Safety Signs, Colors & Tags
Signs, tape, tags and colors are the jobsite’s way of talking to you. Knowing what each one means, and obeying it, keeps you out of danger you might not see.
- Construction
- General Industry
Photo: examples of DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION and NOTICE signs
Signal words
| Signal word | Colors | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| DANGER | Red, black and white | An immediate hazard that will cause death or serious injury if not avoided |
| WARNING | Orange and black | A hazard that could cause death or serious injury |
| CAUTION | Yellow and black | A hazard that could cause minor or moderate injury |
| NOTICE | Blue and white | Important information not related to personal injury (e.g., property damage) |
| Safety instructions | Green and white | Safety procedures, first aid and emergency equipment locations |
Barricade tape
- Red “DANGER” tape: do not enter. Only people authorized for that work may cross.
- Yellow “CAUTION” tape: a hazard exists; enter only if you know the hazard and are protected from it.
- Tape is a warning, not a barrier. It does not replace guardrails at a fall edge.
Accident prevention tags
- “DO NOT OPERATE” / lockout tags: never operate equipment with a tag on it. See Lockout/Tagout.
- “DO NOT USE” / “Out of Service” tags: the tool or equipment is defective.
- Scaffold tags: many sites use green (safe to use), yellow (use with special precautions) and red (do not use).
Safety colors
- Red: fire equipment, danger, emergency stop buttons
- Yellow: caution; physical hazards like tripping, striking or pinch points
- Orange: warning; dangerous machine parts
- Green: first aid and safety equipment
- Blue: information
Danger: Never remove, move or ignore a sign, tag or barricade you didn’t put up. Ask the person in charge.
Video: reading signs and tags on a real jobsite
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1926.200: Accident prevention signs and tags (construction)
- 29 CFR 1910.145: Accident prevention signs and tags (general industry)
- ANSI Z535 series: Safety signs and colors. See ANSI / ISEA Standards.
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