Any moving machinery or equipment in the workplace has the potential to cause injury to users. Even fully trained operatives following procedures, with fully maintained machines, with prescribed safety features and using appropriate protective clothing and equipment, have to be mindful that things can go wrong.

A whole range of differing injuries can be sustained including:

Entanglement between moving or rotating machinery, whether this be contact with hair, hands, jewellery or clothing. This can include equipment utilising rollers, belts or pulley drives.

Crush injuries from pinch points, or from being struck by moving parts.

Entrapment can result from being ensnared between different parts of the equipment, or between equipment and walls or other objects.

Cut and abrasion injuries can be caused by blades, shears or other sharp pointed component parts.

Electric shock injuries from direct exposure to machinery powered by mains voltages.

Burns and scalds from contact with hot surfaces, or ejected fluids or hot gases.

In the UK between the period, 2010/11 and 2014/15, 20% of all fatalities from accidents through contact with machinery in the manufacturing sector (Riddor). Annually around 70,000 self-reported injuries are recorded annually, and almost 29% of these result in absences of over 7 days duration (Labour Force Survey). The higher incident of above average workplace injuries can be found in firstly, skilled metal, electrical and electronic trades, and secondly, process, plant and machine operatives.

One key area to reinforce the message of vigilance when using such machines, equipment or tooling is to clearly mark the dangers during operation or maintenance and servicing is to use recognised safety signs and machine labels. Label Source has a comprehensive range of such products for use on machinery or their areas of operation. These include; electrical hazard safety signs; lockout products; general hazard warning signs; personal protective safety signs; chemical hazard safety warning signs; and safety labelling.

For more information on these products, together with customised labelling please contact Label Source by e-mail (sales@labelsource.co.uk) or by telephone 0800 3761693 (in UK) or +44 (1443) 842769 (outside UK).

Health and safety helps countless people all over the world every day. It helps people to stay safe at work, in public places, and even in their own homes, and it ensures that those who put the safety of others at risk don't get away with it. Health and safety is an important and useful industry with a vital role to play in the modern world.

Sadly, as we've seen time and again, many people seem to think that health and safety's primary purpose is to serve as an all-purpose excuse for any occasion. The latest manifestation of this attitude came just yesterday, when a hotel in Llangollen, Denbighshire closed down without notice and pinned the blame on - you guessed it - "health and safety concerns" (source). The Wild Pheasant's management have cancelled all bookings, including wedding receptions, and placed the business into the hands of administrators, but no explanation appears to have been given beyond the one token mention of H&S.

This sort of thing is incredibly damaging to the health and safety industry, and especially to public opinion thereof. Many UK citizens are already far too sceptical of health and safety measures (or 'red tape'), and stories like this don't help at all. The closure of the Wild Pheasant will no doubt cause a good deal of disruption to numerous people's plans, and those individuals will now have to seek refunds and entirely reorganise their holidays or even their weddings. It's not hard to see how the people in that position might end up resenting the "health and safety concerns" that we're told led to this closure.

So, business owners of Britain, it's time to make a pledge: please do not blame health and safety for problems that have nothing to do with measures that, at the end of the day, are only there to protect people. And if you do genuinely feel that H&S is somehow the root of your troubles, at least give a more specific explanation than 'we're closing due to health and safety concerns'!

For more H&S news and insight, be sure to follow Label Source on Twitter.

Photo by Josie Campbell (geograph.org.uk)

It states in the Health and Safety (Safety Sign and Signals) Regulations 1996 the following "The regulations to ensure that safety signs are provided (or are in place) and maintained in circumstances where there is significant risk to health and safety that has not been removed or controlled by other methods" so in order to comply with the regulations you must ensure that there is safety and warning signs in place or you could face some serious penalties. But what if there is space restrictions stopping your from putting these signs in place? These Small Safety Signs are perfect for that exact reason!

These Small Safety Signs are made from semi-rigid plastic and have an adhesive backing allowing them to stick to any surface with ease! These labels cover the full range of safety sign classifications from Fire Equipment (e.g. Fire Extinguisher, Fire Alarms and Fire Assembly Points) to Mandatory Signs, such as "Wear Eye Protection" signs and "Wear Mask" signs. Each sign is colour coded and complies with ISO1070 and the Safety Sign and Signals Regulations 1996. These signs are perfect if space restrictions are stopping you from placing safety and warning signs in the area. 

Click here to view our full range of Small Safety Signs.

A few days ago, it emerged that Tata Steel had been fined over £2m, after two serious incidents occurred at its Northamptonshire site. Both of these involved workers sustaining severe hand injuries, as a result of avoidable contact with dangerous machinery.

The first of these incidents involved a 26 year old worker, who lost the middle and ring fingers on his left hand, after trying to clear a blockage on a manufacturing line with unsuitable guarding. The second incident occurred in 2015,  when a 52 year old lost part of his little finger after it became caught in a lathe, again, due to unsuitable guarding on the machinery.

Although a spokesman for Tata was quoted as stating that health and safety is the company's most important priority, serious questions must be raised after two near identical incidents took place within months of one another, on the same premises no less! It is clear from the evidence found upon inspection by the HSE, that there was an obvious neglect of duty in terms of properly identifying the serious risks posed to Tata workers, as well as a failure to resolve this issue after the first incident occurred. 

It shouldn't take a serious injury or fatality to make a company take their health and safety procedures seriously, and one would hope that it wouldn't take multiple incidents for a company to implement serious changes. Perhaps the only consolation going forward, is that other companies will be struck by the severity of the issue, and therefore implement better prevention strategies in their own workplaces. 

For anyone concerned with avoiding the mistakes made by Tata, remember to follow a simple but impactful health and safety strategy:

• Educate - Ensure that staff are thoroughly trained before operating dangerous machinery, or performing hazardous tasks without supervision.
• Inform -  Make staff aware of the risks involved in their operations, displaying safety signs and warnings to keep the message fresh in people's minds.
• Protect - Ensure that the correct safety features are in place to minimise potential risks, and provide the required personal protective equipment.
• Asses - Regularly evaluate the level of safety in your workplace, and identify any potential risks that require preventative action.

For more health and safety news and advice, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Google+

Over the years, we at Label Source have worked with many clients in both the NHS and the private hospital sector. We provide these customers with a range of fit-for-purpose medical equipment labels for hospitals, included custom-printed labels as well as a variety of different items from our standard product ranges.

We have worked with many different departments who have used our medical equipment labels for hospitals, including:

• EBME
• Electronics
• Engineering
• Bio-Medical
• Building Services, Facilities & Estates
• IT & Computer Services

What are our medical equipment labels for hospitals suitable for? 

The labels we supply can be used in the testing, servicing, maintenance and calibration of medical equipment. They are suitable for mechanical, electrical (including PAT testing), and radiation equipment. Additionally, many of the labels we provide are used to identify ownership and improve traceability of medical equipment (as well as plant and ancillary equipment) via serial numbers or barcodes. Our labels can also be used to simply identify the prescribed use of the equipment in question.

All of our medical equipment labels for hospitals are designed to meet the unique challenges that take place in a clinical environment. They are resistant to solvents, chemicals and scratches, with a wipe-clean surface for optimum hygiene.

Browse the Label Source website to find the medical equipment labels for hospitals you need, or get in touch via one of the methods below to discuss your labelling requirements with a member of our team.

• Email:info@labelsource.co.uk
• Telephone (UK only): 0800 3761 693
• Telephone (Rest of the World): 0044 1443 842769

Here are some of the other products we supply to the healthcare sector:

• Health and safety signs (including those manufactured to NHS guideline HTM 65)
• COSHH labels and tapes
• Laboratory labels and tapes
• Magnetic signs for transporting dangerous substances
• Printable labels (also available for thermal transfer printers)
• Write and seal labels