As we've mentioned previously, asbestos is extremely dangerous. Its dust can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, and a variety of other diseases, and statistics suggest that 20 lives are lost every week to asbestos-related illnesses.
With this in mind, you may shocked to learn that asbestos can reportedly be found in 86% of UK schools. A BBC News article posted earlier this week claims that asbestos, which was commonly used for insulation before the turn of the millennium, is "still present in nearly nine out of ten schools in the UK - higher than previous official estimates."
If true, this news is cause for concern indeed. Last month, the Health and Safety Executive ran a #BewareAsbestos campaign, repeatedly quoting statistics about the number of tradespeople (roughly 5,000) who allegedly die from asbestos-related diseases every year. These figures were alarming enough on their own, but we are now forced to consider how much larger the numbers become when you factor in non-trade workers. The BBC report claims that 158 schoolteachers have died of mesothelioma in the last decade, and it is probably safe to assume that more have been taken by cancer, asbestosis, and the other diseases for which asbestos has been held responsible over the years.
Perhaps even worse is the thought of our children being exposed to asbestos dust. Exposure can cause serious health problems in later life, and the oft-quoted fact that 'asbestos is safe if left undisturbed' is not especially reassuring given the circumstances. After all, if asbestos exists in a school environment, the chances of it being "left undisturbed" are slim indeed!
What can be done about asbestos?
- Where possible, asbestos should be removed by professionals using the proper PPE
- Asbestos warning signs can be utilised to warn people of areas where asbestos is present
- We can educate people (especially children) about the dangers of asbestos using informational posters and other means
Here at Label Source, we've got quite the comprehensive range of Environmental Management Signs & Tapes. Most workplaces have an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System in place, so you'll be more than familiar with our various environmental signs and tapes, however, there are still many workplaces who currently don't have an enviornmental management system in place
Recycling Signs
Environmental management systems are designed to help you and your business organisation to reduce waste and help save the planet by helping the environment, and must comply with ISO 14001 which is a set of industry standards for environmental management systems. If your organisation doesn't currently have one in place, then there are a number of simple steps you can take to help recuce your carbon footprint and make your contribution to saving the planet.
The added bonus of having an environmental management system in place is that it will help you keep your business costs down and you'll be wasting fewer resources. So how do you get started?
- Encourage recycling and waste segregation by popping the correct recycling signs above your bins to ensure staff are recycling the appropriate materials
- Make sure all of your bins have the proper wrap recycling signs on them
- Warn of any contaminated areas by ensuring the appropriate labels are in place
- Promote energy-saving practices with signs to ensure staff turn the lights off when they leave
- Prohibit access to spill areas with the appropriate control barrier taps
Spill Control Barrier Tapes
Label Source's range of environmental signs & tapes are broken down into the following categories:
Contaminated Land Signs
All of our Environmental Management products are compliant with ISO 14001 regulations, so if your business is looking to put an environmental management system in place, rest assured you're always in safe hands with Label Source. For any information about our Environmental Signs & Tapes, please call 0800 3761 693.
Resource Conservation Signs & Notices
Falls from heights remains the most common cause of workplace fatalities in the UK, with 39 deaths in 2013-14, which was 29% of total fatalities as reported by the HSE. It is a figure that remains stubbornly high, while there has been progress in reducing numbers, reported by employees, from other causes in the last five years. While the level of reported non-fatal injuries from falls was 2895 in 2013-14, well below the peak of 4684 of 2008-09, still there is much more training and safety education required to continue this downward trend.
Furthermore, fall injuries led to 567,000 working days (as reported by employees) lost in 2013-14, and there were 5952 recorded fall from height injuries from the same grouping.
The major industry for fatalities continues to be construction, including electricians and roofers, with other high risk sectors being agriculture, water supply, manufacturing, transport and storage, administration and support (the last mentioned including landscape gardeners, window cleaners and even social care workers).
In 2013-14 there were 73 convictions for breaches of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, slightly down on the peak figure of 81 in 2012-13, and the average fine was in excess of £8000.00.
Major causes of falls from height include falling through fragile surfaces, being hit by falling objects, operating in dangerous areas, coming into contact with machinery as a result of a fall, use of inadequate work equipment, or misuse of such equipment.
To emphasise the dangers of working at heights, Label Source supply a range of health and safety signs to warn of the inherent risks and dangers, as well as mandatory notices for the use of personal protective equipment, and maintenance labels and tags for use on work equipment.
You might have noticed by now that Health and Safety posts frequent the Label Source blog almost daily. As suppliers of health and safety signs and warning labels, we not only understand the importance of having the correct signage in compliance with health and safety legislations in your work place, but are also advocates for celebrating health and safety rules and regulations, which are put in place to protect us, saving lives and minimising risk.
Over the past few months in particular, health and safety has become somewhat of a scapegoat for businesses, blaming health and safety legislations for bizarre decisions and causing public hostility towards health and safety, which is something that every one of us needs at some point in our lives in order to live a safe and risk-minimised life (wouldn't that be nice!)
Many don't actually realise how vitally important health and safety legislation is, and unfortunately through tragic accidents which make the press, we see examples almost daily of deaths, injuries or property damage due to a relaxed attitude towards health and safety, with companies in all areas and of all sizes being prosecuted almost weekly for breaches of these legislations.
Not having the appropriate health and safety signs and hazard warnings in place can lead to fatal accidents, as these three devastating news stories show:
1. Farmer in Court over Driver's Electrocution
A HGV driver was electrocuted to death after hitting a power line which had no corresponding safety signage or barriers.
2. Safety Failings put Finchley Worker in Burns Coma
A labourer from North London received life-threatening burn injuries in an explosion on a farm after severing a 415-volt electrical cable, unaware it was live. There was no health and safety signage in place highlighting the live cable.
3. Developer Prosecuted after Lorry Hit Power Line
A developer in Kettering has been fined after a lorry hit a power line which caused a power cut in 11 properties. Similarly, the line had no health and safety signs.
The important thing to highlight here is that not only do these three examples show tragic injuries and even fatalities due to lack of health and safety signage, but they also show three different cases of employers or individuals being prosecuted for their failings. Make sure that your company meets the appropriate health and safety legislations by ordering your Safety Signs from Label Source today.
Warning symbols are everywhere. Those black-and-yellow triangles can be found in offices, on construction sites, at your child's school, and sometimes even in seemingly gentler places like parks and swimming pools.
But do you know what those symbols mean? The ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) strive to ensure that the imagery used on warning signs and labels is as simple and as straightforward as possible, and yet you'd be flabbergasted by the number of people who can't name a common hazard from its corresponding warning symbol.
With that in mind, let's have a quick health and safety lesson - all of the following symbols are used internationally, and each one can be found in Label Source's Warning Symbol Labels department. Would you have known what they all meant?
Here's an easy one to start with - this is an electrical warning symbol, used to warn of hazards that may cause electric shocks or electrocution.
This hot surface warning symbol is somewhat less common, but it's just as important - used correctly, it will help to prevent burns and other injuries.
Do you know what this one this? It's a harmful hazard warning symbol, specifically for chemical hazards.
You may never have seen this particular symbol, but it is quite common in hospitals and laboratories. It's a laser hazard warning symbol, and given how dangerous laser radiation can be, it's another one that's very important in many cases.
Did you know all of these? There are plenty of others in our Warning Symbol Labels department - click here to expand your knowledge further!
