Are Your Printed Collateral Materials up to ANSI Z535.6 Standards?

Less than one year ago, a new standard for product safety information was issued to govern product manuals, instructions and other collateral materials. Unfortunately, many manufacturers are still struggling to grasp and adopt this new standard.

Previously, the ANSI Z535 Accredited Standards Committee had published American National Standards regarding the formats, colors and symbols for safety signs used in environmental and facility applications, product applications, and accident prevention tags and barricade tapes for temporary hazards.

However, with no standards available for formatting printed documents, many companies had tried to adapt ANSI Z535.4 guidelines that govern product safety signs and labels. Not surprisingly, these standards were not suitable for collateral which contains multiple hazard and safety messages, as well as more detailed safety information which requires multiple pages. Moreover, many sign and label considerations such as reading conditions, expected life and maintenance, simply weren’t relevant.

The Scope
The new ANSI Z535.6 standard answers the need, providing a hazard communication system that presents product safety information in an orderly and consistent manner. It was developed to cover a wide variety of printed materials including:

• Owner manuals
• Instructions
• User guides
• Maintenance & service manuals
• Assembly instructions
• Safety manuals

The standard covers all types of formats including single and multiple page documents, package and container instructions, as well as printable electronic documents. Guidelines for presenting certain graphic elements, such as signal words, the safety alert symbol and safety colors, in collateral materials are also included.

Preview the New Standard
The following summarizes what you will see in the new ANSI Z535 Standard:

Signal Words: Signal word definitions in all of the Z535 standards have been updated. Designed to describe the level of hazard, the new definitions for DANGER, WARNING and CAUTION are meant to clarify, not change their meanings. However, the signal word, NOTICE, has been added to Z535.4 and the new Z535.6 standard for printed materials. It replaces “CAUTION” and can be used without the safety alert symbol for messages related to property damage alone.

In addition to the updated definitions, all Z535 standards include an annex that discusses risk assessment and signal word selection.

Safety Alert Symbol: The standard includes recommended formats for the safety alert symbol which may be used alone or in conjunction with a signal word in a signal word panel to indicate potential personal injury hazard.

In addition to the existing format for the safety alert symbol, the new standard includes an optional format that provides greater harmony with ISO standards. Though there is no ISO standard directly comparable to ANSI Z535.6, this optional symbol allows safety messages in collateral to be visually similar to signs, labels and tags formatted according to other ANSI Z535 and ISO standards.

Safety Colors: Use of color in printed materials is not mandatory. However, when color is used with signal words, it should be consistent with safety colors specified in other Z535 standards.

Classification of Safety Messages: The ANSI Z535.6 standard provides a completely new classification system for safety messages and a variety of options for formatting each in collateral materials. They include:

• Supplemental Directives direct users to other pertinent safety information and make them aware of the document’s safety-related contents and their importance. Example: “Read all instructions before use to avoid injury.” Recommended formats use the safety alert symbol and where appropriate assign signal words.
• Grouped Safety Messages are presented in their own separate section or in a separate document. Clearly labeled as “Safety Information” or “Safety Manual” and assembled in one area, they do not require use of signal words and the safety alert symbols to distinguish them from other information.
• Section Safety Messages apply to an entire section of a document. They are typically located at the beginning of a section and accompanied by a safety alert symbol or a signal word panel to provide the user with the necessary safety information. At the same time, with the information segregated from the main body of text, users can more easily read and understand the instructions or procedures. Needless repetition is also avoided.
• Embedded Safety Messages are integrated into the main body of text along with non-safety information. The new standard gives companies the flexibility to use signal words, the safety alert symbol and consistently applied font variations such as fold and italics, or no special formatting at all if the content and context of the message clearly distinguishes safety information.

Publication of the new ANSI Z535.6 standard provides much needed guidance in developing product manuals, instructions and other collateral materials. And brand-conscious companies will be glad to learn that the standard provides a level of flexibility that should allow them to develop their own customized style.