Health & safety bulletin
Signs In Hazardous Zones
24th April 2008
We have recently had two reported near misses concerning signs located within hazardous zones.
It is not uncommon to find on site signs adjacent to the vent stacks or inlet pipes. In the two cases reported, these had been identified on the documentation as requiring changing during a site re-brand, nobody picked up that they were in the hazardous zone until after they were changed.
Examples of signs within hazardous zones
The procedures for identifying these signs during site survey and planning, have now been altered to ensure we correctly deal with these signs and do not specify replacing them in a manner that will require the use of power tools in the hazardous zone.
If during any site works, maintenance or re-brand, you find that signs are within the hazardous zone, do not remove or replace them and contact you supervisor immediately (even if your work instructions tell you to remove / replace them).
Hazardous area classifications can be found in your UKPIA booklets. If you have any doubts, contact your supervisor.