Road tape is a temporary solution to road marking problems. Though road markings are commonly created with thermoplastic road paint, this isn’t always possible. This is where road tape comes in.

These have retro-reflective properties and will reflect lights from vehicles, similar to motorway signs when driving at night-time with headlights.

Road tape has a number of uses: for instance, creating temporary road markings while construction workers wait for paint to arrive, or helping to manage traffic in events.

Below, we discuss the different types of road markings, how to apply road tape and the various uses they have.

What Do Road Tape Markings Mean?

When used on roads, road tape must adhere to the marking criteria listed in The Highway Code. Just because it isn’t paint doesn’t mean it can be applied however the applicator wants; road tape still needs to be applied so drivers can instantly understand what it is communicating.

Road markings are broken up into several categories:

• Across the carriageway
• Along the carriageway
• Along the edge of the carriageway
• On the kerb or on the edge of the carriageway

For a full list of road marking meanings, consult The Highway Code.

Much like actual road markings, road tape comes in two colours: yellow and white. Other road tape colours must not be used as these do not fall within the road marking guidelines.

Road tape is incredibly versatile, however – it isn’t only applied on roads. This is thanks to its ability to be used on asphalt and concrete surfaces.

Uses For Road Tape

Road tape can be used for numerous purposes, including:

• Car parks
• Roadworks
• Building sites
• Airfields
• Temporary roads
• Cycleways
• Forklift loading bays
• Warehouses
• Pedestrian walkways
• Loading bays
• Harbours

So, road tape isn’t just used on ordinary roads – it can also be used to help warehouses, airports and building sites organise.

How to Apply Road Tape

Road tape is usually applied by hand, though tape applicators can be also be used. When applied by hand, you must wear protective gloves and clothing.

Road tape must be applied at a minimum of 10°C. If it is applied under this temperature then no adhesive residue will be applied, meaning the road tape will not adhere as well. Protection from heat is why protective gloves must be worn.

Buy Road Tape From Label Source Today

If you require help with managing traffic of any kind, then consider our range of high-quality road tape.

The modern warehouse is full of signs, stickers and tape these days. While we usually expect these to be hung up on walls, safety floor markers are also important, especially in workplaces operating forklifts or those that have employees working from a height.

Safety floor markers and floor signs can assist in anything from managing traffic to enforcing PPE usage, so discover how to use these versatile signs to keep your employees safe below.

Types of Warehouse Floor Stickers and How to Use Them

If there’s a warehouse function, there is likely to be a sticker for it. These stickers include:

• No entry signs
• Pedestrian route symbols
• Directional flow floor markers
• Forklift truck area stickers
• Fire exit stickers

When using these labels, place them where they’re likely to be seen by the greatest number of people. So, if you’re using a forklift sign, use it before the designated forklift area to give those walking ample time to read it, as well as enough time to check for traffic.

It doesn’t need to be too complicated – just ensure a floor sign is not placed in any blind spots. The key to figuring out how to keep a warehouse safe is enforcing a strategy that applies to everyone.

How, then, do you know if you’ve got a “good” floor sticker? All good floor signs must be used on clean, sealed floor surfaces. They are usually made of PVC construction with slip-resistant surfaces and a strong adhesive to withstand traffic flow. They also need to be resistant to most chemicals and cleaning products, to prevent fading over time.

ISO 7010 Colour Coding

All safety floor markers adhere to ISO 7010 colour coding. This, along with the logo used, helps communicate the message of the label across language or cultural barriers.

These regulations break up floor stickers into five categories:

• Prohibition signs – circular, red and contain a diagonal line. For example, the “no smoking” sign.
• Mandatory signs – circular, blue and are normally related to protective equipment. For example, PPE signs.
• Warning signs – yellow, triangular signs that warn of hazards. For example, forklift signs.
• Safe condition signs – square, green signs that point to safety equipment or exits. For example, fire exit signs.
• Fire safety signs – red, square signs that point to fire-safety equipment such as extinguishers.

All safety floor signs must adhere to these design specifications. Otherwise, you run the risk of having signs that aren’t easily recognised in case of emergency.

Incorporate Floor Signs into Your Warehouse Today

Of course, floor markers exist to fortify already existing procedures, not to be your sole safety net. However, as a complementary tool, they are simply indispensable for a modern, fast-moving workplace.

Discover our full range of safety floor markers today.

Having an organised, efficient warehouse can have numerous benefits, both for your business and employees.

Nobody likes to work in a disorganised, stressful workplace, especially in the fast and frenetic atmosphere of a busy warehouse. That’s where proper labelling comes in.

Warehouse labelling is something we can take for granted. It’s easy to go for barebones, quick solutions to organisational problems, but by using arrow labels, decals and stickers, you can easily manage warehouse inventory.

Below, we discuss the benefits of arrow labels and stickers, as well as how to use them.

Why You Should Use Arrow Labels and Decals

The major reasons why you should use directional arrow stickers is to hit the three cornerstones of good warehouse management:

• Flow – allowing for fluid movements of materials, shipments, people and traffic.
• Space – allowing there to be enough space for storage, between employees, pallets, traffic lanes, etc.
• Accessibility – ensuring products are accessible and found easily.

In order for a warehouse to satisfy these three elements, warehouse racking must be organised in a sensible, logical fashion. This means inventory needs to be highlighted for employees.

One of the best ways to achieve this is through arrow labels. These can come in four different sizes and allow for the quick, easy markup of stock or product locations on racks, beams and shelves.

With self-adhesive vinyl, these labels can be removed without leaving residue behind, meaning you can reorganise your warehouse after using them.

These arrows can come with alphabet labels and numbers for stock and product identification.

How to Use Large Arrow Stickers

To use arrow stickers properly, place them on racks of important stock in a way that can be clearly seen.

Also, make sure there is enough space between each separate set of arrow stickers, as the last thing you want is for these to contribute to confusion, not reduce it.

As the majority of labels are non-adhesive, you don’t need to worry about permanent adhesive damage to racks either, so don’t worry if you move stock around frequently.

Figuring out how to manage warehouse inventory and how to organise a warehouse needs to be done at a strategy level, but using these labels properly can help considerably.

Discover Arrow Labels Today

Our range of directional arrow stickers range from 16mm to 75mm in high visibility colours. Available in black on yellow and black on white, our range of arrow labels will keep your warehouse neat, tidy and efficient.

Social distancing measures have reached fever pitch, and it’s looking likely that they will last for a significant amount of time. For that reason, social distancing signs and labels will likely remain a part of everyday life for the foreseeable future.

That’s why we’ve introduced a social distancing range to keep businesses running safely, as well as to ensure the most vulnerable members of society are shielded and protected.

Below, we’ll discuss the ins-and-outs of the range, as well as what we want to achieve with it.

The Social Distancing Signs and Labels Range

In total, our range covers the following labels and signs:

• Hand wash symbols
• Keep your distance signs
• Social distancing floor stickers
• Hand sanitiser signs
• Distance symbols
• Queue here signs

These signs can be used independently or in conjunction to help keep a business safe. Whether it’s a shop or in an office, they can help keep people informed and vigilant.

While using labels is not a legal requirement in writing, the HSE has warned against “employers who are not taking action to comply with the relevant public health legislation and guidance to control public health risks, e.g. employers not taking appropriate action to socially distance.”

Labels and signs can help ensure you are taking appropriate action, as well as supplying peace of mind for employees.

They can also be instrumental in meeting Public Health guidelines. Again, the HSE has provided advice for employers during this time:

“Employers who have people in their offices or on-site should ensure that employees are able, where possible, to follow Public Health England guidelines on social distancing (including, where possible, maintaining a 2-metre distance from others), and hygiene (washing their hands with soap and water often for at least 20 seconds).”

Guidelines such as the 2-metre rule and handwashing are supported by our range.

Discover Social Distancing Signs and Labels Today

In uncertain times, it pays to err on the side of caution. Check out our social distancing signs and labels to help us all stay safe.

You’ve likely seen the HSE mentioned in various places, such as this blog. But, what is the HSE, what does it stand for and why are they important?

Well, the ‘HSE’ stands for the Health and Safety Executive, which is an independent body responsible for the regulation and enforcement of workplace health and safety.

It reiterates the importance of health and safety policy, as well as informs employers, employees and the general public about the benefits of enforcing it in the workplace.

Too often, we hear people lamenting that health and safety have “gone mad”, but is this true? Below, we explain the importance the HSE has in keeping us safe, as well as their foundational role in producing health and safety labels.

What Does the HSE Do?

The HSE is there to give people in the UK the right to go to work and come home safely. It sounds simple, but with so many different jobs, disciplines and work conditions out there, the organisation sometimes needs to get extremely detail-orientated to achieve this goal.

As an independent entity, they are free from governmental intervention and influence. This means they always put the safety of workers first, ensuring their advice and guidance isn’t sullied by any other influences.

Typically, the HSE concentrates its efforts on industries that pose the most serious of risks and hazards, but that doesn’t mean they ignore smaller health hazards. The guidelines they put in place ensure workplaces aren’t just safe now, but for the future, too.

So, what does that mean in actuality? It means the laws we follow, the labels we put up and the training employers must provide has, at one point, been reviewed or recommended by the HSE. This means they are responsible for the benefits of health and safety in the workplace.

The HSE has the right to inspect worksites and take legal action against businesses and employers who do not follow the law.

They are the foundation of health and safety in the UK, and whenever somebody complains that the practice has “gone mad”, just remember that somewhere along the line, it was implemented thanks to expert guidance.

How Does The HSE Influence Health and Safety Labels?

The HSE was heavily involved in The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, which dictated the type of signs to be used for specific hazards, the responsibilities employers have and how these signs should be placed and designed.

As such, our range of health and safety labels will always be within HSE and legal guidelines, meaning your workplace and employees can stay safe.