Strom damage constitutes a major source of economic loss worldwide. Storm damage warning signs can predict the storm intensity and frequency on populations. It is a significant factor that influences the survivorship.

William Frick & Company, a producer of custom identification products such as safety signs, utility markers, labels and RFID tags, has improved public safety at storm-damage sites having downed power lines for a Midwest electric company.

Evie Bennett, vice president of William Frick & Company said that the utility needed to alert the public not to enter worksites that had live power lines on the ground and they asked the company to design a warning sign that was easily portable, bilingual and employed pictures for children who could not yet read. Some utility workers had tried to create their own warning sign by cutting apart pole and substation signs, and bolting words and symbols together. Building on the linemen’s good intentions, William Frick was brought in to develop a highly visible, portable yet sturdy warning sign that could be set up quickly wherever needed.

William Frick evaluated a variety of designs, messages, pictures and materials that would meet the customer’s requirements for a sign that was lightweight, outdoor durable, easily portable, simple to use, and viewable from a distance. The utility explained that after a severe storm they might have hot lines on the ground and area residents wandering through the site because they did not understand the danger. The trucks and bright lights also attracted young children. The portable outdoor warning sign Frick developed is made from laminated polyethylene plastic and measures 18 x 24 inches yet weighs barely two pounds.

It follows ANSI guidelines with orange and black printing on a white background and is readable up to 25 feet away. To meet the portability requirements, Frick designed a sign with four slots along the sides that enable the insertion of a couple of safety straps that fasten around objects like orange safety cones, utility poles or fence posts.