SEÑALIZACIÓN DE SEGURIDAD, UN ASUNTO CRUCIAL La señalización de emergencia es una medida obligatoria. El artículo 20 de la Ley de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales es- tablece que el empresario, teniendo en cuenta el tamaño y la actividad de la empresa, así como la presencia de personas ajenas a la misma, deberá analizar las posibles situaciones de emergencia y adoptar las medidas necesarias. Segurilight, fabricante español de señalización de seguridad (Bermeo, Vizcaya), pondera la importancia de señalar para prevenir. Mensaje redundante En materia de seguridad existen las medidas redundantes por la razón obvia de que ofrecen ‘segundas oportunidades’. La redundancia no es accesoria, sino necesaria. En otros artículos, Segurilight ha subrayado la importancia de mantener nuestras empresas, edi cios, insta- laciones y, sobre todo, zonas de fabricación, bien señalizadas. Y no nos cansamos de decir- lo, porque creemos profundamente que este mensaje debe ser difundido y que, como ex- pertos en el tema, tenemos la labor de crear conciencia sobre esta necesidad, aunque cada vez seamos más los concienciados. En alguna ocasión hemos empleado la expre- sión “sólo nos acordamos de Santa Bárbara cuando truena” o alguna parecida. Y es que, por desgracia, en muchos sectores en los que trabajamos se cumple el refrán. En general, existe poca consciencia de lo importante que es tener una señalización o protección e caz; es decir, de calidad y bien instalada, hasta que algún accidente, incidente, o, en el mejor de los casos, una auditoría, lo pone de mani esto. Desde Segurilight recalcamos que entonces puede ser ya tarde. Nos referimos a minimizar o erradicar estos accidentes con posibles con- secuencias fatales. Puede parecer alarmista, pero nada más alejado de la realidad: estamos hablando de evitar pérdidas humanas y tam- bién económicas. En manos de las empresas está poner a dis- SAFETY SIGNAGE, A MEANINGFUL MATTER Emergency signage is a mandatory measure. Article 20 of the Ley de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales establishes that the employer, taking into account the size and activity of the company, as well as the presence of persons outside the company, should analyse possi- ble emergency situations and take the necessary measures. Segurilight, Spanish manufacturer of safety signage (Bermeo, Vizcaya), ponders the impor- tance of signalling to prevent. Redundant message In terms of safety, there are redundant measures for the obvious reason that they offer ‘second chances’. Redundancy is not accessory, but nec- essary. In other articles, Segurilight has stressed the importance of maintaining our businesses, buildings, facilities and, above all, manufactur- ing areas, well signposted. And we do not get tired of repeating it, because we deeply believe that this message must be spread and that, as experts in the subject, we have the task of rais- ing awareness about this need, although we are increasingly aware of them. Sometimes we have used the expression “we only remember Santa Barbara when it thun- ders” or something similar. And, unfortunately, in many sectors where we work the saying is ful lled. In general, there is little awareness of how important is having effective signage or protection; that is to say, of quality and well in- stalled, until some accident, incident, or, at best, an audit, shows it. From Segurilight we remark that it may be too late. We mean to minimize or eradicate these accidents with possible fatal consequences. It may seem alarmist, but nothing further from re- ality: we are talking about avoiding human and economic losses. Companies are responsible for making avail- able the workers the necessary tools to keep them safe. These, on their turn, must use prop- erly the elements provided by the company. And what better to guarantee it than playing all as occupational risk prevention technicians? This implies to warn the companions if they have forgotten to use some means of protec- tion, or indicating to the relevant department if there is any danger not signalled or not pro- tected properly. We need to see occupational safety as a goal to be built into day-to-day work. Viewing the risk Among the actions to be taken by the employer to ensure the safety and health of workers, there is the sign of safety and health at work. It is a measure of prevention and protection, neces- sary when the risks cannot be avoided or limit- ed enough through technical or organizational means of work. The signalling is regulated in Real Decreto 485/1997. It must be kept in mind at all times that a signal only indicates the situation or class of the risk to be present, so the risk does not disappear. Consequently, signalling is not a substitute for technical and organizational measures of indi- vidual and collective protection. In the speci c case of emergency signalling, the whole work centre must be signalled in or- der to make all workers aware of the emergen- cy situations, the instructions to be followed in each case, as well as evacuation routes and lo- cation of the various re protection and rst aid equipment available to the centre. Emergency signs in the form of a panel shall generally be installed at a height and in an appropriate position depending on the visual angle of the persons to whom it is directed. It should also be assessed the possible existence of any obstacle that hinders its visibility. In the case of the signalling of the re protection devices, the location of each of these devices shall be indicated by means of the correspond- ing signal, in such a way as to quickly facilitate the location of the equipment and which is also visible from any point in the area covered. The emergency exit signs shall be placed, if possible, on the lintel (upper part) of the evacu- ation door which they signal 102 INFORMACIÓN EMPRESARIAL / TRADE REPORTS