PPE is a hot topic in the UK now. Most coverage has rightfully dealt with the more overt types of PPE such as masks, goggles and gloves. PPE, however, is a broad term, and signs are included under its vast umbrella.

PPE signs and symbols are an oft-forgotten aspect of personal safety in the workplace. They play an essential role in managing protective behaviour by reinforcing safety and keeping staff accountable.

Below, we discuss the place PPE signs have, what mandatory signs certain businesses must have and how they are designed to keep people safe.

What is PPE?

PPE refers to “personal protective equipment”. Broadly, there are eight categories of PPE:

• Respiratory protection – such as ventilators or breathing masks
• Eye protection – such as goggles or spectacles
• Hearing protection – such as ear plugs or earmuffs
• Hand protection – such as gloves or protective cream
• Foot protection – such as specialised boots and shoes
• Head protection – such as helmets or hoods
• Height protection – such as harnesses
• Skin protection – such as long-sleeved or hi-viz clothes and sun creams

From doctors on the frontline protecting themselves from infection to outdoor workers protecting themselves from the sun, PPE is there to keep people safe on multiple levels.

Legally, employers have certain responsibilities when it comes to PPE. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employees cannot be charged for the provision of PPE. Under Section 9, the law states:

"No employer shall levy or permit to be levied on any employee of his any charge in respect of anything done or provided in pursuance of any specific requirement of the relevant statutory provisions".

This means, as an employer, it is your legal duty to supply PPE without charge.

How Can PPE Signs Help?

PPE doesn’t end with equipment, however. You need to keep your employees trained in its use and put proactive measures in place to keep them reminded of that training.

This is where PPE signs come in. PPE signs are mandatory signs that are put in place to remind employees to wear what is needed properly.

All of these signs consist of a blue circle with a white background and text panel:

They are easily recognisable, but employers must make an effort for them to be seen by staff and the public (if relevant).

It’s very simple to understand what these mandatory signs mean. They are purposefully and concisely designed to maximise safety and ensure understanding irrelevant of language or cultural barriers.

Perhaps the most recognisable PPE symbols in the UK is the “wear head protection” sign. It’s simple, clear and communicates quickly that headgear needs to be worn.

Fundamentally, PPE signs are there for moments where employees may forget a key stage of their PPE preparation. It’s a much-needed safety net that ultimately saves lives.

Get PPE Signs Today

If you have staff that require PPE, then don’t forget that you need signs, too. Discover our full range of PPE signs today. Be sure to check out our range of social distancing signs, too, to stay safe and accountable. 

Identifying pipes is essential to keep workers safe and maintenance organised. No plumber or engineer wants to work on unidentified pipes.

Not only must labels be placed correctly, but the correct colours need to satisfy a specific colour scheme which communicates a pipe’s contents.

Discover how to use pipe identification labels in line with British standards, here.

BS 1710 Pipe Marking Standards

This legislation was penned in 1984 to direct how pipelines, ducting and electrical cables should be labelled.

Labels and tapes are essential to warn of the risks associated with certain pipelines. Without these standards, accidents and injuries occur.

These standards dictate that certain colours should be used in specific patterns, and these colours are listed in an associated colour code.

The Colour Code

The BS 1710 colour code has three categories:

• Basic Identification Colours (8 colours)
• Safety Colours (4 colours)
• Code and Other Colours (11 colours)

The basic identification colours used are dependent on the type of liquid a pipe is transporting. They are as follows:

• Water - Green 12D45
• Steam – Silver-Grey 10A03
• Oils – Brown 06C39
• Gases – Yellow ochre 08C35
• Acids & Alkalis – Violet 22C37
• Air – Light blue 20E51
• Electrical – Orange 06E51
• Fire services – Red 04E53
• Other – Black 00E53

Safety colours are an addition to the basic identification colours and are used by emergency services. The other colours category is not of primary focus for labelling and safety.

How to Apply Pipe Identification Labels Correctly

The BS 1710 standards require information to be conveyed in set ways. Pipe content names, symbols, numbers or abbreviations must be printed in black or white, whichever has the best contrast.

As for application, the labels must be placed directly onto the pipe, so they’re legible. The background colour of the label must match the safety identification colour from the above colour code.

Not only that, but the label must also convey information through one of the following methods:

• The full name of the pipe’s contents
• A common abbreviation
• The chemical symbol
• A refrigerant number
• Correct colour band

By following this code, there is plenty of information available to keep people safe and maintenance efficient.

Buy Pipe Identification Labels Today

Label Source stocks an extensive range of pipe identification labels in many colour bands. Whatever your pipe identification needs, our stock has you covered with clear and durable labels.

Controlling swathes of the public is a difficult job, but it would be impossible without the right warning systems and deterrents.

Economy hazard tape is something we have all seen around big events, accidents, construction sites and police scenes, but we never appreciate the psychological effect it has as a deterrent.

Here, we break down hazard tape regulations and when and how to use economy hazard tape.

Hazard Tape Regulation

The use of hazard tape is covered in the HSE’s ‘Protecting the Public’ guidelines. Therein, the guidelines indicate that hazard tape should be used once a perimeter is set out.

So, before any tape is put in place, you must ensure you set up a perimeter. Within this perimeter, you must perform a risk assessment and ensure there is no possibility of the public entering the cordoned-off area.

The only other guidance the HSE has is to prevent the hazard tape from becoming a tripping hazard and to work on establishing the perimeter during hours where public presence is lessened.

Detailed instructions can be found on the HSE website.

What Do Hazard Tape Colours Mean?

Yellow Hazard Tape

Yellow is used for incidents where only caution is necessary. This is a hazard area that has a low level of safety but isn’t necessarily a danger to life. Congested work areas are an example where yellow tape could be used.

Red Hazard Tape

Red is used for medium to high levels of danger. It essentially means there is a danger to life, and people should not enter without a supervisor's permission. Confined spaces, overhead dangers, and other threats are commonly behind tape like this.

Existing alongside these hazard tapes are outliers such as yellow police scene tape.

How to Use Hazard Tape Effectively

Hazard tape needs to be used with both employees and the public in mind. In order to do that, the following process should be followed:

• Determine what type of hazard tape is needed. As mentioned, yellow is used for caution, and red is used for danger. Other options have specific uses like police tape for crime scenes.
• Ensure the entrance to the hazardous area is properly labelled. Ensure the tape is secure, as you don’t want it sagging or creating bumps to trip over.
• Remove the tape only when the hazard has been eliminated.

Buy Reliable Hazard Tapes

Label Source has a pedigree in producing high-quality, reliable labels, signs and tapes. Discover our range of economy hazard tape to find out more.

What separates efficient businesses from those who aren’t? Usually, it comes down to communication. By complementing verbal communication and processes with written signs and labels, a business can improve its internal efficiency.

However, you can go a step further than simple signs and labels.

Document pockets, for example, are an excellent method of conveying information and preserving it in a protective but readable state.

Whether they’re propped on notice boards, workbenches or cabinets, information held within document pockets is safe, secure and available to its intended audience.

Discover how to use document pockets and a variety of their uses here.

How to Use Plastic Document Pockets

Heavy-duty document holders are suitable for documents that employees need to handle and sign, or to be used as short-term signs or information posters.

The use of document pockets is dependent on the information that is being put in them and where employees are likely to need it.

So, if employees are responsible for a job on their shift that needs to be noted on paper, placing this form in a document pocket near where the activity is occurring is recommended.

Uses for these relies on the type of document pocket you’re using, too.

Uses for Document Pockets

Broadly, two types of document pockets are used in industry:

• Self-adhesive spine label pockets – these offer permanent attachment to non-metal surfaces. These can be used as adhesive plastic card holders and general holders in sizes A4-A7. Suitable for non-metal racking, shelving, cabinets, workbenches and notice boards.

• Magnetic display pockets and plastic sleeves – these allow document pockets to be affixed onto metal surfaces. Thanks to their magnetism, these pockets can be moved around easily. These are suitable for metal racking, shelving, cabinets and storage containers.

Using the right document pocket in the right place can provide several efficiencies for a business. They can consolidate information, provide a chain of responsibility, remind staff of safety protocols and facilitate the development of a conscious, responsible workforce.

Discover Plastic Document Pockets

Whether it’s for work rotas or safety information, our range of heavy-duty document pockets is versatile, robust and crystal clear.

High-temperature labels, also called heat-resistant or heatproof labels, withstand the hottest of environments and meet industry expectations of a label maintaining its detail when exposed to high levels of heat.

Heat-resistant labels for candles are popular, but there are also higher-level, more technical labels for UV resistance and extreme conditions.

Below, we’ll discuss where and when to use high-temperature labels, as well as their properties.

Types of High-Temperature Labels

Different labels can have completely different interactions with heat – they’re not all made the same. Some may specialise in handling extremely high temperatures for a short amount of time, while others can operate at a moderately high temperature for a long time.

Overall, the following materials are some of the most popular temperature-resistant labels:

• PET and Polyester Labels – Hand-applied and printed with a standard thermal transfer They can withstand modest temperatures from -40 to 150°C.
• Metal – Metal labels and tags can be used as high-temperature labels. By moving from aluminium to stainless steel, metal tags can be used for some high-temperature applications.
• Polyimide – A mid-point, catch-all label type. These will withstand temperatures up to 200°C for 60 minutes. Alternatively, they can adapt to 300°C for 5 minutes.
• HP-T40 – These labels are nailed or clipped onto appropriate subjects. They can resist temperatures up to 450°C.
• CBR-CX2T – Can maintain temperatures between 20°C and 1250°C. They require a special applicator to apply and are typically reserved for niche cases.
• Ceramic – These labels are toughies, resisting temperatures up to 1250°C. Made of complex ceramic material and thermal ink, they are usually applied to metals and glass.

At Label Source, we only stock polyimide-based labels as they offer a strong middle ground. Other, higher-level labels are reserved for specialist outlets.

Where and When to Use Them

Heat-resistant labels sound like they’re reserved for the factories and engineers out there, but there’s probably one sitting in your home right now.

Candles are the most popular household item to have heat-proof labels. For household candles to sell, they need to maintain their intricately-designed labels under the heat of a flame. Nobody wants their candle label to slowly melt away, plus safety would be compromised.

For industrial uses, heat-resistant labels are typically used for electrical component identification, PCB identification, PCB applications, marking switches or sensors, high-temperature manufacturing lines, infrared ovens, soldering baths, etc.

Whenever there is a need to preserve information during or following heat, then heat-resistant labels are needed.

Handle the Heat with High-Temperature Labels

Our range of custom heat-resistant labels are printed on self-adhesive white polyimide with durable, high-quality resin-grade black thermal print.

This means you’ll be getting a versatile label that can not only handle the heat but can resist UV light, chemicals and solvents too. Check them out!