No matter how damaged and dirty your property looks right now, you can make it look fresh and clean again with a few simple changes. Use the list below and you can quickly transform your property into a tidy and good-looking area that you’ll be proud to show off to your customers, clients or residents.

• Replace faded traffic and parking signs. Fresh signs not only look good, but they’ll also be easier to see, increasing driver and pedestrian safety. High-Intensity reflective signs are extra visible, especially at night. Plus, they meet Federal MUTCD regulations.
• Keep new signs looking great for longer. It takes time and money to replace signs. Not only for the price of the signs, but in time and labor to install them too. When ordering new signs, get them with a clear protective layer like SetonUltraTuff™. This outside layer keeps signs from fading in the sun and lets you wipe off graffiti without scrubbing. Plus, SetonUltraTuff™ coated signs carry a lifetime guarantee.
• Repair or replace bent or rusty sign posts. If buying new posts, upgrade to the flexible style that pops back into place if it gets hit.  This saves you the hassle of repeatedly replacing posts that get run over.

• Get rid of broken concrete parking curbs and speed bumps. Replace them with plastic or rubber versions. They won’t chip or fade, which means you won’t have to keep repainting them all the time.
• Repaint parking lot stripes. Nothing makes a parking lot look fresh faster than a new coat of parking lot striping. Hire a professional to stripe the lot for you, or buy a striping machine and striping paint and re-stripe it yourself.
• Make sure your parking lot is safe. Use barricade tape or orange cones to block off unsafe areas from vehicles or foot traffic. Set up crosswalk signs that tell drivers to take caution and to show people where it’s safe to walk.
• Protect landscaping. Bushes, grass and trees are expensive. After you’ve replaced any dead or severely damaged ones, be sure to protect them with security posts or bollards. They’ll keep unruly drivers from running them over and the snow plow from damaging them next winter.
• Keep smoking areas tidy. Hang “No Smoking“or “Smoking Allowed” signs in outdoor break areas or at entrances. Install bins or receptacles for people to safely and cleanly discard their cigarette butts.

• Discourage trespassers and vandals. Post signs to let vandals and other miscreants that you’re watching. This cuts down on graffiti, littering, dumping and other property damage.
  

  Take the tour to learn about upgrading your property

Seton offers a wide variety of signs, posts and pavement products to keep your property, clean

and attractive.  Learn more about how and where to use these products by taking the virtual parking lot tour at seton.com.

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“A school in Canada has teamed up with traffic safety groups to install something new to get motorists to slow down. The persuasive obstacle? The appearance of a girl running into the road as she chases a ball…”

Click here to read the full article and watch a video to see how the illusion works.

While some traffic experts feel that this new “illusion” will prove effective in slowing down traffic, others feel that the image will desensitize drivers to the point where they’ll stop paying attention. This inattention would ultimately prove deadly if there were an actual child darting into the street and drivers failed to stop, thinking it was just another illusion.

Seton offers wide variety of more traditional and proven ways to slow down traffic including speed limit signs and speed bumps.

Vist seton.com to view our entire selection.

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As school starts across most of the country, it’s time to sharpen our senses and refresh our “school safety” skills.

Here are some tips for both motorists and pedestrians to stay safe in school zones.

Drivers:

• Welcome back school buses to the road and take extra caution around them. Anticipate children, especially in a school bus “danger zone” — the area around a bus where most injuries and deaths occur.
• Stop for the red flashing lights on buses or when their stop arms are extended. Red flashing lights on buses indicate students are entering or exiting the bus. Motorists must stop at least 20 feet from a school bus that is displaying red flashing lights – both when driving behind a bus and when approaching it in the opposite direction.
• Reduce speeds around bus stops and in school zones.
• Watch for school crosswalks. If a crossing guard’s STOP paddle is up, you can’t drive through a crosswalk no matter if the guard is standing on the sidewalk or is in the crosswalk.
• Check for no parking signs before dropping your children off curbside. Many posted signs prohibit stopping of any kind, which includes dropping off or picking up your children.
• Pay attention to the no-turn signs as you leave your child’s school. Many left turns are prohibited into and out of many of the driveways.

Pedestrians:
• Cross only at intersections or crosswalks.
• Obey all crosswalk signals and traffic signs.
• Don’t enter a crosswalk if a vehicle is too close or moving too fast to stop safely.

Seton offers a variety of crosswalk signs and school zone signs to make the areas around your school safer for both motorists and pedestrians alike.

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It’s too bad there isn’t a spell check for pavement markers!

Seton offers a wide variety of marking paint and pre-worded stencils that help you prevent these kind of mistakes.

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Road and Travel Magazine compiled a list of tips to help refresh your safety skills when parking and walking in a parking lot. Here are their suggestions for parking lot safety.

• Don’t approach your vehicle if a van or other large vehicle with tinted windows is parked next to it. Find a security guard to walk you to your car. If a security guard isn’t available, look for a nearby couple walking to their car and ask them to keep an eye on you until you get into your car. Most people are happy to lend a moment and ensure your safety.
• Walk with purpose. Multiple studies have shown that a quick, purposeful walk sends subconscious signals to predators that you are not an easy mark. They typically decide to wait for another victim.
• Keep one hand free at all times. This at least gives you the opportunity to attempt to fend-off a would-be attacker.
• Have your key ready to open the car door. Never stand next to your car searching through your purse. Robbers, car-jackers and sexual predators all watch for this type of distraction.
• Once in your car, lock the doors immediately. This is the time that a bystander could quickly and simply open a car door and get in, a frequent tactic since it doesn’t attract a lot of attention from passersby.
• Get moving. Don’t sit inside of your vehicle adjusting the stereo, rummaging through shopping bags or your purse, or talking on your phone, especially if the lot is not well populated. Instead, drive to a well-lit area and stop the car (but leave it running) and then search for the item, make a phone call, etc.
• If you have an unlocking button or keyless entry system, make sure you unlock only the driver door. Most keyless systems let you unlock either the driver door or use two punches to unlock all doors. Unlocking all doors allows a predator to simply slide into your car from the passenger side.
• Make sure that your dome light is always functioning properly. As you unlock your vehicle at night, glance into the back seat and make sure that an attacker has not gained access to your car.

Seton offers a wide variety of parking lot signs and security signs to warn criminals away and help make your parking lot a safer place.

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Bolivia has come up with a unique and effective way to encourage crosswalk safety – zebras, yes zebras.

Click here to read the full story.

Seton doesn’t offer zebras, but they do carry a large assortment of crosswalk signs and pedestrian crossing signs to make crosswalk areas safer for motorists and pedestrians alike.

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Construction sites are very busy places. Have you ever noticed all the workers, all the equipment and all the commotion? Construction sites have many comers and goers  that bring a variety of noises and commotion inside and out.

Each of the workers, depending on their specialty/trade, comes equipped with different pieces of machinery and tools, creating a variety of noises at different points throughout the construction project.

The Importance of Hearing Protection

While OSHA’s limit of 90 dBA requires the use of hearing protection devices (HPDs), many construction sites often can exceed this and many  construction employees do not always wear hearing protection.

Some of their most common complaints are that hearing protectors are uncomfortable, hot and create a situation where they cannot hear warning signals or fellow workers. In addition to employees finding it a nuisance to wear the appropriate hearing protection, other common issues that prevent workers from wearing their HPDs are that they are not trained properly, do not have access to the appropriate HPDs or simply are unaware of the need for hearing protection.

While this may be the point of view of the worker, the use of proper hearing protection must be reinforced by the contractor or project manager to protect the worker themselves and to also reduce the risk of OSHA fines against the construction company responsible for the project. There are many types of hearing protection available to meet employee needs in terms of both compliance and comfort.

How to Choose Proper Hearing Protection

• The noise level and even the frequency of the predominant noises may need to be considered. This may require the assistance of a health and safety professional.
• Next, maintenance of the hearing protectors must be considered. Construction sites often can be very dirty, and therefore, employees may want a product that is easy to maintain or requires little or no maintenance, such as earplugs or hearing bands.
• Finally, a very important factor is how the hearing protector interacts with other personal protective equipment such as hard hats, eye protection and welding hoods. The hearing protector should not interfere in any way with other safety devices. If it does interfere with other safety devices, an overall assessment of personal protective equipment might be needed.

Employers are advised to refer to OSHA’s noise in construction standard, 29 CFR1926.52. If feasible, though not required, the construction employer may wish to consider OSHA’s general industry noise standard — 29CFR1910.95 — which is a more in-depth program and provides more guidance in protecting workers.

No matter what type of construction you perform, Seton has the hearing protection and other personal protective equipment supplies to keep you safe and compliant.

Safety tips were provided by Jeff Birkner, a Certified Industrial Hygienist, courtesy of EHS Today Visit their the EHS Today site for more information.

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According to Todd Woods at Phoenix Power Sweep there are many reasons to keep your parking lots swept clean. Here are his top ten.

1. Your parking lot is the first and last impression your customer gets.  They relate the state of your parking lot with the way you operate your business.
2. A well-maintained lot makes your business look successful. When customers perceive you as successful, they want to spend more money at your establishment.
3. Customers are less likely to leave their trash in a parking lot that is well kept.
4. A well-swept parking lot helps reduce the opportunity of slip and fall accidents.
5. Maintaining your landscape contractor and neglecting your parking lot will negate the efforts and cost spent on a beautiful garden.
6. A dirty parking lot attracts rats and other pesky rodents that carry disease.
7. Abrasive sand and dirt  cause cracking and wear on asphalt. Frequent sweeping reduces how often you need to seal or repair the asphalt.
8. Dirt left inside cracks in your parking lot is a great place for grass to grow. The roots penetrate the asphalt causing more cracking.
9. Regular parking lot sweeping reduces the amount of pollutants that end up in storm water drains and subsequently in our waterways.
10. A clean lot attracts more customers and encourages loyalty with existing customers.

Seton offers a variety of parking lot maintenance and marking products to keep your parking lot clean and attractive.

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A new rule took effect this week requiring heavy-duty truckers to stop unnecessary idling of their trucks to improve North Carolina air quality.

The North Carolina Environmental Management Commission implemented the rule to reduce air pollution levels in North Carolina and to meet more stringent federal air quality standards. The rule applies to gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles that weigh more than 10,000 lbs.

Under the law, truck drivers shouldn’t idle their vehicles for more than five consecutive minutes in any 60-minute period except where health and safety concerned. For example, trucks can idle if it’s necessary to perform essential functions like refrigerating, hoisting, loading or responding to emergencies. The rule also exempts military and farm vehicles.

Many other states already have similar laws in place. Click here to see if your state has a ruling, what exemptions apply and what the fines are for non-compliance.

Seton offers No Idling Signs to post on your grounds. They remind truck operators to turn off their engines,  keeping the air around your facility cleaner and healthier to breathe.

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All over America, bare poles stand empty while their missing street signs hang in bedrooms and living rooms as decorations. Visit a college town and it’s even worse. For fun, sport or from simple boredom people are swiping signs at a higher rate than ever before. And if the street has an amusing or interesting name like Corona Street, Rolling Rock Drive or Ragged Ass Road, the sign’s a goner for sure.

The method of stealing street signs varies (but there’s usually some sort of alcohol consumption involved). Some thieves use wrenches or other tools to steal metal signs. With fiberglass signs, they just jump up and rip the signs down with their bare hands.

At first, stealing a street sign might just seem like a prank. But stealing signs can have serious consequences. The theft of a street sign is definitely a crime and can cause problems for emergency responders. If response teams have to drive to an area where signs are missing, they can’t respond as quickly or as effectively as possible.

Each city has different laws for stealing street signs or for owning a stolen sign. Street signs are considered city property and punishment for theft can include anything from a ticket to jail time. However, if the sign theft leads to an injury, then the thief may be brought up on criminal charges.

Replacing street signs is also expensive an inconvenient for the city – costing taxpayers thousands. Not only do they pay for the replacement sign, but also for the time and labor to install it.

Cities are always looking for ways to prevent street sign theft. Here are a few ideas.

• Use aluminum signs. Metal signs are stronger than fiberglass or plastic signs, making them more difficult to tear down without the use of tools.
• Invest in tamper-proof sign mounting hardware. Specially shaped nuts and bolts require a special tool and cannot be removed with a standard wrench or screwdriver.
• Tag the street signs with a tamper-evident asset tag.  A tag with the city information on it will help get the signs returned to the city and make prosecution of the thief easier.

Seton offers a variety of street sign theft-prevention items including Tamper-Proof Nuts and Bolts and Tamper-Evident Asset Tags. And for those would-be thieves out there, Seton has Street Signs that you can customize with any name or wording you want – no need to steal them!

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