New ANSI Z535 Series 2011 Editions for Safety Signs, Symbols, Labels and Tags is due to be released

The ANSI Z535 Series has been updated and is available for pre-ordering now from Document Center Inc.  The new revisions have been issued for all 6 standards in the series and will be available in September if there are no glitches in the publications process.

The six standards affected are:

ANSI Z535.1, 2006 Edition reapproved in 2011, “American National Standard for Safety Colors.”  Part 1 sets forth the technical definitions, color standards, and color tolerances for safety colors.

ANSI Z535.2, 2011 Edition, “American National Standard for Environmental and Facility Safety Signs.”  Part 2 covers requirements for the design, application, and use of safety signs in facilities and in the environment.

ANSI Z535.3, 2011 Edition, “American National Standard for Criteria for Safety Symbols.”  Part 3 provides general criteria for the design, evaluation, and use of safety symbols to identify and warn against specific hazards, and to provide information to avoid personal injury.

ANSI Z535.4, 2011 Edition, “American National Standard for Product Safety Signs and Labels.”  Part 4 defines performance requirements for the design, application, use, and placement of safety signs and labels intended to identify hazards for persons using, operating, servicing, or in proximity to, a wide variety of products.

ANSI Z535.5, 2011 Edition, “American National Standard for Safety Tags and Barricade Tapes (for Temporary Hazards).”   Part 5 covers safety tags and barricade tapes that are used to identify a temporary hazard. These types of tags shall be used only until such time as the identified hazard is eliminated or the hazardous operation is completed. For example, a safety tag would be appropriate for use during lock-out/tag-out procedures or use on a damaged tool until the tool can be properly removed from the work area. A barricade tape would be suitable to mark an area affected by a chemical spill or an open and temporary trench.

Safety tags or barricade tapes shall not be used in place of a permanent sign or label intended for hazards in normal use, operation, or maintenance. However, if a permanent sign or label is presented in a tag configuration or a hang tag is used to supplement a permanent safety sign, the safety tag should comply with the provisions of ANSI Z535.4 or ANSI Z535.2.

While this standard addresses safety tags and barricade tapes for temporary hazards, other tags or tape types are not addressed by this standard. For example, underground tapes, permanent tapes, striped tapes and non-skid tapes are not covered by this standard.

ANSI Z535.6, 2011 Edition, “American National Standard for Product Safety Information in Product Manuals, Instructions and Other Collateral Materials.”  This standard sets forth requirements for the design and location of product safety messages in collateral materials for a wide variety of products.

These and all ANSI standards are available from Document Center Inc. through our website, www.document-center.com.  Or you can contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We have been working with ANSI for many years now.  Additionally we are one of the primary outlets for both paper and electronic copies of standards that are only available via download from the ANSI website.