-language staff, and it works.
You are absolutely right Martha! Pictures are a great way to communicate to all staff.
If your sign is going on a heated surface – make sure your sign is designed to exceed that temperature of the equipment’s surface.
Check on the adhesive used, if it will stand up to chemical and heat abuse in your work place.
Great advice Jeff. Thanks for sharing!