Notice signs are everywhere. Whether they are warning about small issues like wet paint or dangers like slippery floors, notice signs help keep people informed and protected.

However, proper use of notice signs is vital. Clumsy placement and lack of integration into existing safety policy can have a litany of knock-on effects. Warning signs in the workplace are essential to signpost hazards and keep staff safe, so care and attention is required.

Below, we discuss the importance of safety signs, what notice signs mean and how to use them as part of your workplace safety policy. 

The Different Types of Notice Signs

The purpose of notice signs and stands is to inform people of potential dangers. Notice signs are usually bright yellow with bold black lettering so people can more easily recognise them. There are a variety of notice signs and stands available, namely:

• Cleaning-in-progress signs
• Maintenance signs
• Out-of-use signs
• Fork-lift trucks signs
• Wet floor signs

Notice signs can be markedly different. However, they are all unified by their central goal of improving safety. Each notice sign meaning is understood through the use of clear lettering and a harmonised, distinct symbol.

How to Use Notice Stands & Signs

When it comes to using notice stands and signs, you need to follow two methods of best practice:

• Place them in an area where they are visible.
• Integrate them into existing safety practices.

The HSE advises that “[the] long-term visibility of the warning signs, i.e., lighting, degradation due to exposure to UV, corrosion, size, positioning, orientation should be considered”. This means that, where possible, notice signs should be placed in areas where activity and exposure won’t damage them.

As for integrating them into a safety policy, ensure the usage of notice signs is written into your company’s safety documentation. For example, if a member of staff is handling paint, or if they spill something on the floor, it should be in the written process to use a notice sign afterwards.

Without a safety policy a worker understands, notice signs are practically useless; they need to be unilaterally used across the business.

Looking For High-Quality Notice Signs

If you’re going to use notice signs, then you want them to last. Our range of notice signs can be easily stored and used for a long time, plus we have a variety of options for different safety hazards.

Where there are pipes, there is flow. Sometimes, the flow of a pipe’s contents is obvious. At other times, such as with diagonal or horizontal piping, it can be difficult to ascertain.

That’s where flow direction tape comes in. This nifty tape can help plumbers and construction workers identify where gas or liquid flow is coming from, thus keeping them safe.

Below, we discuss what flow direction is in more detail, and how to use it. 

What is Flow Direction Tape?

Flow direction tape is literal – it identifies the flow of gas or liquid in a pipe. This is important for maintaining safety during maintenance, safety assessments and renovations.

Identifying the flow of gas or liquid in a pipe is a prerequisite to numerous plumbing protocols. Without flow direction tape, it can take longer to identify and rectify issues with pipework.

Flow direction tape helps by not only showing the direction of water in the pipe but by being resistant, too. The majority of flow direction tapes are resistant at a variety of temperatures, and their adhesives still work from around -10°C to 50°C.

How to Use Flow Direction Tape

Flow direction tape is reasonably easy to use, but application errors can have negative long-term effects. For this reason, it’s important to get it right. To apply flow direction tape, you must:

• Identify the flow of gas or liquid for a pipe. It’s important to establish this beforehand, as using the tape incorrectly can mean safety hazards later down the road.
• To correctly establish the water flow, simply find the location of the pump and work from there. For a more accurate assessment, there are a variety of longitudinal calculations and equipment a professional can use.
• After establishing flow, use a tape in the direction of that flow. Ensure it is pressed down firmly, and turn off any hot water for the adhesive to settle.
• Place tapes along the pipe so they are easily read at various points. Tapes are typically applied at drain valves, flange joints and ducting.

It is also important to use the right pipeline tape colour:

• Ochre - Gases
• Green – Water
• Light Grey – Steam
• Violet – Acids and Alkalis
• Red - Fire Services
• Light Blue – Air
• Brown – Minerals and Oils

Get High-Quality Flow Direction Tape Today

At Label Source, we stock a variety of flow indication tapes which provide high-quality and good value. If you require pipework maintenance, then you need to check out our range of pipe identification products.

How do you keep wires safe, and how do you truly know if electrical equipment is secure? Ever since the advent of electricity, employers and workplaces have endeavoured to keep electrical equipment safe.

Thankfully, the (BS 7671) Wiring Regulations have been developed to apply a nationwide standard of electrical safety.

Below, we discuss what BS 7671 is, why wiring labels are needed and give a short history of why the regulations are important.

What Do The BS 7671 Wiring Regulations Protect?

The regulations specifically put action plans in place, primarily to protect against the risk of fire from electrical wiring. In addition to protecting against fire, the regulations:

• Protect against electric shock.
• Protect against thermal effects and damage.
• Protect against voltage.

For this reason, BS 7671 is mandatory and far-reaching. If electricity is being passed through a device, then BS 7671 regulations must be followed with appropriate labels. 

The History of BS 7671

The origins of BS 7671 can be traced back to 1882. In that year, after electricity began to enter more households, a document entitled “Rules and Regulations for the Prevention of Fire Risks Arising from Electric Lighting” was published.

These rules were expanded on in 1897 with “General Rules recommended for Wiring for the Supply of Electrical Energy". As electricity and technology developed, these initial rules were iterated upon.

Since 1882, there have been 18 editions published. The most recent edition was released in 2018, with an amendment in 2020.

Each edition and amendment usually concerns a new technology. For example, the 2020 amendment dealt with car charging.

The Role of Inspection BS 7671 Labels

So, why are BS 7671 labels needed? Under the 17^th edition of the BS 7671 Regulations published in 2008, all electrical equipment must have identifiable labels on them covering the item’s inspection details. These labels include:

• Installation inspection labels.
• Three-phase colour coding.
• Distribution board details.
• Cable schematics.
• Circuit breaker information.

Overall, the labels should provide as much information as possible in a clear, concise manner.

Make Sure You’re Regulation Ready

If your workplace uses complex electrical equipment, then you may need BS 7671 labels. Our range of wiring labels can help by allowing you to present all the necessary information to stay within the latest regulations.

Underground warning tapes have several key uses in multiple industries:

• Identifying electrical cables.
• Spotting potentially dangerous underground cables such as fire mains and gas pipelines.
• Establishing and highlighting fibre-optic cables and internet lines.
• Organising telephone wires and communication lines.
• Protecting cables during excavation. 

To keep their use standardised and recognisable across disciplines, a colour code must be followed. Below, we discuss what the underground warning tape colour code is and why it’s important.

The Underground Warning Tape Colour Code

In total, there are 8 colours in the underground warning tape specification:

• Red – electric power lines, conduits and cables.
• Green – sewage and drain lines.
• Purple – survey markings.
• Orange – telecommunications.
• Blue – drinking water.
• White – excavation limits.
• Yellow – gas, oil, steam and other flammables.
• Purple – reclaimed water and irrigation.

Why Do We Need An Underground Warning Tape Specification?

Simply put, a colour-coded system helps prevent accidents. Let’s say someone needed to perform maintenance on a drinking water line (blue). They would need to know if it was near any drainage systems (green), flammables (yellow) or reclaimed water (purple) before beginning maintenance.

To maintain safety further, pipes typically have different materials based on what they carry. For example, water pipes, telecommunications and electric cables are usually covered in black plastic, while gas pipes are usually in iron or steel pipes.

However, the colour-coding system isn’t infallible. Some of the work maintenance services undertake is on older infrastructure. As such, the HSE advises caution even in the presence of tapes, as:

• Older pipes may not conform to the current colour-coded system.
• Colours may have faded, or appear different under certain lighting.
• Pipes could be used by different services, so material may not be 100% accurate.

Underground warning tapes are there to complement the expertise of maintenance services. While they aren’t an infallible safety net, they do provide an extra layer of protection.

Get High-Quality Underground Warning Tapes

At Label Source, we stock a range of high-quality underground warning tape for a variety of industries. If you require assistance in maintaining underground cables, then our stock is here to help.

The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) is an agreed-upon set of rules managed by the United Nations. The system has several objectives:

• Classifying all health, environmental and chemical hazards.
• Ensuring presented information falls within international standards.
• Ensuring this system remains the same across UN nations.

However, as you can imagine, putting together such a comprehensive system across borders with separate laws, industries and cultures pose a challenge.

Below, we’ll breakdown what GHS labels are, as well explain its recent history.

What are GHS Labels?

GHS labels are simply labels which fall in line with the GHS’s requirements. They provide a brief overview of the hazard, how to deal with it and the steps to take afterwards.

We’ve discussed this in-depth with our blog: What Is A GHS Label and Why Is It Used?

When was GHS Introduced?

The Globally Harmonized System was officially introduced in 2003. However, this was the result of a long battle to get such a system introduced, which began in Rio in 1992.

In 1992, the Brazilian city hosted an event called the Earth Summit. There, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) – responsible for setting international labour standards – and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – responsible for stimulating world trade - collaborated.

By taking aboard the concerns from multiple international governments and key stakeholders, they were able to put the foundation in place to create a “globally harmonized hazard classification and compatible labelling system”. The motivation for this was two-fold:

• To improve international safety standards.
• To remove safety hurdles in trade.

The aim was to get the system up and running by 2000, but organisers ran into issues and the need for expansion. In 1999, the GHS system was incorporated into the Committee of Experts on Transport of Dangerous Goods.

2002 saw the creation of an implementation plan after much back-and-forth. Then, after review, implementation was ready for 2003.  

Since then, modernisation of GHS has occurred in line with new standards and requirements from the market; it essentially exists as a living document, usually iterated upon every two years.

What was the Impact of GHS?

The GHS had a number of immediate benefits, including:

• Improving the consistency of information supplied to employees.
• Providing the first international standardised approach to chemicals, hazards and data.
• Making the use of datasheets to log accidents and risks the standard.
• Enabling workers to understand signs and labels across cultural and language barriers.

Underpinning this was a greater awareness of personal safety around chemicals and other hazards, which naturally weaved into the improvement we’ve seen in health and safety standards since the millennium.

Explore GHS-Approved Labels Today

If you’re searching for GHS-approved labels, we have you covered. Discover high-quality GHS labels today.