Warning Sign Criteria

The WPS has specific criteria for the appearance of the warning sign. At the top of the signs, clearly legible, must be the words "DANGER - PELIGRO" and "PESTICIDES - PESTICIDAS." The bottom of the sign should say "KEEP OUT - NO ENTRE." If a different language besides Spanish is read by the largest number of workers who do not read English, employers may replace the Spanish words on the sign with the same words in the other language. Additional information, such as the name of the pesticide and date of application, may also be added if it does not detract from the appearance of the sign or change the intended meaning.

The design of the sign must include, near the center, a circle containing a large upraised hand on the left, at least twice the height of the smallest letters, and a slightly smaller stern face on the right. The background color outside of the circle must contrast with the inside of the circle, which should be red. The hand and a large part of the face must contrast with the inside of the circle so they stand out visually.

Signs must be at least 14 inches wide by 16 inches tall, and the letters must be at least one inch high. If the treated area is too small to accommodate this standard size, employers may use smaller signs. For example, when a single plant has been treated and needs to be posted, a smaller sign would be appropriate. Whenever a smaller format of sign is used to post one treated area, such as a nursery or greenhouse section, the WPS contains specifications for the maximum acceptable distance between signs, depending on the size of the lettering and circle graphic on the sign.

To learn more about Pesticide Worker Safety visit our Pesticide Worker Safety Online Training web page.