The Differences between Hazard Signs and Warning Signs

You come across all sorts of signs in your daily life. Be it on the roads, your workplace or even on cover of products that you regularly use, you are exposed to different signs like danger signs, safety signs, information signs, direction signs and hazard signs. They have all been designed with specific purposes.

For example, regulatory signs instruct people to do certain actions. Information signs kept provide people with vital information. For your safety and the safety of people around you, it is important that you understand the differences between warning signs and hazard signs.

What are hazard signs?

These tell you about the threat that a product can cause to a person or an environment. A hazard is a condition which does not exist but a person can fall victim to it. It is unpredictable.

Hazards can be natural like tornadoes and floods. Hazards can also be man-made like for example extreme sports or unsafe storage of radioactive chemicals. A cigarette pack has a label which says ‘smoking is injurious to health’. Electrical appliances have a information on their covers which warns unauthorized people from opening it.

What are warning signs?

They inform people of the danger or risk they are exposed to. Warning signs on roads like ‘Bend ahead, drive carefully’ or ’roundabout ahead’ makes you cautious and so that you do not over speed and thereby put your life at risk.

When you visit a zoo, you see written information that asks you not to feed or tease the animals. Road warning signs are characterized by a triangle shape and a red border line around it.

Difference between warning and hazard signs

A warning sign is a situation where a person is at risk of a possible hazard. A hazard sign is a condition wherein the person is informed of the threat to him or the environment.

A hazard sign usually refers to very serious life threatening conditions. A warning sign is used for general situations which could cause little or slight damage.

Warning signs are generic whereas hazard signs are specific.

As a responsible person, it is one’s duty to respect the regulations. For the smooth functioning of any environment, people have to follow and adhere to the information. This way you can prevent unfortunate incidents from happening to you, the people around you and to the environment.

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Source by John A Denver