Signed Safety at Work (SSaW) is making signs for around 200 essential Health and Safety (H&S) words and phrases. It will create an online glossary and an online course so that people can learn the signs, and communicate better in noisy workplaces (like factories or construction sites). Companies with lots of employees who are deaf or hearing-impaired, or who don’t speak the local language well, can be confident that all their employees can pick up urgent messages if there’s an emergency situation.
The European Framework Directive 89/391 on Safety and Health at Work guarantees minimum safety and health requirements throughout Europe. SSaW helps employers to ensure health and safety in the workplace for their employees.
According to the Health and Safety Executive, the manufacturing and construction industries have the highest rates of industrial deafness cases. Making it easier for hearing-impaired employees to keep working, helps employers to keep experienced staff in the workplace. Hearing loss among employees is also likely to increase as the workforce ages and people keep working for longer before they retire.