If you run or own your own business, is it vitally important that you adhere to fire safety regulations as failure to observe fire safety regulations can result in huge fines and/or loss of business.

For example, a club owner in York now faces fines totalling £173,000 for failing to comply with fire regulations. It has been reported that the club's premises had faulty smoke detectors, fire alarms and emergency lighting, fire doors that didn’t work properly, and crates of alcoholic beverages blocking an emergency exit. In the comment he made to the fire inspectors, the club owner admitted that "this has been a categorical disaster. I am not proud about any of the circumstances at all. I have learnt from this. I have learnt a hell of a lot from this."

As a business owner, you are the person responsible for ensuring that your business is adhering to the fire safety regulations, especially if you own nightclubs as you are responsible for a huge amount of young people who are often vulnerable from the intake of alcohol.

As the responsible person, you must carry out regular risk assessments of your premises, and if you find any potential hazards, make sure you advise your staff of the risks that you have identified. You should make a plan for emergency situations, provide regular training and refresher sessions of what you are your staff need to do in the event of a fire, and ensure that your emergency routes are clearly signed so that employees/staff/visitors know exactly what to do and where the escape routes are in case of a fire.

Here at Label Source, we have a huge variety of fire safety signs helping you to meet fire and safety regulations, including access and emergency signs, access and escape safety signs, Disabled guidance safety signs, NHS Fire and Emergency signs, Fire Equipment Safety Signs and projecting fire equipment signs. 

To view our full range of fire safety signs, click here. If in the unlikely event that you cannot find the sign you are looking for, please contact us either by email at info@labelsource.co.uk or call us on 0800 3761 693 and a member of our specialist team will be happy to assist you.

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.

Laboratories can be hazardous places. If you work in a lab environment, you probably already know how important it is to display the correct chemical warning signs in high-risk areas; for everyone else, here are a few common examples:

• If corrosive materials are in use, a safety sign should be put in place to identify the hazard and remind workers of the need for hand protection.
   
• Some substances can emit dangerous fumes. Laboratories that use these materials should have the appropriate safety sign clearly displayed in an appropriate location.
   
• If there is a heightened risk of chemical spillage in your lab, you may wish to put up an information notice that tells people what to do in the event of a spill.

Other common laboratory hazards include oxidising agents, toxic/poisonous chemicals, hazardous waste, and irritants. It is recommended that site owners carry out a comprehensive risk assessment of the laboratory and all other work areas, then take the necessary action to make the premises as safe as possible. This could mean a complete overhaul of facilities and work processes, or it could be as simple as putting up a safety sign.

Label Source offer an extensive range of chemical warning signs for laboratories and other hazardous environments. If you cannot find the sign or label that you are looking for, feel free to email info@labelsource.co.uk and we will do our best to meet your requirements.

Slips and trips were the single most common cause of major workplace injuries in Britain last year. Just under 2% of all UK workers were injured in a slip or trip over the course of 2014, with an estimated 986,000 working days lost in total throughout the year.

Clearly, more must be done to prevent slips and trips in the workplace. If you're a business owner, you can do your part by putting up a trip hazard sign wherever you and your employees are at risk of slipping, tripping or falling; common trip hazards include:

• Steps and uneven surfaces
• Trailing cables or wires
• Loose floorboards/carpeting
• Dimly-lit areas
• Any other obstacles that might cause an accident

Visit our Trip Hazard Signs department to browse our full range of safety signs relating to slips, trips and falls. Alternatively, if you can't find the trip hazard sign you're looking for, feel free to contact Label Source and we'll do our best to meet your requirements.

Under PUWER (Provision and use of work equipment regulations 1998) all such equipment, including machinery, tools, plant and appliances, should be suitable and safe for use, should have been inspected and maintained, should have correct protective devices, and be operated by adequately trained staff.

The dangers and hazards relating to operating this equipment should be clearly identified, and our range of safety labels and signs can be used for this purpose. These health and safety risks can include from pinch, crush, trap and entanglement hazards, operating temperatures such as hot surfaces, or high or low ambient temperatures, chemical dangers (eg corrosive or toxic), and various other risks from electricity, flammability, lasers, radiation, and biological hazards.

In addition Label Source supply a wide variety of bespoke printed labels and signs incorporating combinations of safety symbols and custom text. For further information please contact us.