On average, British people are less likely to recycling in the workplace than at home. With the majority of us happily recycling in the comforts of our own domestic bliss, these efforts tend to go out of the window once we clock-in.

There is a multitude of reasons as to why recycling in the workplace is more difficult than in a domestic setting, but businesses can make small changes to temper this tendency.

Encouraging recycling at work can be made easy by following best practice or proper use of recycling bags. Here, we explain how to improve recycling in the workplace.

Stock Up on Recycling Bags

As a business, you need to ensure your staff members have the resources required to recycle. A plentiful stock of recycling bags means you can be prepared for days when more people are on-site and when more waste is being produced than usual.

Not having the supplies to help your staff recycle can leave them demotivated and send strong signals that you, as a business, do not care about the issue enough.

Recycling bags should be of high quality, too. A strong, heavy-duty woven polypropylene make-up is recommended for the bags due to its durability. Label Source exclusively stocks these thanks to their usefulness in a wide array of industries.

Strategically Place Recycling Bins

In order to action recycling procedures in the workplace, you need to place bins strategically to proactively facilitate recycling. You want the act of putting waste in the correct bins to be almost subconscious for your staff, so putting the paper recycling bin near the printer or the food waste recycling bin in the kitchen can naturally increase recycling rates.

Placing a recycling bin next to all rubbish bins helps, too. We understand that all workplaces are busy and staff members do not want to spend much time thinking about the act of recycling. If you think about the placement of recycling bins, then this will naturally encourage recycling at work. 

Removing individual bins from under desks and workspaces is encouraging, too. If a staff member has a personal bin near their workstation, then they’re much more likely to put rubbish away there than at designated recycling points.

Educate and Communicate with Staff

Stocking up on recycling bags and bins isn’t going to improve your workplace’s recycling immediately. Your staff members need to be communicated with and educated, especially when it comes to using the correct recycling bins and cutting down on ‘wishcycling’.

‘Wishcycling’ is what happens when someone is unsure if a piece of waste is recyclable and/or which bin it goes in. Instead, they opt to recycle it in a random receptacle, but this causes problems later down the line. Educating staff on the long-term effects of ‘wishcycling’, and what each bin is used for, will not only increase the rate of recycling, but also its efficiency.

Recycling information can be cascaded at team meetings, delivered through internal emails, and via posters around the workplace. It’s also important to let all of your staff know why the company is attempting to increase rates of recycling and connect them with a sense of shared responsibility.  

Conduct a Full Waste Review

An annual waste review ensures your business is continually improving its recycling and not stagnating. The review compromises of two stages:

• A preliminary waste review – identification of the main waste produced and the costs of disposal.
• A detailed waste review – the plan to manage a business’ waste.

These reviews will inform your ongoing strategy and set up a long-term plan to improve recycling in the workplace.

Are You Eco-Conscious?

Having signs such as recycling signs, waste segregation signage and resource conservation signs and notices are recommended to get you up to standard.

However, if you’re truly looking to improve your workplace’s recycling potential, then check out the range of high-quality recycling bags from Label Source. These bags are the first step in ensuring you and your staff members are ready to face the modern challenges of an eco-friendly workplace.

Despite only forming 1.8% of Britain’s workforce, agriculture accounts for 19% of in-work fatal injuries. From injuries with machinery and falls from height to lifting mishaps and hazardous substances, agriculture is filled with hazards for both workers and those passing through farmland.  In addition to injuries and direct threats to life, the rate of illness is significantly higher in agriculture than other industries.

As such, it is of utmost importance that farmland, machinery and areas where cattle are being held is properly signposted. Below, we list the essential farm safety signs required to keep an agricultural business running well.

What Needs to Be Signposted?

Farms are full of hazards, but breaking down what needs to be signposted can make things a lot easier. Namely, an agricultural business must signpost:

• Areas of cattle. For example, “Beware of the Bull” for pastures that have a bull in them or “Sheep grazing” for sheep.
• Cattle grids, especially those near public footpaths.
• Areas with high volumes of chemical spraying. For example, pesticides or warehouses where cattle are cleaned.
• Areas with rural pursuits, such as shooting.
• Common pathways for tractors.
• Public footpaths and private property.
• Farm equipment. For example, crop dusters. Automatic machinery is an especially dangerous facet of farming, so these need separate signs.
• Miscellaneous hazards. For example, agrochemicals, dust hazards and barbed wire.

Overall, paying due diligence and signposting everything is essential to both keeping agricultural workers and members of the public safe, and to pass HSE scrutiny.

The Most Common Farm Safety Signs in the UK

The most common agriculture signs and symbols in the UK have to do with cattle, bulls, sheep and horses. Associated with this is the “Caution Cattle grid” sign which will be a common site for those living in rural areas. 

Other common signs will be to do with farm management such as warning signs for electric fences, warnings for machinery, public footpath signs and signs signalling the beginning of private property.

What Does the HSE and Law Say?

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 places responsibility on all companies and individuals to ensure provision is made for health and safety at work.

This includes agricultural industries who must, as far as is reasonably practicable, care for the health, safety and long-term welfare of employees and those who can be affected.

The HSE expects farms to have their own safety policy specific to themselves, organise workers, and set standards. According to the HSE, internal safety policy should be:

• Bespoke to the farm
• State general aims for employee health
• Accept responsibility for the safety of those your farm affects
• Outline the responsibilities of specific members of staff
• Describe systems and procedures
• Ensure there are enough resources in place to achieve this plan.

To partner this internal policy, farms must carry out risk assessments. A risk assessment is made up of five distinct parts:

• Identify hazards. A hazard is anything that can cause harm, but you also need to consider the risk associated with this hazard.
• Consider who is most at risk and who may be harmed.
• Evaluate risk and put in place precautions. If you can, get rid of the hazard, but this isn’t always possible, you need to put precautions in place should someone be harmed by it.
• Put learnings into practice.
• Ensure controls stay consistent and review the risk assessment continually.

Interested in Farm Safety Signs?

If you are interested farm safety signs and agricultural essentials such as equine safety signs, then browse our range here at Label Source.

Emergency glow sticks are very rarely top of an emergency survival kit, but if you ever find yourself in a disaster situation, they are incredibly useful tools. Glow sticks can tolerate extreme temperatures and unlike flashlights, they do not rely on an energy source.

As a source of reliable ambient light, there is no better. Here, we list why glow sticks are more than a party or festival staple.

Resilience and Longevity

The key selling point of emergency glow sticks is their longevity and resilience. As mentioned, glow sticks can work in extreme conditions including considerably high or low temperature and volatile weather. The reaction may be significantly slower in cold conditions and faster in warmer climates, but it’ll still work.

By contrast, while flashlights are useful, they sometimes suffer in extreme conditions due to their reliance on batteries, and their usefulness in certain weather conditions is limited.

Partnering this resilience are their long-life properties. Emergency glow sticks can last up to 12 hours, so when multiple sticks are used, their longevity  dwarfs other light sources such as controlled fires and flashlights. While most glow sticks cannot reach the high light levels of other light sources, they are simply unparalleled when it comes down to consistent, low-level light.

Consistent Light Output

The consistent light output of glow sticks is what makes them such a staple. The majority of glow sticks last for a long period of time, though, some can be designed to emit a large amount of light, but in a shorter timeframe.

The consistent light output makes them suitable in areas such as cellars, places underground, tunnels, castle dungeons and sewers.

The malleability and longevity of a glow stick’s light potential is thanks to the use of dye and chemicals, which relies solely on carbon dioxide. By relying on such a plentiful element, glow sticks guarantee consistency, something that other light sources cannot.

Waterproof, Non-Flammable and Easy to Use

Glow sticks are waterproof, non-flammable and easy to use, meaning they can be used in a number of emergency situations. If you’re in physical trouble, it doesn’t take too much exertion to use, which is why they’re a staple for those going on hikes, rock climbing and other activities that could leave them potentially hurt and stranded.

The waterproof nature of glow sticks allows them to be used in floods, too, plus their non-flammable nature means there is virtually no risk to using them in any situation.

Choice of Colours

Glow sticks have a range of colours that can function differently depending on the situation. Typically, the most popular colours are green and yellow, with orange coming in at a distant third. The reasons for the popularity of these colours are their strength, but other shades can function well in certain conditions.

Usually, though, you’ll want to opt for the green or yellow shades for optimum output.

A Long Shelf Life

Glow sticks can last up to 4 years in foil packaging and 1 year out of it, meaning they can stay in a survival bag for a significant amount of time. If glow sticks are preserved in colder conditions, too, they can last even longer.

The long shelf life is another string in the product’s dependable bow. As a long-term solution to night-time and disaster safety, there is simply nothing better than emergency glow sticks.

Are You Prepared?

If you haven’t got any emergency glow sticks in your home or first-aid kit, then consider the range from Label Source.

For more on the ever-changing world of labels and safety, be sure to follow Label Source on Facebook and Twitter.

“Fire safety at work” is a phrase that gets many employees rolling their eyes– for some, there’s nothing worse than getting put through a fire drill at work or listening to fire safety information for the umpteenth time. However, fire safety is no joke, and there’s a long history of evidence as to why a well-oiled safety protocol saves lives.

Recent events in the Amazon and in France show us that fire safety protocol is something that’s only really appreciated when a crisis occurs. Having routine, procedure and an array of fire equipment safety signs works to react to and proactively prevent fires.

Here, we list how to maintain fire safety at work, from safety signs to fire drills.

Fire Equipment Safety Signs

Employers and duty holders are legally responsible and obligated to keep their employees safe. Proactively preventing fires is the safest and most efficient method to achieve this responsibility.

The best way to achieve this is by using clear, legible safety signs placed at vital points in a business’s premises. Each safety sign needs to adhere to UK, EU and international standards, including ISO EN 7010, BS 5499 and the Safety Signs and Signals Regulations 1996. Key areas must be signposted, including:

• Fire doors.
• Fire exits.
• “Keep shut” signs.
• Fire Action notes and instructions.
• Disabled guidance safety.
• Fire equipment (extinguishers, alarms, etc.).

These signs not only help ensure safety at times of panic, but it allows a workforce to be continually reminded of procedure for escape when on work premises. Once your signs are in place, the best way to improve fire safety at work is repetition of drills and procedure.

Repetition: The Importance of Fire Drills

Fire drills give employees a chance to practice emergency procedures and employers an opportunity to review their protocols in a safe, simulated environment. Even if you’ve properly signposted your workplace and dropped volumes of safety literature on your employees’ desks, it means nothing if you don’t put it into practice.

Primarily, the goal of a fire drill is to determine if your employees understand your fire safety protocol and can carry them out. Not only is it important to run a fire drill on a trimonthly basis, but it is equally important to review, make notes and analyse places where your fire health and safety in the workplace is not up to standard.

Alongside fire drills, reviewing the workplace with an assessment is essential in producing a watertight fire safety foundation. During an assessment, you must:

• Identify all fire hazards.
• Identify members of staff at risk.
• Identify temporary staff, contractors and on-site visitors at risk.
• Remove, reduce and evaluate risks.
• Record findings and keep on record.
• Review and update the assessment regularly and keep staff informed.

Assessments are another learning opportunity for your business, especially when used preceding or after a fire drill.

Trust Procedure

Overall, once fire safety signs are in place, drills are scheduled and assessments are rigorously undertaken, you need to trust procedure and repetition. By reminding staff, through drills, assessments and changes to business protocol, they will be more than ready should a fire breakout or threaten.  

Don’t Take Any Chances

If you wish to improve your fire safety at work, then check out our range of fire equipment safety signs. Our entire range satisfies UK, EU and international standards, keeping your employees and your business safe.

After 25 years of trading and being an authoritative voice in the ever-changing world of labels, Label Source director Colin Penfold reflects on the company’s journey and how its expertise, reach and knowledge in the industry has grown.

Label Source was formed as a limited company in September 1994, although it had been trading for two years prior to that. We had previous experience of supplying ranges of labels, signs, tapes and tags from a catalogue (as this prior to the growth of online sales on the internet). The key objective was to provide a wide selection of products in low quantities of issue to service the UK market primarily. The market place is very diverse ranging from Government Departments, NHS, Manufacturing, Education (Universities, Colleges, Schools), Construction, Facilities Management to name but a few.

Bill George, who ended up as MD of that company, joined Label Source afterwards and worked with us until his retirement last year. So between us we had over 50 years’ experience in the industry.

The aim was to select the most cost-effective method of manufacture, rather than being constrained by in-house print capacity, where efforts are sometimes used to try and fit work on machines, which they are totally unsuited.

Besides offering ranges of products to British, EU and international requirements for standard format products, another element was to provide a custom printing service, where technical advice would be given on the suitability of products so that they were fit for purpose.

An inhibiting factor in the early years was the amount and frequency of catalogues issued compared with some of our larger competitors, although many had a much more limited range of products with a concentration on health and safety signs only.

Our products are manufactured by various print processes including hot foil, screen, flexographic, letterpress, digital printing, chemical etching, laser and rotary engraving and metal pressings.

Materials are varied including synthetic pressure-sensitive films, such as vinyl, polyester, polypropylene, security materials, rigid and semi-rigid plastics, metals (anodised aluminium, brass, stainless steel in different grades), internal and external engraving laminates.

The major factor to give parity against large competitors was the advent of the internet, and particularly when shopping carts were introduced. We are now on our fifth generation website, and the last four have operated with shopping carts. These have become more sophisticated over the years, although many of the key factors have remained fairly consistent in the last 10 years, there have been trends towards more mobile purchasing.

There have been developments, especially on adhesive technology, with the introduction of super-adhesives, the improvements in availability of material substrate choice (particularly in digital printing), and laminates.

Key product types include asset marking tags, health and safety signs to latest ISO regulations, pipeline marking tapes, labels and tags, equipment marking including CE standards, quality and calibration labels and tags.

As for myself, I initially began work with AB Electronics, the Irish Export Board and BT. At BT, I was the Marketing Manager for the Label Centre, part of the BT Manufacturing Group, for six years. Here, my expertise in the industry of labels grew with my experience. As part of this job, I helped supply British Telecom, the Post Office and other organisations with several label catalogues, including safety signs. My experience at BT gave me the expertise to flourish at Label Source, as well as the industry knowledge to help make it what it is today.

Looking back, 25 years have flown by, and we’re excited to see how the industry will change going forward!

As always, if you need anything from the world of labels, check out our range and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter.