Clarion Safety is in a unique position to supply product manufacturers, workplaces, and public areas with the most up-to-date, standards compliant safety signs, labels, and markings. Over the past 30+ years, we’ve helped to write the standards you want to meet. Our involvement on the U.S. and international standards committees in this field is at the leadership level; perhaps nowhere else in the world is there more safety sign and label expertise – across a wide span of industries – than at Clarion Safety.
Clarion Safety is an active member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards committees. Our Director of Standards Compliance, Angela Lambert is currently a member of the ANSI Z535 Committee for Safety Signs and Colors, chair of ANSI Z535.1, and a member of ISO/TC 145, the committee responsible for the international standards for safety signs, labels, colors, and symbols. In 2022, Lambert was also appointed as a liaison between ISO/TC 145 and ISO/TC 283, an ISO committee that developed the ISO 45001 standard, which defines global best practices for workplace safety.
In addition, Clarion Safety actively participates in leadership roles in standards-related initiatives headed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI), the Association of Aquatic Professionals, and the Laser Institute of America. Our safety and risk specialists regularly appear as featured speakers at industry safety conferences, helping to bring about increased awareness of best practices in the safety sign, label, and markings field.
Read on for more information on our:
- Industry leadership
- Standards credentials (including our detailed history with ANSI, ISO, and SEMI)
- Presentation history
Industry Leadership
Through the years, we’ve been privileged to share our expertise on an array of industry initiatives to better standardize safety communications and protect people around the world. A few of the major projects, task forces, and standards work we’ve helped to lead include:
- Providing leadership to the NYC building code committee for skyscraper evacuation markings after 9/11.
- Spearheading OSHA's 2013 update to its outdated workplace safety sign rules which, after 6 years of Clarion Safety lobbying, resulted in nationwide regulations with references to the best practice ANSI Z535 standards.
- Submitting the change proposals that updated the safety symbols NFPA uses in its standards related to fire safety equipment location signs and evacuation marking signs.
- Submitting the change proposals that resulted in NFPA adopting photoluminescent stairwell markings in the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code – a standard referenced by nearly every state and municipal building code to ensure safety is designed into every building.
- Leading the taskforce for the SEMI S1 Standards Committee to give the semiconductor industry a standard for formatting equipment safety labels. The standard, published in 2002, foreshadowed the publication of the ISO 3864-2 standard for product safety labels, incorporating the best in both ANSI Z535 and ISO 3864 design principles.
- Serving as the principal author of the draft versions of the ISO 3864-2 standard for product safety labels. This standard subsequently elevated the art of product safety labeling worldwide, giving much needed guidance where none existed before.
- Donating safety sign design services to help the ANSI Z136 laser standards with its illustrations of laser area safety signs – signs that are key to protecting people in workplaces with lasers in use.
- Lecturing for over 30 years at the nation’s premier course related to warnings, the University of Wisconsin’s Engineering Department’s professional development course on ‘Using Warnings & Instructions to Improve Product Safety & Reduce Liability Exposure.’
Standards Credentials and History
Over the years, the founder of our company, Geoffrey Peckham, as well as additional key team members, have brought the following credentials and experience to the compliance expertise at Clarion Safety:
- Liaison Representative ISO/TC 145 and ISO/TC 283, 2022
- Chair of ANSI Z535.1 Subcommittee, 2020-present
- Chair of ISO/TC 145, 2018-2021
- Chair of the ANSI Z535 Committee, 2011-2021
- Member, ANSI Z535 Main Committee, 1992-present
- Chair and Delegation Head for the U.S. ANSI TAG to ISO/TC 145 Graphical Symbols, 1996-2017
- Member of the U.S. TAG to ISO/PC 283 – ISO 45001, 2013-present
- Member, ISO/TC8/SC1/WG3, Ships and Marine Technology/Life Saving and Fire Protection/Safety Signs, 2005-2017
- Chair, ANSI Z535.2 Standard for Environmental and Facility Safety Signs, 2008-2011
- Chair, ANSI Z535.1 Standard for Safety Colors, 1994-2008
- Member, ANSI Z535 Executive Committee, 1994-present
- Member, ANSI Z535.1 Safety Colors subcommittee, 1994-present
- Member, ANSI Z535.3 Criteria for Safety Symbols subcommittee, 1994-present
- Member, ANSI Z535.4 Product Safety Signs & Labels subcommittee, 1994-present
- Member, ANSI Z535.5 Safety Tags and Barricade Tapes subcommittee, 2008-present
- Member, ANSI Z535.6 Safety Information in Product Manuals subcommittee, 2003-present
- Member, ASTM E-12 Committee, 2002-2006
- Member, UL 1994 Low Located Lighting Systems STP, 2005-2008
- Taskforce Leader, SEMI S1 Guideline for Equipment Safety Labels, 1998-present
- Member, NYC Building Commissioner’s RS 6-1 Taskforce on Photoluminescent Exit Path Markings, 2005
- Chair, Post-9/11 NYC Building Code Photoluminescent Egress Markings Expert Taskforce, 2004
- Chair, American Woodworking Industry Safety Label Taskforce, 1997
- Chair, American Textile Industry Safety Label Taskforce, 1996
- Project Leader, American Baking Industry Safety Label Standardization Project, 1995
Continue reading, below, to learn more about our extensive history with the ANSI, ISO, and SEMI standards.
Clarion Safety and ANSI
In 1992, Clarion joined the ANSI Z535 committee and in 1994, our founder, Geoffrey Peckham, was named Chairman of the ANSI Z535.1 Standard for Safety Colors subcommittee. Since Clarion Safety’s core business was the application of the ANSI Z535 standards and its staff has the opportunity to work with a wide variety of industrial customers to apply the standards' principles, Clarion Safety’s experience has served as the basis for many of the change proposals accepted by the Z535 Committee for revisions published over the last 20+ years. In 2009, Peckham was named Chairman of the ANSI Z535.2 Standard for Environmental and Facility Safety Signs subcommittee, the primary standard for safety signs in the U.S. In 2011, Peckham was appointed chairman of the ANSI Z535 Main Committee, the top standards leadership position in our field in the nation. In 2020, Clarion Safety’s Angela Lambert was elected chair of ANSI Z535.1. When Peckham retired from ANSI and ISO in 2021, Lambert picked up much if this important domestic and international committee work. Peckham stated that “By passing the torch to Angela and other committee members, the ANSI Z535 standards will continue to set the bar for safety communication best practices in the United States. I’m also confident that harmonization with ISO/TC 145’s new and revised standards will also continue to take place, because Angela and other Z535 committee leaders are actively involved on the U.S. TAG to ISO/TC 145.”
Clarion Safety and ISO
In 1995, work began in ISO to re-write the principle global standard pertaining to safety signs and colors, ISO 3864. At this same time the European Community was implementing compliance directives that various manufacturers needed to meet in order to sell products into the EC (e.g. The Machinery Directive). Driven by our customers' needs to fully comply with international requirements, Clarion Safety worked closely with ANSI to set up a TAG to represent the United States on the ISO committee, ISO/TC 145, responsible for revising ISO 3864. Peckham was named TAG Chairman in 1996, a post he held until the end of 2017, when he became chair of the full ISO/TC 145 committee. Clarion Safety is also a member of the U.S. TAG to ISO/PC 283, an ISO committee that developed the standard, ISO 45001:2018, Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use, which defines global best practices for workplace safety. New guidelines and best practice implementations of this 45001 standard are currently still in development as of 2022 to include new COVID-19 and workplace illness provisions, which Clarion Safety members are actively providing input.
Clarion Safety understands that ISO safety sign standards are important to U.S. manufacturers for two reasons. First, we live in a world that’s evermore connected; a global “community” with an increasingly mobile workforce. Communicating safety across language barriers is essential if people are to remain safe when visiting or working in foreign countries. Second, if your products ship to global markets, you need to fully develop a safety markings strategy that satisfies the laws, regulations, directives, and policies of the countries in which your products are sold. Using international (ISO and IEC) standards is key to compliance. We understand the international standards related to product safety labeling very, very well. We were the principle author of the ISO standard for product safety labeling, ISO 3864-2. And we continue to be closely involved in the on-going process of standards revision and safety symbol registration that is taking place on an on-going basis by this ISO committee in charge of standards related to visual safety communication. Our knowledge in this field makes us a valuable resource to you because we can help you to make right choices with regards to your facility safety signs and product safety labels; choices that will meet either (or both) U.S. and international requirements.
Clarion Safety and SEMI
The semiconductor manufacturing business is a complex industry; the processes used to create silicon chips are as complicated as they are lethal. In 1997, work began in this industry to revise its safety label guideline, SEMI S1. Having headed efforts for the bakery, textile, woodworking and furniture-making industries, and because of his ANSI and ISO standards leadership positions, Peckham was chosen to lead the SEMI S1 Taskforce through its first major revision. Under his leadership, the SEMI S1 Guideline has served as a model of standards harmonization, meeting the needs of this global industry.
Presentation History
Lambert, Peckham, and our other safety and risk specialists here at Clarion Safety are regularly called on to share their expertise and promote a better understanding of safety communication. Our presentations at safety industry events include:
- Annual Products Liability Conference – University of Wisconsin – Madison, WI, 2021. A Focus on Product Liability Prevention Best Practices – and Emerging Trends
- Annual Products Liability Conference – University of Wisconsin – Madison, WI, 2020. Creating Effective Warnings –On-Product Best Practices
- ASSE 2018 Annual Professional Development Conference (PDC) – San Antonio, TX, 2018. Implementing Best Practice Safety Sign Systems In Line with ISO 45001 Objectives
- IPSLP 2018 Product Safety and Liability Prevention Conference – Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2018. On Product Warnings: The Latest Standards, Best Practices, and Trends
- AFIA’s Equipment Manufacturers Conference – Orlando, FL, 2017. Managing Residual Risks on Your Equipment and in Your Facility.
- National Drowning Prevention Alliance Annual Conference – Pittsburgh, PA, 2017. Expert Sign Systems to Prevent Drowning
- ASSE 2017 Annual Professional Development Conference (PDC) – Denver, CO, 2017. Risk Communication: A Critical Component in Achieving ISO 45001 Objectives
- World Aquatic Health Conference – Nashville, TN, 2016. A New Approach to Drowning Prevention: Sign Systems Proven by Viewers to be Quickly Recognized and Easily Understood
- University of Wisconsin – Engineering Professional Development - Madison, WI, 1994-present. The Role of Warnings & Instructions, U.S. and International Product Safety Label Standards
- Defense Research Institute (DRI) Product Liability Conference – New Orleans, LA, 2016. The Future of On-Product Warnings
- Annual Products Liability Conference – University of Wisconsin – Madison, WI, 2015. The Increasingly Significant Role of Symbols on Product Warning Labels
- Vision Plus 2015, Birmingham City University – London, UK, 2015. ISO Symbols: The Key to Global Safety Communication
- International Product Safety & Liability Prevention (IPSLP) Conference – Milwaukee, WI, 2015. On-Product Warnings - The Shift Towards International Formats
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Long Island Chapter – Melville, NY, 2014. The New Era in Product Safety Labeling
- Annual Products Liability Conference – University of Wisconsin – Madison, WI, 2014. Creating Effective Warnings – A Critical Part of the Product Design and Development Process
- NSC 2014 Congress and Expo – San Diego, CA, 2014, New Risk-Reduction Technique: OSHA/ANSI Safety Sign Systems
- The Sign Design Society – London, UK, 2014, Reducing Risk: Safety Signs and Markings –Their Role in the United States.
- VPPPA 2014 National Conference – National Harbor, MD, 2014, A New and Powerful Risk Reduction Technique: Creating OSHA/ANSI Safety Sign Systems as an Outcome of Risk Assessment
- ASSE 2014 Annual Professional Development Conference (PDC) – Orlando, FL, 2014. A New and Powerful Risk Reduction Tool: Creating OSHA/ANSI Safety Sign Systems as an Outcome of Risk Assessment
- BLR Safety Summit – Atlanta, GA, 2014. New OSHA/ANSI Safety Sign Systems
- Annual Products Liability Conference - University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI, 2013. The Why, Who and How Behind the ANSI Z535 Standards for Safety Communication
- Cincinnati Insurance August 2013 Conference - Cincinnati, OH 2013. Use of the Latest Warnings Technology to Reduce Product Manufacturers’ Risk
- CNA Insurance Annual Manufacturing Agency Forum Meeting - Chicago, IL, 2013. A New Era in Premises Liability Reduction
- ASSE 2013 Annual Professional Development Conference (PDC) - Las Vegas, NV, 2013. Reducing Risk in Paradise – Steps the Atlantis Resort Took to Improve Guest Safety
- Product Liability Prevention & Defense Program (PLP&D) - Orlando, FL, 2013. New Safety Communication Concepts from Clarion Safety Systems
- Annual Midwest Product Safety & Liability Prevention Conference (Goodden) - Chicago, IL, 2013. The New Era in Product Safety Labeling
- ASSE 2012 Annual Professional Development Conference (PDC) - Denver, CO, 2012. A New Era in Visual Safety Communications
- Annual Products Liability Conference - University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI, 2011. The 2011 ANSI Standards
- Annual Midwest Product Safety & Liability Prevention Conference (Goodden) – Washington, DC, 2011. The 2011 ANSI Standards
- National Drowning Prevention Alliance Annual Conference - Colorado Springs, CO, 2011. The Development of a New System of Water Safety Signs
- The Product Liability Prevention & Defense Group Conference - Washington, DC, 2011. Use of the ANSI Z535.6 Standard
- NFPA International Safety Symposium - Lisbon, Portugal, 2010. Photoluminescent Safety Systems Open In NYC
- PSPA International Symposium - Baden Baden, Germany, 2010. Photoluminescent Way Guidance Systems in the Skyscrapers of NYC - A case study based on installing systems in over 200 of the city’s finest tall buildings
- ASSE 2009 PDC - San Antonio, TX, 2009. Best Practices in Communicating Safety - Case Studies in ANSI Z535
- AIHce Annual Conference - Toronto, Canada, 2009. New Harmonized Global Solutions to Communicating Safety
- ASSE 2008 PDC - Las Vegas, NV, 2008. ANSI Z535 - The New Era in Facility Safety Signs and Product Safety Labels
- AIHce Annual Conference - Minneapolis, MN, 2008. ANSI Z535 -The New Era in Facility Safety Signs & Product Safety Labels
- ASSE 2007 PDC - Orlando, FL, 2007. Two Topics: Enhancing Your Safety Program With Safety Signs, and Egress Exit Systems Open in NYC
- AIA NYC Chapter - November 2005, The New RS 6-1 Code for Safety Way Guidance Systems
- ASSE NYC Chapter - October 2005, The New RS 6-1 Code for Safety Way Guidance Systems
- ASSE 2004 PDC - Las Vegas, NV, 2004. New Developments in U.S. and International Safety Sign Technology