Earlier this week, the Daily Mail reported that funeral directors may be at increased risk of developing motor neurone disease (MND) if they work with formaldehyde. This news was based on a recent American study, which found that "men* in jobs with high probability of exposure versus no formaldehyde exposure had an almost three times greater rate of mortality from motor neurone disease".

Funeral directors sometimes use formaldehyde to embalm dead bodies (an increasingly popular option amongst grieving families who wish to view the deceased in a chapel of rest), but use of this chemical is carefully regulated - this report isn't the first to link formaldehyde to nerve damage. The aforementiond Mail article features a quote from Alan Slater, CEO of the National Association of Funeral Directors, who made it clear that health and safety guidelines are crucial for the protection of funeral directors who use formaldehyde; Slater specifically cited "the use of appropriate protective clothing and equipment" as an important factor, along with "a strict adherence to manufacturers' instructions".

Here at Label Source, we sell a wide range of products that can be used to minimise risk when using such hazardous chemicals as formaldehyde. Our COSHH signs remind employees to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and observe the relevant precautions, while our UN labels should be used to identify hazardous substances when in transit.

Visit our Hazardous Substances & Chemicals department to browse Label Source's full range of chemical hazard products.

*The same results were not observed in women, but according to the Mail article, "this could be because the amount of women in the study with exposure to high levels of formaldehyde was too small".

We sell a huge range of products here at Label Source, but what we really specialise in is made-to-order solutions. Our labels come in all sorts of sizes, shapes, colours, materials, and thicknesses, so we're confident that we can meet your requirements, no matter what they might be!

Here are some examples of the choice that's on offer:

Materials

We are capable of supplying bespoke labels in a variety of different materials, including polyester, vinyl, and aluminium foil. Some materials may be more suitable for your circumstances than others - if in doubt, feel free to contact the Label Source team for advice. We can also provide materials with built-in security features, such as tamper-proof destructible vinyl (which fragments upon attempted removal) and tamper-evident polyester (which leaves behind a permanent mark if removed).

Colours & Designs

The colour choices available to you will depend on the material you select (for example, foil labels will almost always have a metallic grey background), but even with this in mind, there are still surprisingly few limits on what we can do for you. We can even add a custom design to your labels - your company logo, for example, or another illustration of your own devising. Examples of our custom-branded labels can be found here.

Information

Our bespoke labels can be printed with practically any information, from something as simple as your company's name to something as complex as an interleaved bar code system. No matter what you're planning to use your labels for, we can provide the perfect made-to-order solution!

Contact us to discuss your labelling requirements, or try our Custom Asset Tag Builder now!

Labelling your pipes is important for a number of reasons. It makes life easier for service personnel, but more importantly, it allows you to warn of any potential hazards. For example, if your pipes carry toxic substances or dangerous gases, this should be identified using the appropriate pipe identification tape.

Pipelines need to be labelled in a number of key locations. The list below is by no means exhaustive - additional pipe labels or signage may be necessary depending on your circumstances - but it should give you a rough idea of what's required.

Pipes must be labelled at the following points:

• At the point of entry to, and exit from, any tanks, manifolds, hose connections, and elevated pipe racks
• Adjacent to any control valves, flow meters, and pumps
• Along straight lengths of pipework (with no more than 8 metres between each marking)
• Within 1 metre of passing through walls, perimeter fencing, the ground, and any other barriers
• At tee connections and other fittings
• Any other locations that have been assessed as possible hazards

If you need any tapes, tags or labels for your pipework, visit our Pipe & Valve Marking department.

As the pressure continues to redevelop brownfield sites, there is the need to dismantle defunct buildings, and provide site clearance. A paramount consideration during any demolition or structural alteration of buildings is that it is conducted safely and in a controlled manner for members of staff, sub-contractors and the general public.

Hazards can be numerous and varied, and these can include;

Falling from heights. This can include falling off the edge of building structures, through openings or off partly removed floors. Risk assessments need to be made for safe access, control of work on fragile surfaces and safe use of ladders and scaffolding structures.

Falling objects. Injuries sustained from being hit by parts of the building structure or from tools or other equipment. Exclusion areas and hard hat use, together with covered walkways and reinforced cabs on machines, and use of high reach equipment should form part of any safety plan.

Collapsed structures. Injuries from crush, lacerations and entrapment. Weight loadings, age of premises, former use of premises and surrounding structures should form part of any safety assessment.

Risks from connected services. Gas, electricity and telecommunications supply needs to be isolated or disconnected to prevent accidents. If this is not possible then any pipes or cables should be clearly identified by labelling.

Noise and vibration. Dangers exist to hearing from noise generated during demolition, and power tools need to be assessed to prevent hand vibration injuries. Suitable ear protection should be made available, and all hand held power tools (electric, pneumatic or hydraulic) need to be assessed for exposure levels established.

Hazardous materials. During removal workers can come into contact with asbestos, flammable liquids, paints and acids (covered by COSHH regulations), dust hazards, and microbiological hazards (particularly for hospitals etc.). Identification of all site hazards, and supply of protective equipment to handle such dangerous substances.

Risks from outbreak of fire.  Where sparks, heat or flames are generated during demolition there is the potential for fire.  A fire plan should be regularly updated identifying escape routes, location of fire fighting equipment and fire action training.

Risks from traffic accidents. Plant mobile equipment and vehicles used to remove debris from the site. A traffic plan should be established with designated pedestrian and vehicular routes, clearly marked crossing points, with controlled access for vehicles and establishing turning areas.

Risks from rodents and insects. Potential bites, stings and inhalation of contaminated dust from urine and faeces. It is necessary to provide protective clothing (ie gloves, dust masks), and have a policy on disposal of carcases.

Label Source can assist you with safety induction of staff and subcontractors with our range of health and safety signs to the latest legislation to identify workplace hazards, mark prescribed pedestrian and vehicle routes, fire equipment and access routes, and to identify the mandatory use of protective equipment and workwear. Also, we supply a range of construction related barrier tapes and underground utility pipe and cable marking tapes.

If you're not wholly familiar with the wide world of asset tagging, you may be surprised to see just how many different types of asset label there are. Asset marking isn't a one-size-fits-all industry; as an asset label supplier, we at Label Source have to be extremely flexible in the range that we offer.

For example...

High-security asset labels

Many of our clients request an asset labelling solution that will make it difficult for would-be thieves to remove the asset labels from the goods to which they're affixed. We have two different options for these customers: destructible asset labels, which frament on attempted removal (see image above), and tamper-evident asset labels, which leave behind a permanent pattern when removed. Both types of label make it nigh-impossible to completely eliminate the evidence of theft.

Two-part asset tags

Many business owners need two copies of each asset label: one label for the assets themselves, and a corresponding label for their records. Our dual asset labels were designed with these people in mind - each one is made up of two detachable parts, each bearing the same information.

Extra-large asset labels

There are numerous reasons why someone might need jumbo-sized asset labels for their goods and products. Their increased size makes them easily visible from greater distances, which is ideal for a crowded warehouse, but these asset labels are also ideal for large-scale assets such as plant machinery and heavy-duty factory equipment.

All of this is just the tip of the iceberg - we have a huge range of asset labels to choose from, allowing us to meet almost any set of requirements. Click here to view our full range, or use our Asset Tag Builder to create customised asset labels of your own!