1
Set the scene
Start with context
Fill the frame
2–3 ft for close-ups; keep ladders, cords and workers fully in view.
Safety signs
OSHA safety sign requirements — sign types, colors, and the rules that decide where they go
OSHA's sign rules are 29 CFR 1910.145 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.200 for construction, with 29 CFR 1910.144 reserving red for danger and yellow for caution. Danger signs, in red, black, and white, are only for immediate hazards. Caution signs, yellow with a black panel, warn of potential hazards. Safety instruction signs are white with a green panel. Employees must be told what danger and caution signs mean, and construction signs must stay visible during work and come down when the hazard is gone. ANSI Z535 is the voluntary consensus format most sign makers print; the construction rule names it directly. OSHA Scan does not certify signs. It scans site photos for signs that are hidden, faded, or blank, and for visible hazards with no warning. The free checklist below covers each rule.
Photo scan: no account needed (you may be asked for the free phone Access Pass) · Template downloads: free account required
OSHA sign rules for the signs you post most
This page covers the sign and color rules every site uses. These guides go deeper on the three signs people ask about most.
DANGER, WARNING, and CAUTION signs
What each signal word means under OSHA and ANSI Z535 — and why OSHA's sign rule has no WARNING sign class.
Keep exploring
Exit sign requirements
Letter size, lighting, line of sight, and the 'Not an Exit' doors that confuse an escape route.
Keep exploring
Confined space signs
When a permit space needs a danger sign, OSHA's sample wording, and why a sign alone doesn't keep people out.
Keep exploring
A sign only works if workers can see it, read it, and trust it
OSHA's sign rules are short, but they are specific. In general industry, 29 CFR 1910.145 defines three sign classes — danger for immediate hazards, caution for potential hazards, and safety instruction for general safety directions — and sets their colors and layout. Construction follows the same logic under 29 CFR 1926.200, which adds that signs must be visible whenever work is under way and must be removed or covered promptly once the hazard is gone. Both rules expect employees to know what each class means, and 29 CFR 1910.144 reserves red for danger and fire protection equipment and yellow for caution and physical hazards.
Most sign problems on a real site aren't about picking the wrong color. They're about signs that have stopped working: a caution sign faded to a pale smear, a danger header with nothing written under it, a sign that was visible until someone parked a pallet in front of it. OSHA Scan reviews a photo of the area and flags those conditions — plus visible hazards that have no warning at all — with a possibly related standard and a fix. It does not certify your signs; it gives you a dated second look at whether they're still doing their job.
OSHA's sign rules vs. ANSI Z535 — which one your signs follow
OSHA's general industry rule, 29 CFR 1910.145, recognizes danger, caution, and safety instruction signs, plus special signs like the biological hazard sign and the slow-moving vehicle emblem. It sets sign colors by reference to ANSI color tables — either the 1967 Z53.1 table or the newer Z535.1-2006(R2011) table. Meanwhile, ANSI Z535 has become the format most sign makers print. Z535.2, the consensus standard for facility signs, adds a safety alert symbol, uses WARNING in orange for hazards that could cause death or serious injury, and uses NOTICE in blue for messages that aren't about personal injury.
Construction works differently: 29 CFR 1926.200 names ANSI Z535.2-2011 and Z535.5-2011 alongside the 1968 ANSI standards, so either format can be used on a construction site, and the additional rules in the version you follow apply. Whatever the format, the practical tests are the same everywhere: the sign is at the hazard, nothing blocks it, its colors and message are still legible, workers know what it means, and it comes down when the hazard does. A routine photo scan of active areas catches the signs that have quietly failed one of those tests.
How to choose and post safety signs under OSHA's rules
Run through these steps before crews start — each one covers a visible gap the AI can help you catch.
- 1
List the hazards
Walk the area and note each immediate hazard, potential hazard, and place that needs safety instructions. Fix or guard what you can first — a sign is a warning, not the fix.
- 2
Pick the sign class and colors
Use danger (red, black, and white) for immediate hazards, caution (yellow and black) for potential hazards, and safety instruction (green and white) for general directions — or the matching ANSI Z535.2 format.
- 3
Write a short, specific message
Name the hazard and the action in a few words, add a symbol if it helps, and consider a second language if your workers need one.
- 4
Post it where it will be seen
Mount the sign at the hazard, keep the view clear, use durable material with rounded corners, and on construction sites keep it visible whenever work is under way.
- 5
Train, inspect, and retire
Tell workers what each sign class means, check signs on a schedule for damage or blockage, and remove or cover signs once the hazard is gone. A photo scan documents each check with a date.
What a photo scan checks on the signs in your frame
A scan can't certify a sign, but it can see the problems that make a sign useless — and the hazards that have no sign at all.
Hidden or blocked signs
Signs covered by stored material, equipment, or open doors, where workers walking toward the hazard can't see them.
Faded or damaged signs
Washed-out colors, peeling corners, and blank or cracked panels that weaken the danger and caution signals workers are trained to recognize.
Hazards with no warning
Visible hazards — open pits, blocked electrical panels, unguarded edges — with no sign, barrier, or marking nearby.
A fix for each finding
Each flagged item comes with a possibly related OSHA standard and a corrective action, ranked by risk, so you know what to replace first.
Demo: the report a scanned photo comes back with
Scan a photo like the one above and this is the report you get — score, findings, OSHA references, and fixes. It is an illustrative example, clearly marked — not live scan data.
Example report
Illustrative — not live scan dataCompliance score
79
Lower means more potential hazards found
Score uses visible confirmed findings only. Not a safety certification.
3 confirmed · 0 need review · 0 positive
2 Medium1 Low3 locked
1Safety sign almost completely hidden behind a pallet of stacked boxes
MediumPossibly related to accident prevention signs that identify specific hazards (29 CFR 1910.145(a)(1))
Observed condition: A sign exists to warn people before they reach the hazard. Behind a stack of boxes, it warns no one — and the hazard it was posted for may still be there.
Corrective action: Move the pallet so the sign is fully visible from the aisle, or relocate the sign to a clear spot at the hazard. Then confirm what the sign warns about and whether that hazard still exists.
High confidence
2Caution sign faded, stained, and peeling off the wall at one corner
LowPossibly related to caution sign use and colors (29 CFR 1910.145(c)(2) and (d)(4))
Observed condition: OSHA sets a yellow-and-black format for caution signs so workers recognize them at a glance. Once the colors wash out and the face peels, the sign is easy to ignore, and a curling corner can catch hands or clothing.
Corrective action: Replace it with a new caution sign in the standard yellow and black format, mounted flat with rounded corners, and confirm the hazard it warns about still exists.
High confidence
3Danger sign with a blank message panel — it names no hazard and no precaution
MediumPossibly related to danger sign use and employee instruction (29 CFR 1910.145(c)(1))
Observed condition: Danger signs are reserved for immediate hazards, and workers are taught that they mean special precautions are needed. A danger header with nothing under it says something is wrong without saying what — and trains people to tune danger signs out.
Corrective action: Find out what hazard the sign was posted for. If it still exists, replace the sign with one that names the hazard and the precaution; if it doesn't, take the sign down so danger signs keep their meaning.
High confidence
AI-generated analysisThese findings are potential hazards flagged by AI from a single photo. They are a starting point for your own review — not an official OSHA determination. Verify conditions on site with a qualified person before acting.
Try it free
Now scan your own photo — free
Upload a photo like the one above and get a compliance score and hazard count. No account needed to scan, though you may be asked for the free phone Access Pass — create a free account to unlock the full report.
- Signs in your photo that are hidden, faded, peeling, or missing their message
- Visible hazards with no warning sign, barrier, or marking nearby
- A possibly related OSHA standard and a fix for each finding — not a sign certification
Live OSHA hazard analysis
One lifetime free photo scanPhoto scan — freeVideo walkthrough scan — free account
1Upload photo
2AI analysis
3See report
Use the real site or facility name. If you save the scan after signup, it becomes the report name.
Three angles, one deeper scan
Only the wide shot is required — every extra angle gives the AI more places to look.
Required: Set the scene — one wide shot lets the AI sweep the whole area at once
Stand at the entry point and capture corner to corner: floors, ladders, scaffolds, and everyone at work
or choose from your library
Drop a job-site photo or walkthrough video
Click to upload, drag & drop, or snap a photo on site. Photos scan free with no signup and no card — you may be asked for the free phone Access Pass. Video walkthroughs (up to 3 min) run on a free account.
References relevant OSHA standardsPrivate - deleted in 48h unless you save it
Accuracy boosters
Small habits, sharper scans
2
Capture clearly
Make the frame usable
Light it right
Keep the sun or lights behind you — glare and shadows hide hazards.
Tap to focus
Tap the hazard on screen and hold still one second — blur can't be flagged.
3
Choose the useful view
Give the AI room to understand
Go landscape
Turn your phone sideways — a wider frame catches more of the scene.
No job-site photo handy?
or scan with video
Only upload photos you have permission to use, and avoid images showing personal, customer, or confidential information. Demo photos and results are held privately for up to 48 hours so you can save them to a free account; unclaimed photos are deleted automatically. Results are an AI-assisted preliminary review, not an official OSHA determination.
New: Video walkthrough scans
Record up to 3 minutes of your site — the AI extracts frames and categorizes findings with exact timestamps. Free account required.
Get the best results
Wide shot first
Stand at the entrance and photograph the entire work area so AI sees the full context
Hazard areas
Photograph elevated surfaces, equipment, electrical panels, and anywhere workers are active
Close-ups last
Move in close on anything damaged, missing, or that looks risky — the AI catches more detail
The 12-point OSHA safety sign checklist
Every step from deciding which hazards need a sign to retiring signs that no longer apply. The first four are free — create a free account to unlock the rest and scan your own site for sign problems.
- 1
List the hazards that need a sign
Walk the site and note immediate hazards, potential hazards and unsafe practices, and places where workers need general safety instructions. Signs warn — they never replace guarding, covers, or barriers.
- 2
Use the right sign class
Under 29 CFR 1910.145, danger signs are only for immediate hazards, caution signs are for potential hazards or unsafe practices, and safety instruction signs give general safety directions. Construction uses the same classes under 29 CFR 1926.200.
- 3
Match the required colors
Danger signs use red, black, and white. Caution signs use a yellow background with a black panel and yellow letters. Safety instruction signs are white with a green panel and white letters, with any other wording in black.
- 4
Know where ANSI Z535 fits
ANSI Z535.2 is the voluntary consensus format most modern signs follow, and it adds WARNING in orange and NOTICE in blue. In construction, 1926.200 lets you follow either the 1968 ANSI sign standard or ANSI Z535.2-2011, plus the additional rules of the version you use.
Free printable templatePDF · US Letter
OSHA Safety Sign Inspection Checklist
Walk the site with this form to check safety signs, tags, and markings on a regular schedule and whenever a hazard, the layout, or a process changes.
On the form
- 12 checklist items with Yes / No / N/A boxes and room for notes
- 4 points to confirm separately with records or a qualified person
- A corrective-action log and sign-off lines
- Federal references checked against the eCFR on October 10, 2026
A free account is required to download it.
Non-English documents are automated translations, not official OSHA translations. Citations, limits and names are kept as written.
OSHA Scan template — not an official government form and not legal advice.
Keep each site's signs in OSHA Scan
Make DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION, NOTICE, and safety instruction signs in English, Spanish, or both, with the site name on each one. Record where each sign is posted with a photo, log condition checks, and track damaged or missing signs until they're fixed. You choose the signal word; the app never picks it for you. A free account includes sign downloads, the on-screen sign register, and one site report download.
Start your sign register freeWhat the AI can and can't detect
OSHA Scan reads a single photo. That makes it fast and easy for anyone on site — but it also means it has real limits. Here's an honest look at both.
What it can catch from a photo
- Signs blocked by stored material, equipment, or doors in the photo
- Faded, peeling, cracked, or blank signs
- Visible hazards with no sign, barrier, or marking nearby
- Worn or missing floor and aisle markings in the frame
What a photo can't tell it
- Whether a sign's exact colors, size, or material match the standard
- Small or distant sign text, or whether the wording is accurate
- Whether workers have been trained on what each sign means
- Hazards that aren't visible in the photo, like a chemical behind a closed door
OSHA Scan gives an AI-assisted preliminary review from a photo. It does not replace an on-site inspection by a qualified safety professional, and a compliance score is not an official OSHA determination.
AI photo hazard review
Snap a photo of the job site, and the AI categorizes findings against OSHA standards.
Consistent corrective actions & JHA
Each finding includes consistent corrective actions and structured JHA outputs. Check items off as your crew resolves them.
Compliance scoring
Every inspection gets a deterministic 0-100 compliance score derived from hazard severity, so you can track sites at a glance.
A prioritization aid based on recorded findings—not a certification or a complete measure of site safety.
PDF & Excel exports
Generate detailed inspection reports and export data to Excel for record-keeping and stakeholders.
A qualified person must review AI-flagged items before making safety decisions. Do not replace required comprehensive safety walkthroughs with AI reports. Features, limits, and downloads depend on your account’s plan and permissions.
OSHA Scan in Action
See the workflow click into place
Illustrative AI-assisted workflows. Review the findings; they are not a compliance certification.
Always confirmed by a person on site
A scan is a fast first look, not the final word. Before treating this kind of area as safe, a competent person should still confirm:
- Each sign names a hazard that still exists, plus the precaution to take
- Employees know what danger, caution, and safety instruction signs mean
- Construction signs stay visible during work and are removed or covered when the hazard ends
- Sign materials have rounded corners and no sharp edges or projecting fasteners
People also ask
What are OSHA's requirements for safety signs?
In general industry, 29 CFR 1910.145 sets three sign classes: danger signs (red, black, and white) for immediate hazards, caution signs (yellow background, black panel) for potential hazards and unsafe practices, and safety instruction signs (white with a green panel). Signs must have rounded or blunt corners with no sharp edges, and employees must be instructed on what danger and caution signs mean. In construction, 29 CFR 1926.200 uses the same classes and adds that signs must be visible while work is performed and removed or covered when the hazard is gone. 29 CFR 1910.144 reserves red for danger and fire protection equipment and yellow for caution and physical hazards.
Does OSHA require WARNING signs?
No. OSHA's general industry sign rule defines danger, caution, and safety instruction signs, plus special signs like the biological hazard sign and the slow-moving vehicle emblem — it has no WARNING sign class. WARNING appears in OSHA's tag rules, as an optional tag for a hazard level between caution and danger (1910.145(f)(7)), and in ANSI Z535.2, where WARNING in orange marks a hazard that could cause death or serious injury.
Do safety signs have to follow ANSI Z535?
Not directly in general industry. There, OSHA's rule is 1910.145, which accepts sign colors matching either the 1967 ANSI color table or the newer ANSI Z535.1 table; ANSI Z535.2, which covers sign layout, is a voluntary consensus standard. In construction, 1926.200 lets employers follow either the 1968 ANSI sign standard or ANSI Z535.2-2011 and Z535.5-2011, and the additional rules of whichever version is used then apply. Many employers use Z535-format signs everywhere for consistency.
Are posters covered by OSHA's sign rule?
No. 1910.145 says its specifications do not apply to plant bulletin boards or safety posters. Required notices — like OSHA's Job Safety and Health: It's the Law poster — fall under separate posting rules, such as 29 CFR 1903.2. Our OSHA poster requirements guide covers where and how those notices must be posted.
Can OSHA Scan tell me whether my signs meet OSHA rules?
No. OSHA Scan does not certify signs or measure colors, sizes, or lettering. It reviews photos for visible problems — a sign hidden behind stored material, a faded or peeling sign, a danger sign with no message, or a visible hazard with no warning nearby — and gives each finding a possibly related standard and a corrective action. You still confirm the wording, placement, and training on site. It's an AI-assisted second set of eyes and is not affiliated with OSHA.
Reviewed by OSHA Scan Editorial
This content is produced by the OSHA Scan Editorial team and reviewed with AI assistance. It is general safety information, not legal or compliance advice. OSHA Scan is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or certified by OSHA or the U.S. Department of Labor.
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OSHA: 29 CFR 1910.145, accident prevention signs and tags
The full general industry sign and tag rule on OSHA's site, including sign classes, colors, and tag rules.
Official resource — osha.govA full sample report
See a complete labelled example of everything a scan returns.
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