Appropriate signage in an industrial facility is essential for ensuring employee safety. Working in a factory or logistics center requires adherence to numerous procedures, both general and job-specific. Finding the right space to visually convey key information is a common challenge. A tool increasingly used to present safety procedures and first aid can help. This element is... stairs.

Step by step

Many procedures in an industrial facility require taking actions step by step. Just like on stairs. For example, first aid procedures include assessing the injured person's condition, calling for help, and the resuscitation procedure itself. 

Another example is the fire safety manual. It also emphasizes the importance of taking the next steps quickly – raising the alarm, calling the fire department, leaving the building, not using the elevator, and proceeding to the evacuation point – these are all elements that employees should remember in the event of a fire in a production, warehouse, or office space.

Effective memorization

It's important to remember that workplace accidents present a unique situation for employees, one that's difficult to prepare for in a single training session. The need to provide assistance or evacuate is a source of stress, which often causes us to act irrationally and ineffectively. 

That's why reminding employees of the procedures in place is so important. Utilizing the stairwell allows employees to familiarize themselves with the procedures step by step, every day as they walk down the hallway. This increases the likelihood of remembering the procedure and using it effectively, almost instinctively, when necessary. 

Readability and durability

A key aspect of signage, whether horizontal or vertical, in both industrial and office spaces, is legibility. This means that signage must be visible and clear, with words easily readable at a glance, and the text itself enhanced with pictograms relevant to the message. 

In the step where the instructions involve calling an ambulance or the fire department, a simple phone icon works well, influencing retention. The graphic itself should evoke employee associations and habits – hence, fire instructions should be red, while first aid instructions should be green. All these details contribute to effectiveness, which is, after all, paramount.

The final aspect worth considering is durability. It's important to remember that stairs are a frequently used surface, so the stickers will be exposed to constant contact with the shoes of people walking on them. For the product to be effective, it must be resistant to mechanical impacts, including water and mud, which we carry on our shoes when entering a room from the outside.

In short, stair decals are an effective way to convey key instructions to employees during emergencies. There's no better way to learn than by teaching them step by step.