ANSI stands for American National Standards Institute, a not-for-profit organisation that mediates and reviews safety standards in the United States. The organisation is responsible for products, services, personnel and, best of all, labels!

ANSI was founded by a group of engineers in 1918 and, since then, it has grown into an organisation that governs a wide range of safety policies.

So, what is the purpose of the ANSI? In total, the activity of the ANSI outside of the US includes:

• Promoting US safety standards across the world
• Advocating for US policy in international organisations
• Holding technical positions in organisations
• Facilitating the use of international safety standards

However, what does a US organisation have to do with the UK? Well, given their international activites, ANSI has a big say in UK safety policy, and this is reflected in ANSI safety symbols.

Below, we outline the role ANSI safety labels have in the UK and why it may be important for you to use them.

Why Would I Need To Use ANSI Safety Labels?

ANSI safety labels have one major benefit over their UK and EU counterparts: detailed descriptions. These descriptions breakdown the hazard, the consequences of interacting with it, and provide information on how best to avoid it.

Curious about how to use hazard labels? Don’t think you need them? Then read ‘Whoops: The Costs and Consequences of Improper Signage’ to get informed.

Overall, there are several kinds of ANSI safety labels: 

• High voltage
• Crush hazard
• Pinch point
• Chemical warnings
• Hot surface
• PPE symbols

In the UK, you will need to use COSHH labels to warn against hazards. However, if you’re exporting goods to the United States that fall into the above hazards, you will need to invest in ANSI safety symbols too.

However, these can be used in the UK to supplement certified COSHH labels should you want them to. They feature hazard symbols that comply with ISO EN 1710, so they will be recognisable in the UK.

Where Can I Get ANSI Safety Symbols?

So, where could you possibly get American National Standards Institute labels in the UK? Well, Label Source of course!

We stock a wide range of ANSI safety labels, so you can export goods and services to the US with peace of mind.

Pallet bay markers are common sights in the majority of modern factories. They play a foundational role in pallet and loading dock safety. For both forklift drivers and floor staff, they provide a layer of essential security.

Exports are significantly more fluid thanks to pallet bay markers, too. They help streamline the entire process.

Below, we discuss loading bay safety procedures and why you need pallet bay markers.

How to Use Pallet Bay Markers

So, what do pallet bay markers do, exactly? Well, they make identifying loading bays easier. This helps on two levels: the labels ensure staff do not get in the way of forklifts and loading procedures become smoother.

To ensure they are identified easily, we recommend using the following labels:

• Floor marking corners
• Floor marking circles
• Between pallet markers
• Floor marking arrows

Ideally, you would use floor marking corners to make a square where a pallet can fit. Then, in between those corners, you should use floor marking circles and between pallet markers to fill in the lines of the square. Finally, you should use a floor marking arrow to show which side the pallet should be loaded.

There are a variety of eye-catching pallet bay marker colours available, so they are easily identifiable. These are used primarily for stacking pallets from the floor, but they can be used to help organise traffic too.

Pallet Safety and Loading Bay Safety Procedures: The Law

Employers have a duty of care that they must uphold. This involves everything in the workplace, including warehouse racking and pallet safety.

We talked in-depth about warehouse racking in our detailed post, Shelve It: How to Label Warehouse Racking. This discusses the ins-and-outs of racking safety, and pallet bay safety is very similar.

An employer must follow these two laws:

• Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998

The HSE also lists guidance via HSE 76: Warehouse and Storage.

Overall, these laws and the HSE dictate that warehouse and pallet racking should be to a safe standard, regularly checked for damage and easily recognisable by the workforce.

Identification such as pallet bay labels can help employees stay aware of the risks surrounding loading bay procedures and ensure their safety stays paramount.

Get Your Pallet Bay Markers Today

If you or your business can benefit from improving your loading dock procedures, then you need pallet bay markers.

With a PVC construction, slip-resistance and a variety of colours and styles, you can buy with the knowledge that you’re getting high-quality labels and stickers.

PAT test labels are a common sight in workplaces across the world. They’re found on all types of appliances, from microwaves to computers to fridges. If it’s an appliance, then it needs to be PAT tested.

If appliances aren’t tested, the employer will be liable if they malfunction. While it doesn’t take long to do, a PAT test is the foundation of a robust safety strategy in all workplaces.

Below, we explain how to do a PAT test, what the UK’s PAT testing regulations are, and what a PAT test actually is.

What is a PAT Test?

PAT stands for Portable Appliance Testing. These tests ensure electrical appliances are safe to use in the workplace.

A PAT test consists of two stages: a visual inspection and a deeper review using specialised equipment. In total, a PAT test looks at:

• Insulation resistance
• Earth continuity
• Lead polarity

As you can probably tell from this list, a professional must conduct a PAT test. A member of staff can conduct the visual part of the test, but you will need a certified electrician to do the full PAT test.

PAT testing is mandated by The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. This law does not make a the test a legal requirement, but it does maintain that electrical appliances should be kept in a safe condition.

To do that to an adequate level, businesses must set up regular PAT testing for their appliances. Grading appliances using the following three metrics calculate how often they should be tested:

• Risk level
• Electrical class
• Appliance category

Factors like age, frequency of use and the appliance’s history are very important too. So, if an appliance is medium risk, in an important electrical class and is an essential appliance, then it should be tested every six months.

It is not a legal requirement to label equipment with a PAT test label, but it does help with organising tested appliances.

How to Do a PAT Test

To conduct a PAT test, it is recommended that you attend a PAT testing course and hold a PAT testing certificate. Even if you’re handy with electronics, lacking this information and documentation is a big risk.

The only piece of equipment you need to conduct a PAT test is a PAT tester. There are many models available on the market, and if you’re a business who needs these tests, it’s worth investing in one.

Simply plug the electrical appliance into the PAT tester, and press the appropriate button depending on the appliance class. So, if it’s a class one appliance, you would press the class one button.

This will then give three readings: one for insulation resistance, one for earth continuity and one for lead polarity. It will then provide a pass or fail grade.

It is then essential for the tester to log the results in an equipment test record log. This should contain all visual information about the appliance and the readings given by the PAT tester.

Of course, as an extra layer of protection, you should make sure to add a PAT test label to the equipment. Labels are an effective contingency if the equipment test log is lost or destroyed.

Get Your PAT Test Labels Today

If you are due a PAT test, then stock up with some high-quality PAT test labels today.

Known for producing reliable labels with fast shipping, Label Source won’t leave you disappointed.

Serial numbers dictate much of modern stock control and distribution. They're an efficient method of communication, even though most see them as a bunch of random letters and numbers. The major advantage of a serial number is that it will always be unique, so there is little chance for confusion to occur.

However, given their unique nature, serial numbers can be complicated. When serial number labels are used by a business, there needs to be an understanding of how they function.

Below, we provide a full guide on how to use serial numbers, what serial numbers mean, as well as a short history of them.

What Do Serial Numbers Mean?

Much like fingerprints, each serial number is wholly unique. Serial numbers can be used everywhere, from hardware and software to banknotes and secure documentation.

A serial number provides an identity to a singular item or product. While some non-serial codes can identify a line or range of products, a serial number is reserved for one item only.

For a product range, a serial number will always begin with the item code for that number. So, if a business sold an item that had the item number “QX3000”, all serial numbers would begin with “QX3000”. The numbers after that would identify the specific product.

A stand-out example is with car manufacturers. Each car part has its own serial number, which helps with finding replacements, but also helps to trace the parts if the car is stolen.

By using serial numbers, a person or system can easily identify what the model is and the exact product in question. This can help a business organise stock, recalls and refunds effectively, as well as opening up avenues for automation.

When Were Serial Numbers Invented?

They seem like a modern invention, but the practice of numbering goods and property can be traced back to Roman times. Archaeological digs have revealed stonework from the Roman era that was inscribed with a basic set of serial numbers, so we’ve been numbering things for a long time!

Since then, humans have used serialised numbers to mark everything, mainly since they worked across different language and cultural barriers. As international banks and markets were founded, the need to have a system to regulate mass numbers of cash made serial numbers even more important. Following banks, export networks demanded a recognisable tracking system worldwide.

Serial numbers are now typically found on serial number labels and tags. Whether it’s a small business or an international conglomerate, businesses and institutions rely on serial numbers to function.

How to Use Serial Numbers Effectively

To use serial numbers effectively, you need two things:

• A system or database that records serial number data.
• Serial number labels.

The former is significantly more complicated than the latter. In essence, you need a stock control system that incorporates serial numbers. These are usually updated via scanners during import, export and recalls.

For serial number labels, you need to put a process in place wherein each product has a unique serial number. These are usually scanned or recorded at key stages from importing to exporting.

While some products have etched-in serial numbers, others use a label. These can be complemented by a barcode, which helps with tracking.

To learn more about the history and use of barcode labels, read our detailed blog on the subject: ‘How Did People Shop Before Barcodes? The History & Development of Barcode Labels’.

Without labels, it can be difficult to know what the serial number of a product is and can lead to disorganised stock control.

Get Your High-Quality Serial Number Labels Today

At Label Source, we stock a wide range of high-quality, self-adhesive serial number labels and tags.

If your business can benefit from the stock control serial numbers allows, then browse our full range of stock control labels today.

Property labels are effective at communicating which items or stock belong to who. This can assist a workplace in the organisation of stock, as well as deterring theft and other crime.

Marking your property needs to be done properly, however, otherwise the label may as well not be there.

Below, we’ll discuss our range of property labels, their uses, benefits and how to use them.

The Benefits of Marking Your Property

Marking your property – whether it is your stock or personal items – can have numerous benefits. Namely, properly marked goods can:

• Improve organisation and stock control.
• Deter thieves from stealing the property.
• Leave behind traceable evidence should theft occur.
• Allow stock to be returned to you should it be lost in transit.

This is made better with the three different property label options we have at Label Source: self-adhesive polyester, part-laminated write and seal, and tamperproof destructible labels.

Self-adhesive labels provide an extra layer of protection, limiting the probability of markings being left behind after a property label has been used.

Write and seal property labels offer an additional layer of protection against chemicals, whereas tamperproof destructible labels will leave permanent markings behind when removed, meaning thieves cannot resell an item easily.

How to Use Property Labels

You can only reap these benefits if you know how to use property labels. To use them properly, you must first pick the right type of property label.

For example, if you’re trying to protect a very valuable piece of equipment, then it’s probably better to use a tamperproof label as this provides the most tangible theft deterrence.

Once you’ve picked the right label, you must ensure placement achieves the following three conditions:

• The label is easily seen – it’s no good having a property label that is difficult to find or is obstructed.
• The label is affixed properly – if the label isn’t placed down properly, then it is likely that it won’t function.
• Written information is legible and correct – ensure the information you put on the label is correct, especially your contact information.

While using property labels is a little self-explanatory, it’s important you don’t skip any steps.

Get Your Property Labels Today

If you have property and stock that you must protect, then you need property labels.

We have a wide range available at Label Source, so browse our catalogue today.