Many powered tools, equipment or machinery, used in the workplace, can cause injury from vibration, particularly if used for extended periods of time. These injuries can include hand and arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), vibration white finger (VWF) and whole body vibration excavators, dumpers, tractors etc.).

These are non-reversible injuries to blood vessels, muscles, nerves and joints in the hand and arm, and can result in pain and cold sensations, numbness, tingling and loss of sensation, loss of light touch, loss of grip strength or dexterity, blanching or whitening of fingers when exposed to cold, and bone cysts in fingers and wrists.

Sectors using such power tools are concentrated in construction, manufacturing, engineering, motor vehicle repair, mining and quarrying, agriculture, fisheries and in utilities. Hand held tools (such as grinders, hammer drills, needle guns or band saws), hand guided machinery (e.g. lawnmowers, chain saws, or compactors) or hand feeding to vibrating machinery (i.e. pedestal grinders) each provide vibration risks.

All such equipment should be risk assessed for the rate of vibration and safe period of use as outlined in the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 and the European Directive 2002/44/EC. Label Source provide a range of equipment labels, tags and signs for marking such powered tools, and for educating users on best practice to avoid vibration injuries. This can include the use of tensioners to support the weight of tools, provision of suitable personal protective equipment (PPE), instruction and training on correct tool use, as well as regular breaks from use and health screening.

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Manual handling injuries are one of the most common forms of workplace accidents. In 2013/2014 the HSE reported that such injuries were 24% of total reported incidents, and this led to 909,000 lost working days in that period. The type of manual handling injuries included repetitive strain injuries, muscle pulls, sprains and strains, trapped nerves, finger trap wounds, cuts from sharp objects, hernias, upper limb disorders as well as back problems.

Contributory factors involved in leading to such problems involve carrying, pushing or pulling loads result from twisting, stooping or bending, may involve sudden movements, or excessive travel distances, sometimes with inadequate periods for recovery. The loads may be heavy, unbalanced, difficult to grip, or may be sharp, hot or cold.

Other factors which can add to manual handling safety difficulties can include poor workspace layout or working conditions (uneven floors, inadequate lighting or poor ventilation), duration and frequency of lifting action including lengthy time in a fixed posture position, and the condition of awkward loads (such as slippery or unwieldy weights).

While there are high risk industries such as healthcare, construction, agriculture, transport and storage, these lifting actions are commonplace throughout most occupations, although many to a much lesser extent. All industrial sectors must comply with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 to provide a safe environment for lifting of loads.

Label Source’s range of manual handling signs, notices and labels can assist in drawing attention to good practice to tie in with safe working guidelines, proper on the job training, matching the suitability of the person to the demands of lifting, health screening, job rotation, handling in teams or use of mechanical aids, such as hoists, trolleys, conveyor belts or forklift trucks.

Earlier this week, we told you all about UK Health & Safety Week, which is currently on its last day for 2015. That blog post included the following list:

• Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses
• Respiratory diseases
• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Skin complaints
• Hand arm vibration
• Stress and mental health problems

There are the specific workplace hazards that the organisers of Health & Safety Week wanted to address with this year's event. Today, we're going to tell you how Label Source can help you and your employees to steer clear of these problems.

Asbestos-Related Illnesses

Our asbestos range is home to many labels and warning signs that can be used to identify asbestos hazards and warn everyone to stay clear. Some of these products also give instructions on how to safely deal with asbestos.

Respiratory Diseases

If your employees are being exposed to smoke, fumes, spores, vapours, sprays, or airborne particles, this sign will remind them of the PPE they should be using to minimise the risk of respiratory diseases.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Improper manual handling techniques are perhaps the most common cause of musculoskeletal disorders. Visit our Manual Handling Safety department for a range of products that will help you and your employees to follow best practices when lifting heavy objects.

Skin Complaints

Do your employees work with hazardous chemicals or other potential irritants? Make sure that all dangerous substances and workspaces are clearly identified with the appropriate signs/labelHand Arm Vibration

Some hand-held tools vibrate violently when in use, and this can lead to HAVS (Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome) and other painful disorders. To prevent this, carry out a full vibration risk assessment and label your equipment appropriately to inform workers of the recommended safe use periods

Stress

Obviously, stress can't be attributed to one sole factor, and to truly address stress in your workplace may require a substantial re-working of your current practices. Still, our stress management posters may be a good place to start - they identify some common causes and recommend ways to reduce stress in a working environment.

Give Label Source a call on 0800 3761 693 if you need any help to improve the health and safety standards of your workplace.

Manual handling (a catch-all phrase that refers to any lifting, lowering, filling, emptying, or carrying that is done by manpower alone) can be quite dangerous, particularly if the loads involved are extremely heavy. The risks involved with these task means that injuries are common when the correct health and safety measures aren't followed. Of course, it's hard to avoid these tasks altogether, so here are three top tips for staying safe whilst carrying out any manual handling task in the workplace:

Our first manual handling tip is to fill out a manual handling assessment form before you start. These forms encourage workers to properly scrutinise the potential risks asociated with a manual handling task; a properly filled-out form will minimise the chance of an accident, and if an accident does occurr, it may help to exonerate the employer from blame by proving that the correct health and safety procedures were followed.

Our second manual handling safety tip is to always label heavy loads appropriately. Using warning labels such as the one shown above will ensure that your employees are aware of dangerously heavy loads before attempting to lift them.

Our final manual handling safety tip is to use the correct safety signs. Putting safety warnings around your workplace (as well as on the loads themselves) will further improve your workforce's knowledge of manual handling safety.

To follow these tips properly you should visit our Manual Handling Safety department now and start improving safety in your workplace!

Accidents at work, especially if involving fatalities, continue to be reported widely in local, regional and national media. While those on a larger scale, and sometimes accompanied by a greater level of notoriety, such as the Bangladesh building collapse in April 2013, tend to have intense international coverage and scrutiny.

In a wide range of health and safety legislation and guidelines, a duty of care applies both to employers and employees for the safe operation of workplace equipment. Such equipment, machinery or plant must be maintained and fit for purpose, the working environment should be safe, suitable training should be undertaken, operating procedures should be rigorous and relevant personal protective safety equipment should be provided and used. Accidents tend to occur when one or more of these tend not to be observed.

Our range of health and safety labels can assist in identifying risks and hazards at work and prohibited activities, promote employee welfare, and to indicate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Potential hazards can be clearly identified. These can include electrical, biological, radiation, temperature (high, low or hot surfaces), chemical (such as toxic, corrosive, harmful or irritant), and mechanical (pinch points, moving blades, finger trap, or crush) risks in the workplace.

Mandatory labels emphasise the need to use the protective equipment supplied to prevent injury to eyesight, hearing, face, fingers, hands, body or feet. Also, others cover the need to read the manual or handbook for the equipment or for greasing or lubrication points on equipment.

Prohibition stickers advise of actions which may be dangerous, such as reaching over or into equipment, or from smoking or use of naked flames.

For further information on these safety labelling stickers, our comprehensive product ranges can be located in the following label categories; warning symbol labels; engineering labels; safety labels; laminated safety labels; custom safety labels; and Ansi labels.