In ensuring the safety of workers at workplaces, the role of “Safety Labels” can not be overestimated. Whether it is a chemical production unit, energy sector, food industry or any machine manufacturing site, every workplace is bound to install “Safety Labels” that comply with the OSHA and ANSI parameters.
These safety labels provide proper details about the required precautions while operating risk-prone machinery or coming in contact with a hazardous chemical substance.
Well, prevention from acute injuries and death threats is not the sole job of “Safety Labels” but several other crucial jobs are also performed just by their presence at the worksite.
How does Effective Industrial Safety Labeling benefit a work site?
Considering only the prime purposes of industrial safety labels, they fulfill 6 significant roles at the highly risk-inclined workplaces.Â
A quick view of them.Â
- Noticeable reduction in the risk possibilities
- Safety of the Workforce & Workplace
- Preventing the worksite from any legal punishment
- Guidance to the workers especially to the new employees
- Representation of the accountability of the workplace authority
- A great communicator for workers
Here we’ll learn about the significance of Safety labels in accomplishing the above-listed responsibilities.
Reducing the risks –
The safety labels designed for the industries or manufacturing units comprise all the points that demonstrate “how to skip a hazardous incident in highly risky areas?” to the workers. The clear warnings and instructions mentioned in the form of instructions on the labels guide the users or workers regarding the right and secure way of operating equipment or processing material. Such precise guidance lessens the chances of death-threatening accidents at the worksites.
Instructing the workers for “Self Protection” –
Along with the OSHA & ANSI, the authorities of the industrial areas or other commercial workplaces are liable for the safety of workers employed there. Through the appropriate placement of the right “Safety Labels,” these authoritarians can guide the workers in –
- Switching off the main valve of a pipeline containing hazardous chemicals or death-causing gas.
- Keeping the vulnerable body parts like eyes and nose etc away from direct contact with any dangerous element.
- Wearing the required face shields, non-flammable cloths, gloves etc while performing a risk-inclined operation at the worksite.
Thus the workers can ensure their safety if a workplace confronts a deadly hazard.
3. Legal Requirement of placing Safety Labels –
Installment of the ANSI & OSHA approved “Safety Labels” for dangerous equipment and containers at a workplace falls under the legal criteria determined by reliable authorities. These labels act as a visible communicator and reminder to take necessary precautions while being in contact with any precarious machinery or product.
Not complying with the legally fit “Safety Labels” at the workplace, can put the authorities in a punishable condition. Severe penalties, lawful charges and termination of the existing business or industry are some unfavorable consequences of not applying adequate safety labels in required areas.
4. Educating the employees, especially the new ones –
As it is discussed above, “Safety labels” are a silent communicator for the employees at worksites. The consistent portrayal of these life-saving labels enables the workers to learn about the nature of perilous equipment and products, their impact on human health, precautionary measures to save themselves from that death causing impact and basic awareness or attentiveness at a worksite, etc.
By installing safety labels at the workplace, the management team can save effort and time expended on educating the existing workers or the new joiners as the labels are found in the “Self Explanatory” format.
5. Showcasing the accountability of the workplace authority –
Being a regular guide to the workers, the “Safety Labels” depicts the attentive, responsible and professional traits of the worksite authority. If the workplace faces any grave accident due to equipment collapse or improper use of hazardous chemicals, the safety unit of the workplace can put forward its aspect during the legal procedure.
Which are the frequently used “Safety Labels” in diverse industries?
Based on the specific demands, the easy-to-use and easy-to-remove labels are found in diverse categories. Here we’ll discuss the highly utilized “Safety Labels” at worksites.
1. Labels reminding the hygiene –
To maintain the cleanliness, hygiene and sanity of a workplace for the safety & wellness of employees, different purpose labels are installed. Let’s take a look at look at some safety labels that promote cleanliness.Â
- Labels stating “Wash Hands” before touching the containers having edible items.
- “Cover the head, hands and mouth” while entering the area where food or medicinal items are prepared.
- Labels that remind the workers to consistently clean the “specific or highly sensitive area” after a certain time duration.
2. Labels indicating the machine safety measures –
These ANSI-approved labels can be easily found on any heavy or sharp machinery placed on a worksite. Such preventive measures stating labels are found in three prime categories that are -:
- Yellow labels – Indicating the minor or moderate threat caused due to the equipment or product. It belongs to the “Cautious Label” category.
- Orange Labels– These labels are usually fixed on the tools that can cause a mildly severe injury or nearly death to an employee. We can include them in the “Warning Labels” category.
- Red Labels – Areas or machinery that are highly risky for the operation must be equipped with “Red” labels that indicate their “danger” trait to the workers or the common public.
3. Labels indicating the nature of machinery or product –
You may consider the labels presenting the type or nature of equipment through a pictogram or brief description, a preventive safety label. Here are the points that must be written or mentioned on preventive labels.
- Type or nature of the product or equipment
- Short description of the hazardous attributes of the equipment
- Impact of those threatening causes on human health
- Suggestions to escape dangerous situations
- Suggestions for “what to do next” if any perilous incident occurs.
- Precise details of the manufacturer of the equipment/chemical/other product.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) –
Q – What are the required tools for ensuring safety in a chemical or manufacturing industry?
A – Though there are several measures and tools required for the safety of employees and the public, “Work Safety Labels” are the main role players.
Q – In which worksites labeling the products or equipment is necessary?
A – The industries where chemicals are prepared, machine manufacturing units, seafood industries, food preparation workplaces and other commercial locations must have a proper installment of “Safety Labels”.
Q – Why is “Safety Labeling” crucial at the worksites?
A – To ensure the safety of employees, maintain the sanity of the workplace, educate the workers about the operation of tools and guide the workers only through the signs & precise information, labeling is important.
