Draft

CABINET OF MINISTERS OF UKRAINE

DECREE

dated «_____»_______________200_ No _________

Kyiv

On approval of Technical Regulations regarding symbols required for employees’ safety and health protection

Pursuant to Article 14 of the Law of Ukraine “On standards, technical regulations and procedures for compliance evaluations”

Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine decrees:

1. To approve the Technical Regulations regarding symbols that are required for employees’ safety and health protection, attached hereto.

2. For the State Committee of Ukraine of industrial safety, labor protection and mining control to ensure implementation of the Technical Regulations approved by this Decree, and control compliance with its requirements.

Prime-Minister of Ukraine Yu. Tymoshenko

APPROVED by Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of

Ukraine dated No

TECHNICAL REGULATIONS REGARDING SYMBOLS REQUIRED FOR EMPLOYEES’ SAFETY AND HEALTH PROTECTION

General Provisions

1. These Technical Regulations regarding symbols required for employees’ safety and health protection (hereinafter referred to as Technical Regulations) specify requirements for signs for employees’ safety and health protection in the workplace.

2. The Technical Regulations are developed in order to introduce into the laws of Ukraine the provision of Directive 92/58/EEC of the European Council dated 24 June 1992 on minimum requirements for symbols of safety and/or health protection at the work place.

3. These Technical Regulations apply to symbols that prohibit actions that are dangerous or able to create danger, or indicate actions needed for safety and/or health protection, or warn about an existing risk or danger, or require certain behaviour to ensure safety and/or health protection in the workplaces for certain types of economic activity by means of posters, colours, light or sound signals.

4. These Technical Regulations do not apply to the following: - signs in the area of regulation of automotive, railway, sea and air transportation,

nor internal waterways;- signs that relate to the circulation of hazardous substances, compounds,

products or equipment;- signs that are used by search-and-rescue units during their performance of

rescue work in emergency zones. 5. Employers that perform business activities in all areas of economic activity

(except those types of activities that are specified in item 4 herein), central executive authorities that perform technical regulation and monitoring of industrial safety and health protection, and authorities that evaluate equipment compliance, are required to comply with the provisions of these Technical Regulations.

6. The employer shall ensure the installation of safety and/or health protection signs as specified herein, or ensure that such signs are available if there is no possibility to eliminate or properly limit a hazard by using collective protection equipment, or work organisation measrues, implementation of safe technological processes and working methods.

7. The employer shall ensure training of hired employees regarding safety and health protection signs in the workplace in the form of a detailed explanation of signs’ meaning, including verbal ones, as well as appropriate behaviour regarding safety signs’ content.

2

8. Signs that are used on roads, railways, internal water, sea and air transportation independently from the instructions of these Technical Regulations, are implemented for these types of transportation within sites of business activity.

Terms and Definitions

9. In these Technical Regulations, terms are used in their following meanings:Safety and/or Health Signs – signs that for a certain object, certain type of

activity, or certain situation, by means of posters, colours, light or sound signals, verbal explanations or hand signals, prohibit certain actions or provide instructional compliance with safety requirements and/or health protection in the workplace.

Prohibition Signs – signs that prohibit dangerous actions or actions that can cause danger.

Warning Signs – signs that warn about risk or danger. Imperative Signs – signs that require certain actions.First Aid Signs or Rescue Signs – signs that provide directions to evacuation

routes and/or emergency exits or to first aid or rescue equipment.Information Signs – signs that provide information supplementary to that

provided by prohibition signs, warning signs, imperative signs, and first aid signs or rescue signs.

Poster – sign that is a combination of geometric form, colour and image or pictogram, and which indicates a certain prohibition; it shall be highly visible and sufficiently lighted.

Supplementary poster – sign that is used in conjunction with a poster, specified in the previous definition, in order to provide additional instructions.

Safety Colour – colour that is assigned a certain meaning. Image or pictogram – image that equates to a certain situation, or requires a

certain type of action, which is placed on a poster or light panel. Light signal – signal that is reproduced by a device made out of transparent

translucent material, and has an internal or external light source that lights its surface.Sound signal – coded sound signal that is reproduced and spread by a special

device without using human or synthesized voice.Verbal instruction – verbal instruction in specified form that is provided by

human or synthesized voice.Hand signal – coded movement and/or hand and arm positions by which

instructions are given to employees to indicate risk or danger.

General requirements regarding use of safety and health signs

10. Permanent prohibition signs, warning signs and imperative signs, as well as signs that indicate place of first aid or rescue means, are presented in the form of posters.

Posters and/or safety colours are used on appropriate equipment to mark the location of fire extinguishing equipment or materials.

11. Identification of containers and pipelines shall comply with items 38-43.12. Identification of danger of collision or fall hazards is performed with safety

colours and/or posters.13. Identification of direction of vehicle movements is performed by posters.

3

14. Temporary signs that indicate danger, and emergency signals that announce necessity of certain actions (for example, people evacuation) are installed, taking into consideration possibility of their interchangeability and combination with light and/or sound signals or verbal information.

15. Management of people that perform temporary works connected with risk or danger is performed in the form of hand signals and/or verbal instructions.

16. In the event the content of signs is the same, free choice is possible, depending on specific conditions:

- between safety colours and a poster indicating danger of collision or fall; - between sight and sound signals or verbal instruction;- between hand signal and verbal instruction.17. Instructions related to use of signs that contain safety colours, specified in

Table 1.

Table 1. Signs that contain safety coloursSafety Colour Sign type Sign content

Red

Prohibition sign Actions are dangerousSign of danger or alarm Stop! Brake! Emergency stop!

Evacuation! Sign of storage place of fire-extinguishing equipment

Fire-extinguishing materials and equipment are stored here

Yellow or orange Warning sign Attention! Caution! Stop!

BlueImperative sign Special requirements regarding a

method of action and behavior. Necessity to use individual protective gear.

Green

First aid sign, rescue sign Doors, exits, facilities, runways, first aid centers and means are located here

Absence of danger Return to normal state 18. Availability of another sign or light or sound source that impacts the visibility

or audibility of a signal shall not impact the content of a sign. To avoid such effect, one shall:

- avoid using a large number of posters in direct proximity to each other;- not use simultaneously two light signals that can be confused with one another;- not install a light signal near another similar light source;- not use two sound signals simultaneously;- not use sound signals in the event of excessively loud surrounding noise.19. Devices for signaling danger shall be reviewed, cleaned, checked, repaired

and, if needed, replaced, on a regular basis.20. The number and method of placement for danger-signaling devices shall

correspond with the scale of risk and danger as well as the size of space that they apply to.

4

21. Signs that need energy sources shall have an emergency light source in case of primary source failure, except those cases when an interruption in power supply does not create a danger.

22. If light and/or sound signals require the immediate start of certain actions from the moment of their application, these actions shall continue until their full completion, after which appropriate light and sound signals shall be brought immediately to the state of preparedness for action.

23. Devices for the provision of light and sound signals shall be checked for reliability and effective performance before their application as well as after their multiple and/or frequent use.

24. If the visual and hearing abilities of individual employees are limited, in particular due to the use of individual protection gear, one shall use appropriate supplementary or alternative means to compensate for such limitations.

25. Places, facilities, or enclosed containers where hazardous substances and compounds are stored, shall be marked with appropriate signs provided in Addenda 1 and 2, except for those individual packages or vessels already containing necessary and sufficient marks.

26. Safety signs shall be installed taking into account the angle of vision of a person from a certain position, as well as the possibility of obstruction of visible signs at an accessible, sufficiently lighted and highly visible place, or near the entrance into a danger zone, or in direct proximity to the source of certain danger, or an object that is marked with a sign.

Requirements for safety signs

General requirements 27. Shape and colour of safety signs shall comply with requirements specified in

items 30-34. Details for formatting of safety signs shall comply with the State Standards of Ukraine ISO 3864-1:2005 Graphic symbols. Colours and safety signs. Part 1. Principles of drafting of safety signs for work and public places.

28. In the event of insufficient natural lighting for visibility of signs, one shall use luminescent paints, light-reflecting materials, or artificial lighting.

29. Pictograms that are used in safety signs shall be clear, with no details that hinder their perception. It is allowed to partially modify or detail the pictograms, specified in Addenda 1-5, under condition that their meaning does not change, and such changes do not impact their perception of meaning.

Prohibition Signs 30. Features: shape – round;appearance (see z 1) – black pictogram on white background, border and cross-

bar (from left to right at a 45° angle to the level line) – red (red safety colour shall take up at least 35% of a sign’s surface).

Warning signs31. Features:shape – triangle;

5

appearance (see Addendum 2) – black pictogram on yellow background, black border (yellow safety colour shall take up at least 50% of a sign’s surface).

Imperative signs32. Features:shape - round;appearance (see Addendum 3) – white pictogram on blue background (blue

safety colour shall take up at least 50% of a sign’s surface).

Rescue signs33. Features:shape – rectangular or square;appearance (see Addendum 4) – white pictogram on green background (green

safety colour shall take up at least 50% of a sign’s surface).

Signs that indicate fire-extinguishing equipment34. Features:shape – rectangular or square;appearance (see Addendum 5) – white pictogram on red background (red safety

colour shall take up at least 50% of a sign’s surface).

35. Signs, specified in item 34 are placed in regard to places of fire-extinguishing equipment.

36. Formatting of fire safety signs shall be performed in compliance with the State Standards of Ukraine ISO 6309:2007 “Fire Protection. Safety Signs. Shape and Colour.”

37. Equipment for fire extinguishing shall be painted in signal red colour, entrances to places of location of this equipment, as well as signs that point to them, shall be marked with the same colour.

Signs on Containers and Pipelines 38. Safety signs, specified in items 30, 31 and 32 herein, are applied to containers

that are used during work with hazardous substances as defined by GOST 12.1.007-76 “Occupational Safety Standards System. Hazardous substances. Classification and general safety requirements,” as well as containers for storage of such substances, and externally laid pipelines that contain or transport these substances.

39. It is acceptable not to apply safety signs to containers that are used during works on a short-term basis, as well as containers whose content changes frequently, under condition that appropriate alternative safety measures are taken, in particular, measures regarding informing and educating employees.

40. Signs specified in item 38 can be supplemented by additional information, for example, names and/or chemical formulas of hazardous substances, or details regarding their hazardous effect.

In the event the containers are transported, supplementing with signs used during transportation of hazardous substances is allowed.

41. Safety signs are applied to the visible side (sides) of containers or pipelines in the form of posters, stickers or images.

6

42. Signs on pipelines are applied with sufficient frequency lengthwise and in such a manner that they are highly visible in direct proximity to hazardous places (dampers, joints, etc.).

43. Places, facilities and enclosed containers, in which significant amounts of hazardous substances are stored, shall have prohibition or warning signs, except when individual packages or vessels already have appropriate signs.

Places of storage of hazardous substances can be additionally marked with a warning sign of general danger.

Safety signs, specified in this sub-item, are applied in direct proximity to storage place or on the doors of a storage facility.

44. Indication of obstacles, dangerous places and vehicle pathways. 45. Danger of collision with an obstacle, being under a falling object, or falling

on the territory of a company is marked with inclined black and yellow or red and white bands that alternate. Bands are applied at a 45° angle, they shall have approximately equal width based on the following pattern:

Sign sizes shall correspond to the size of an obstacle or a dangerous place.46. Pathways on which vehicles move within production facilities are marked

with solid bands of white or yellow colour, depending on the floor colour. These pathways shall ensure safe distance from vehicles that move on them to any objects and pedestrian sideways.

47. Pathways that act on a long-term basis beyond production facilities shall also be marked in a similar way, except when they have an appropriate fence or are marked with an appropriate cover.

Light Signals48. Light that is illuminated by a light signal shall be highly visible in a specified

condition of use and contrast with its surroundings. Light signals shall not be blinding with excessive brightness, nor shall be so weak that it impairs its visibility.

49. The light surface of a light signal shall be unicolour, or contain a pictogram on a certain background.

50. Colour of light signals shall comply with Table 1. 51. If a sign contains a pictogram, it shall comply with Addenda 1-5.52. If necessary, light signal can be equipped with a device for transition from

steady to blinking light. This transition indicates a heightened level of danger, or necessity for immediate performance of measures for danger prevention.

Duration and frequency of individual intermittent light impulses shall be such that:

- meaning of the provided signal is unequivocally understood;- possibility of its confusion with other light signals or a steady light signal is

eliminated. 53. If an intermittent light signal is used instead of intermittent sound signal, or

its additional signal, intervals of such signals shall be equal.

7

54. Devices for marking danger with light signs shall be under constant supervision; they shall be equipped with spare lamps.

Sound signals55. A sound signal shall have sound volume that is significantly higher than the

surrounding noise level, however, it shall not be excessively loud such that it causes ear pain.

56. Duration of impulses of an intermittent signal and intervals between impulses or groups of impulses shall be well distinguishable, and shall be significantly different from other sound signals of surrounding noise.

57. If needed, devices for emission of sound signals shall have capability to emit intermittent sounds with both steady frequency and changeable frequency of impulses. Change of impulse frequency compared to stable frequency indicates a heightened level of danger, or need for immediate action for danger prevention.

58. Evacuation sound signals shall be continuous.Verbal signals 59. Verbal signalization is performed between a transmitter and one or several

listeners via transmission of short texts, phrases, word groups and/or individual and sometimes symbolic words.

60. Verbal signals shall be as short, simple and as clear as possible. Verbal capacity of a transmitter and listening ability of a listener or listeners shall ensure reliability of connection.

61. Delivery of a verbal signal can be direct (application of a human voice) or indirect (human or synthesized voice that is transmitted by technical means).

62. For participants of verbal connection, knowledge of the language in which signals are delivered is required.

63. If verbal signalization is used instead of or in addition to hand signalization, one shall use symbol words, for instance:

“begin” - Confirmation of a command receipt;“stop” - Stopping or ending of a certain action;“end” - End of work process;“up” - Cargo lifting;“down” - Cargo lowering;“forward” -“back” -“left” -“right” -

Content of these signals, if needed, shall be explained by appropriate hand signals;

“danger” - Emergency stop or end of work;“faster” - Acceleration of actions based on safety considerations

Signals that are given by hands64. Signals that are given by hand shall be clear, simple, expressive,

understandable, clearly distinguishable from one another, and easily performed.65. Transmitter of signals shall have the ability to observe the work process and

not be endangered as a result of performance of such process.

8

If it is impossible to observe the course of work process, one or several additional transmitters shall be involved.

66. Transmitter of signals shall concentrate all attention exclusively on management of work process and the safety of nearby employees.

67. A signalman shall be easily recognizable by a performer. For this he shall have one or several distinctive features, such as the availability of a vest, helmet, cuffs, sleeve patch, signal wand, etc., that are the same within the company and are bright in colour.

68. A performer shall stop the work process and request new directions if he cannot ensure a proper safety level during performance of a given command.

69. Table 2 provides symbolic hand signals. These signals are given independently from use of other commands that are applied in spheres of activity specified in item 4.

Table 2. Symbolic hand signals

Meaning Description ImageА. General Hand Signals

BEGINNINGAttention!Wait for the next signal

Arms are stretched out horizontally on both sides, palms facing forward

STOP!Break or end of movement process

Right hand is lifted up, palm of the right hand facing forward

END!End of movement process

Arms are crossed at the chest level

В. Vertical movementsUP Right arm is lifted, palm

facing forward, slowly making a circle

9

DOWN Right arm is lowered, palm facing towards self, slowly making a circle

VERTICAL DISTANCE Hands show the distance

С. Horizontal movementsFORWARD Arms are bent, palms

facing up, making slow motions towards the body

BACKWARD Arms are bent, palms facing down, making slow motions towards the body

TO THE RIGHTFrom a side of the person that gives a signal

Right arm is stretched out more or less horizontally, palm facing down, small motions in specified direction

10

TO THE LEFT From a side of the person that gives a signal

Left arm is stretched out more or less horizontally, palm facing down, small motions in specified direction

HORIZONTAL DISTANCE

Hands show the distance

D. DangerDANGEREmergency stop

Both arms are lifted, palms facing forwards

FAST MOVEMENT Hand signal that relates to the ones above, but performed especially fast

SLOW MOVEMENT Hand signal that relates to the ones above, but performed especially slow

11

Addendum 1

Prohibition Signs

No SmokingAuthorized personnel only

No entrance for work vehicles Do not touch

12

Water is not potable

No entrance by feetNo open fire, open light and smorking

No extinguishing with water

Addendum 2

Warning signs

Poisonous substances

13

Flammable substances or high temperature

Explosive substances.

Acidic substances Radioactive substances External load

Work vehicles Dangerous electric voltage General dangerLaser emission Flammable substances.

OxidantsNon-ionizing emission

Strong magnetic field Danger of tripping Danger of fallingBiohazard Low temperature Hazardous substances or

irritants

14

Небезпека падіння

Загальна небезпека

Пожежонебезпечні речовини.Окисники

Низька температура

Addendum 3 Imperative signs

Wear protective glasses Wear protective helmet Wear gear for hearing organs’ protection

Use gear for breathing organs’ protection

Wear protective footwear Wear protective gloves

Wear protective clothes Wear shield for face protection

Use protective belt

Move by feet General danger (If needed, with an additional sign)

15

Пересуватись пішкиЗагальна небезпека(За необхідності, з

додатковим знаком)

Носити засоби для захисту органів слуху

Користуватись засобами для захисту органів дихання

Носити захисний одяг Користуватись захисним поясом

Addendum 4

Rescue signs

Movement direction towards emergency exit

Movement direction (used in addition to the signs below)

First aid Stretcher Emergency shower Gear for eye flushEmergency phone

16

Телефон аварійного виклику

Пристрій для промивання очей

Addendum 5

Signs that indicate fire-extinguishing equipment

Fire-extinguisher

Movement direction (in addition to signs specified above)

17

Phone for fire notificationFire hose.Fire-extinguishing valve set. Ladder