10.9 SIGNAGE AND SITE MARKING
Signage and site marking are visible parts of an RF safety program. They warn people of RF hazards, communicate entry conditions, and help delineate exposure-limit boundaries. They are administrative controls: they do not reduce the field or make an otherwise unacceptable exposure safe.
Signs are effective only when they are correctly located, legible, current, understood, and supported by the access and work controls stated in the applicable RF Radiation Safety Plan. A sign hidden by equipment or vegetation, damaged by weather, or unfamiliar to the people who see it provides little protection.
RPS S-1 requires documentation or signage to identify areas above the public and occupational limits, and requires the Responsible Person to ensure that signage, markings, or other measures delineate those areas. It also requires signs or notices complying with AS 1319 where they are used to protect members of the public in Australia.
10.9.1 Objectives Of RF Safety Signage
RF safety signs and markings can:
- alert people to the presence of RF sources and potential RF hazards;
- identify Controlled Areas and site-defined exclusion zones;
- communicate access restrictions before a person crosses a boundary;
- state required actions, permits, isolations, or other entry conditions;
- identify the Responsible Person or another appropriate contact;
- reinforce the applicable safe work procedure; and
- provide clear information for contractors and visitors who are unfamiliar with the site.
The wording and location should allow a person to recognize the hazard and determine what to do before entering or commencing work.