The purpose of any sign is to inform.
Some signs are educational and are designed to provide information about a person, place or thing, such as historical landmark signs.
Some signs are instructional and advise you what to do or where to go, such as evacuation and directional signs.
Safety signs are designed to provide a warning or some other message that will keep someone or something safe.
These types of signs are often found on construction sites or other places that there is substantial risk for people that are there.
In most cases, these signs aim at keeping people safe, but in some cases it is animals in the area or even equipment or a location that are being protected.
If you have ever been on a roadway that is undergoing construction, you have undoubtedly seen "Men at Work" signs.
One of the most common types of safety sign around, these signs are designed to alert motorists that there is construction being performed ahead and that there are people working.
By communicating this valuable information, these specialty traffic signs are alerting drivers that the road condition ahead may be poor and that it is possible that there may be people in or near the sides of the lanes of traffic.
These signs will often include a reduced speed limit sign, so that motorists will have more time to react and avoid an unfortunate accident.
Safety signs are not however limited to major roadways.
If you have ever walked through a business and seen a "Wet Floor" sign, then you have seen another common type of safety sign.
Wet floor signs are usually posted in places that see a lot of foot traffic, to alert passersby that there is a danger of slipping and falling there.
Some bridges and roadways will also post traffic signs that indicate that a certain area may be "Slippery When Wet.
" Some other examples of safety signs can be found near cliffs and shear rock faces, advising that a spot may be a "Falling Rock Zone".