Graphic of a battery explosion.

By Christine Liew

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has developed a database of industry-recognised illustrations for use in safety materials.

The aim is to make images consistent and easily recognised.

The images, available free at http://www.aem.org/technical/pictorialdatabase/, can be used in safety signage, manuals and training materials.

AEM said in a statement that the images would save manufacturers and others time and the cost of developing their own graphics.

By entering a password provided on the website, users can search a database of 95 images by categories or keywords. The images cover hazard identification and avoidance. All images are black and white, except those that have red for fire and prohibitions. Images are searchable by body area (for example, arm, body), hazard type (for example, chemical, electrical) or action (for example, explosion, flying object). Pictorials are downloadable in .eps and .dxf formats.

Graphic for "wear ear protection".

Graphic for "never stand in an unloading area".

Caterpillar Inc product safety manager and AEM safety sign pictorial committee chairman Mark Steffen said using common pictorials would increase industry workers' awareness and understanding of what the images meant.

The database was developed to meet a request from AEM members, the statement said.

Gregg Austin, Terex Corp product safety manager and a member of the pictorial-development committee, said the project's task force scrutinised submissions from AEM's product-oriented group members, grouped similar ones and then looked for commonality to develop the graphics. After an initial review, the task force sent its selections to a larger committee for approval.

Graphic of a man slipping rearwards.

Austin cited the IS0 7000 international standard as an example of AEM's goal for the database.

"That is the kind of consistency AEM seeks to accomplish in descriptive safety pictorials," he said. AEM stressed in its statement that it was not advocating a standard for pictorials.

ISO 7000 sets international standards for control and display symbols on equipment ranging from photocopiers and fitness equipment to on-highway and off-highway vehicles.

The pictorial-development committee was formed in 2004. It has 24 AEM member company representatives.

AEM invites input from anyone with an interest in safety-related pictorials. It intends to expand the database with "product-specific and process-specific" graphics.

Email Dan Moss at dmoss@aem.org for more information.