Why you need construction signage

Mansur Abomugisha, a businessman in Mbarara is being investigated by Mbarara police over negligence at his construction site on Mile 2 along Mbarara-Masaka road that allegedly resulted in the death of a 30-year-old porter.

The porter is said to have been hit by sand carrier machine as it was being propelled by a lift to the second floor of the site.

According to inside information obtained by this reporter, some of the ingredients police and lawyers representing family of the deceased is using to prosecute the site owner is that the construction site lacks construction signage, that would have warned the deceased of the potential dangers.

Why is signage important?
Alex Besiime, a detective at Mbarara Central Police Station in reference to the above case, says signage at the construction site saves you from the burden of accidents and dangers that might occur to your workers and other people who may access you site.

“If you don’t have proper signage that warns of potential dangers at your site and an accident or injury happens, then chances of being saved from the burden and the damage arising out of this accident are high.

“Instead, the victim will bear own burden for being negligent,” says Besiime.
He says most people don’t signage at construction sites as important but added lack of it has serious legal implication in case of accidents or injury at the site.

Security of workers and visitors
Signage at a construction site helps to secure your workers and other people who may be visiting your site.

Construction signage act as communication tools which may indicate various hazards and safety challenges one is likely to fall into if not adhered too and as such they help in reducing accidents and other possible damages.

Alert workers and clients at your site
Construction signage can alert your workers and clients of any possible dangers and hazards they might land into at the construction site. This helps to reduce accidents and other related dangers.

Limiting access to danger zones
During construction, they are areas or zones that are prone can interfere with the construction work or cause accidents. Areas like sources of power and power lines, where flammable fuel is kept can be extremely dangerous to both workers and those visiting the sites. Here signage likes no smoking zone can be put.

Reducing costs
Having clearly marked construction signage can reduce the costs an individual or a company would have occurred in hiring personnel to always guide visitors and keep alerting and warning workers of possible dangers and hazards at the site.

Behaviour on site
Construction site signage also instills discipline among workers and other people who may be visiting the construction site.Indiscipline remains one of the causes of accidents and hazards at sites.

Emergency evacuations and exit
In case of accidents and other hazards, construction signage can easily show emergency evacuation and exit routes.

Improving company’s reputation
Ezra Abaho, an engineer at Berbs Construction Company in Mbarara, says signage at a construction site can win the public image to the company.

“When you have signage at construction site, the public builds trust in your company for valuing life especially with safety signages. In this era of competition any positive intervention can win you a notch over others,” says Abaho.
He adds that signage at construction site that consist of messages, words, pictorial and symbols should be clear and appropriately visible.