- Author
-
Collins, B. L.
- Title
- Use of Hazard Pictorials/Symbols in the Minerals Industry. Open Fire Report. January 30, 1981-January 31, 1983. Final Report.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Sponsor
- Bureau of Mines, Washington, DC
- Report
-
NBSIR 83-2732
September 1983
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- J01113020
- Keywords
-
mining; safety engineering; symbols; accident prevention; hazards; color codes; responses; human factors engineering; guidelines; handbooks
- Identifiers
- mine safety; mineral industries
- Abstract
- This report documents a multiphase research effort on the evaluation of the effectiveness of safety symbols and hazard pictorials for use in mining and milling operations. The first phase reviews applicable codes and standards, and documentation of typical mining hazards to determine relevant safety messages. In the second phase, visits were made to eight mine sites to document existing sign practice and common mining hazards. In the third phase, the effectiveness of 2 sets of symbols for 40 different safety messages was evaluated with 267 miners from 10 sites at disparate geographical locations. The evaluation included an assessment of the effectiveness of six different symbol surround shapes and colors. The most effective symbols depicted both the person and the hazard or protective gear; these were more representational than highly abstract. Based on this research, a set of 40 symbols are suggested for further graphic refinement, additional evaluation, and eventual use.