Manual handling injuries are one of the most common forms of workplace accidents. In 2013/2014 the HSE reported that such injuries were 24% of total reported incidents, and this led to 909,000 lost working days in that period. The type of manual handling injuries included repetitive strain injuries, muscle pulls, sprains and strains, trapped nerves, finger trap wounds, cuts from sharp objects, hernias, upper limb disorders as well as back problems.

Contributory factors involved in leading to such problems involve carrying, pushing or pulling loads result from twisting, stooping or bending, may involve sudden movements, or excessive travel distances, sometimes with inadequate periods for recovery. The loads may be heavy, unbalanced, difficult to grip, or may be sharp, hot or cold.

Other factors which can add to manual handling safety difficulties can include poor workspace layout or working conditions (uneven floors, inadequate lighting or poor ventilation), duration and frequency of lifting action including lengthy time in a fixed posture position, and the condition of awkward loads (such as slippery or unwieldy weights).

While there are high risk industries such as healthcare, construction, agriculture, transport and storage, these lifting actions are commonplace throughout most occupations, although many to a much lesser extent. All industrial sectors must comply with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 to provide a safe environment for lifting of loads.

Label Source’s range of manual handling signs, notices and labels can assist in drawing attention to good practice to tie in with safe working guidelines, proper on the job training, matching the suitability of the person to the demands of lifting, health screening, job rotation, handling in teams or use of mechanical aids, such as hoists, trolleys, conveyor belts or forklift trucks.

Recently, a survey carried out by IronmongersDirect revealed that many employees would not know what to do if there was a fire at their workplace. Alarmingly, 22% of people said that they would look to see what other people are doing before acting; even more shockingly, 13% of those polled said that they would simply continue with their work and ignore the alarm.

As an employer, the health and safety of your employees is your responsibility. Therefore, it is down to you to put in place and maintain the appropriate safety measures, as well as providing information on what to do in the event of a fire in your workplace. It is a legal requirement to carry out a risk assessment of your premises and review them regularly.

When carrying out a fire risk assessment, you will need to do the following:

1. Identify all potential hazards
2. Identify the people who are at risk (young children, disabled or elderly people)
3. Evaluate all risks
4. Remove or reduce all risks
5. Record your findings
6. Provide training to all members of staff
7. Review periodically to ensure that there are no new risks and that people have not forgotten the correct company fire procedure

As fire speads very quickly, it is important that everybody evacuates the building quickly, safely, and calmly. This means that you need to:

• Provide accessible escape routes, keep them free of obstacles, and mark them clearly
• Use signs to remind employees what to do in the event of a fire
• Provide a designated safe meeting point for your staff
• Clearly mark all fire equipment using the appropriate signage

Here at Label Source, we take fire safety extremely seriously. We have a huge range of emergency access and fire safety signs, including disabled guidance safety signs, access and escape signs, fire equipment safety signs and projecting fire equipment safety signs.

Remember, if your workplace is missing any crucial fire and safety signs, you could face prosecution for breaching health and safety regulations.

Here at Label Source, we don’t just deliver top quality labels and signs; we also offer our customers a large range of brass tags.

Over the years, we have seen our brass tags being used for many different purposes, from etched company logos for keys to marking industrial machinery and equipment. With our selection of different sizes and shapes, we are sure we will be able to cater to your requirements. 

Available in up to 3 different sizes and with a melting point of 900 degrees, these corrosion-resistant brass tags are perfect for valve marking and labelling your pipework around your workplace. 

Our brass tags are large enough to enter your own safety or identification information; the tags also have a low friction point. This means that they have low spark emissions, so they are safe to be used in most work environments and are excellent for labelling machinery and industrial equipment. 

If you would like to customise the tags yourself, that is no problem - our brass tags are provided in packs of 25 and are completely blank, allowing you to customise however you need. 

Click here to browse and buy our brass tags. If you have any special requirements we are able to offer these tags in different bespoke sizes & thickness. To discuss these needs, please e-mail our team on info@labelsource.co.uk.

The Fork Lift Truck Association is a European organisation that helps to keep businesses safe when using fork lift trucks. Every September, the FLTA observe Fork Lift Safety Month, a thirty-day campaign to improve safety in workplaces where fork lifts are used.

As you're probably aware, we're pretty big on health and safety here at Label Source, and so we thought we'd mark Fork Lift Safety Month with a brief list of do's and dont's for anyone who operates or works near fork lifts. These vehicles can be extremely dangerous if used improperly - please bear the following points in mind if they apply to you!

Fork Lift Safety: Do's & Dont's

• Don't operate a fork lift without proper training. Fork lift trucks should be totally off-limits to everyone except fully trained personnel.


• Do look out for others while in the driver's seat. Always watch where you're going (especially when reversing) and be aware of those around you - they may not be able to get out of the way in time!


• Don't use a fork lift to transport people. This shouldn't need saying, really, but some people sadly think it's a good idea give each other 'lifts' on the forks of a fork lift. Never offer or accept a lift - fork lifts are for transporting goods, not people!


• Do pay attention to signs. There are plenty of signs related to fork lift trucks in our Safety Signs department; for example, our 'Caution - Fork Lift Trucks' sign should be clearly displayed in any work environment where these vehicles are used. If you work in such an environment, it's important to pay attention to safety signs like this and follow any instructions they give you.

• Don't get too close to a fork lift when in use. Pedestrians should maintain a safe distance and ensure that they're not hidden from the driver's view at any point.


• Do check loads before lifting them. Make sure that they're not too heavy for the fork lift you're using, and that they're suitable for transportation by fork lift. Look out for 'No Forks' labels - any goods bearing such a label should not be lifted using a fork lift.

You should also be sure to check the fork lift itself - is it in safe working order? If not, don't use it!

Click here to see Label Source's full range of fork lift labels and safety signs.

Back in 2011, an independent review of UK health and safety legislation recommended that some self-employed workers should be exempt from health and safety laws. The government agreed to implement this change, and it's not hard to see why - after all, why should a self-employed writer who works from home be bound by the same regulations as a factory owner with a hundred employees to look after?

The new law comes into effect next month, meaning that, as of 1 October 2015, some self-employed people will be exempt from health and safety law.

Now, our self-employed readers are probably clapping their hands with glee at this point, but we must stress that this relaxation does not apply to all self-employed individuals. You're still bound by all the usual health and safety laws if:

• You employ others
• Your work poses any kind of risk to the health and safety of other people

Let's look at those two caveats in a little more detail.

If you employ others

The forthcoming change only affects people who are self-employed with no other employees of their own. Some business owners may describe themselves as 'self-employed', but in the eyes of the law, these individuals will still have a duty to ensure the health and safety of any workers they themselves employ (e.g. by delivering the appropriate training and displaying the correct safety signs around the workplace).

If your work poses a risk to others

This one is a little more subjective, but generally, you should be aware of whether or not your work puts anybody else's health and safety at risk. For example, most writers, graphic designers, and accountants will be able to count themselves exempt from October onwards, whereas gas engineers and asbestos removal experts will obviously still have to observe health and safety regulations, even if they don't employ any other workers.

If you're self-employed and you're not sure whether or not you'll be affected by this change, the Health and Safety Executive's website has a great article that should help you to work it out - click here to read it. And remember, if you are still bound by health and safety legislation, Label Source supply all the signs, labels, and tags you need to fulfil your legal responsibilities!