Most people would agree that safety signs play a critical role in our society. By clearly identifying potential hazards and warning people of danger, signs prevent injuries and fatalities very effectively - it's impossible to calculate how many lives have been saved by health and safety signage.

Still, there is one problem with standard signage that the health and safety industry has yet to properly solve: over-familiarity. We see safety signs practically everywhere we go, and this seems to sharply reduce the impact of those signs.

This issue is most pronounced on our motorways - how often have you ignored or failed to spot a road safety sign whilst driving? - but it's actually present right across the board. From PPE notices on construction sites to the 'Deep Water' and 'Sudden Drop' signs that are still being vandalised throughout the UK, safety signs have become part of the general landscape, and their important information is all too often going unheeded.

So how can this problem be tackled? Many people seem to think that the answer is to use humorous and/or emotive signs that will grab people's attention. One example is the city of Laredo in Texas, USA; the Texas Department of Transportation recently installed a series of comically oversized road signs in the city, complete with such slogans as "Give Us A BRAKE" and "REALLY - STOP MEANS STOP". According to one traffic safety specialist, these 15-foot monstrosities have been erected in the hope that drivers will be encouraged to "be safe", "read the signs", and "focus on the road".

This sort of thing is happening here in Britain, too, although we're taking a slightly different approach:

The sign in the photo above is currently isntalled on a road in Cheshire, and this emotive approach - encouraging motorists to think of the lives they may affect with unsafe driving - is "thought to have led to lower speeds" according to ITV.com

So is it time for novel ideas like these to be implemented everywhere? Perhaps, although it's important to remember that standard safety signs are still very much essential. We at Label Source feel that the best way to use these funny and emotive signs is in conjunction with regular signage; this will ensure that all the essential information is clearly provided even as we attempt to capture imaginations and tug at heartstrings.

See also: French village deploys dark humour to promote road safety

There are instances and locations where there are space restrictions on using the standard size ranges of safety signs. These simply will not fit. So, our range of mini safety signs has been designed to overcome such problems.

These small format signs, in a full range of safety sign classifications, come in a size of 50mm x 200mm, and are manufactured in pvc with an adhesive backing for easy use. All these signs comply with ISO 1710 and the Safety Sign and Signals Regulations 1996.

They cover a comprehensive range of safety requirements including;

Fire equipment signs for pinpointing the location of fire extinguishers, fire alarms and fire points.

Mandatory signs can be used to indicate the use of personal protective equipment, the use of guards on equipment, as well as access points such as fire doors, housekeeping, and personal hygiene.

Prohibition safety signs cover restrictions on smoking, drinking water, access, and use of mobile phones.

Safe condition safety signs determine fire emergency access points and escape routes, the location for first aid, emergency stop cut off points and drinking water.

Hazard warning safety signs identify the risks and dangers from electricity (electric shock, high voltage), from hazardous substances (toxic, harmful chemicals), and physical hazards such as slips, trips, and falls and scalds from hot water.

These products have been used in a wide variety of office, commercial and industrial locations to assist in complying with health and safety guidelines, and providing employees, customers and the general public with visible safety information.

Signs are an important part of any health and safety initiative, and one police officer has been demonstrating just how much difference a few safety signs can make with an inspirational safety campaign in Cambridgeshire.

Photograph from www.huntspost.co.uk

Sergeant Mike Jackman was one of the first officers on the scene when a 15-year-old boy named Rony John drowned in the River Great Ouse in July 2014. Sgt Jackman's first-hand experience of this tragedy prompted him to come up with a means of making Cambridgeshire's waterways safer, particularly for young people - when accidents do happen around large bodies of water, children and teenagers are the most common victims.

One year on from the drowning incident that claimed Rony John's young life, Mike Jackman has unveiled a new safety sign scheme of his own devising that makes it easy for people to get help in the event of an accident. The usual water safety signs are in place, of course...

...but Sgt Jackman has also added some signs of his own. These signs are positioned underneath the standard safety signs, and each one provides instructions on what to do in an emergency. For example:

In an emergency, dial 999 and say you are at site K

The thinking behind this system is quite simple: if a young person is drowning in a river or another large body of water, their friends are frequently unable to accurately identify their location to the 999 operator. Mike Jackman's signs make it easy for youngsters to specify exactly where they are when phoning for help, allowing emergency services to get there quicker and save the person or people in danger.

Every second counts in an emergency situation, and we think that Sergeant Jackman's signage system is quite ingenious. With summer now upon us, the temperature is high throughout the UK, and more and more people will be tempted to use rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and other large bodies of water to cool off. It is at this time of year that water safety is most crucial, so please obey safety signs at all times and, if you are responsible for public health and safety, consider going above and beyond with your signage system like the Cambridgeshire Police have!

Visit our Water Safety Signs page to browse and buy our comprehensive range of signs and notices for potentially hazardous bodies of water.

Slips, trips and falls are all too common in the modern workplace. The Health and Safety Executive has stated that they are "the single most common cause of major injury in UK workplaces", and that's not a not difficult claim to believe; not only can the fall itself result in severe injuries, it can lead to even more serious accidents if, for example, the victim falls into a piece of machinery or another hazard.

Here are some more statistics from the HSE:

• In 2013/14, slips, trips and falls were to blame for 29% of fatal workplace injuries
• Slips, trips and falls were responsible for 57% of all major/specified injuries to workers in 2013/14
• Over this period, a total of roughly 1.5 million working days were lost due to slips, trips and falls.

(Note that the phrase 'slips, trips and falls' covers a variety of different incidents, ranging from slipping on a wet floor or tripping over a loose floorboard to falling from height.)

So how can I prevent slips, trips and falls in my workplace?

We're glad you asked! With so many UK workers getting injured (or worse) by slips, trips and falls, employers need to everything they can to minimise the risk of a serious accident occurring. Here are some things that you can do to protect your employees:

• Use the correct hazard warning signs to make people aware of any potential risks (such as slippery surfaces, sudden drops, or trip hazards)
   
• Keep an eye out for any obstacles that could cause someone to trip over; common examples include bins, furniture, cables/wires, and desk drawers that have been left open
   
• Clean up any spills ASAP to prevent slips
   
• Always use a wet floor sign when cleaning is in progress
   
• If your employees are working at height, ensure that they are using the correct fall prevention equipment
   
• Train your staff to work safely and avoid slips, trips and falls (for example, do your employees know how to safely use a ladder?)

Visit our Slips, Trips & Falls department for more information and to purchase fall prevention signs for your workplace.

A safe working environment relies on a multitude of different factors, but perhaps the most important of all is information. As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure that your staff are up to speed with all of the health and safety regulations that affect their work.

This, of course, means that you have to provide health and safety training for everyone who joins your workforce; however, bear in mind that a single training session on initiation day may not be enough to fulfil your obligations as company owner. People generally won't remember everything you tell them on their first day at work, and that's why you have to ensure that your employees are frequently reminded of the relevant safety information.

One way to do this is with health and safety posters. Placing these brightly-coloured notices around your workplace is a great way to keep safety at the front of everybody's mind, and the information printed on the posters may just save somebody's life one day.

Here are some of the workplace safety posters available from Label Source:

Office Safety Poster

This poster features several pieces of general guidance that are applicable to most office environments.

Manual Handling Poster

If your workers are frequently required to lift heavy loads, this poster will help them to ensure that they stay safe while doing so.

 Fire Safety Poster

You never know when a fire might break out. This poster will inform your employees of what to do in the case of such an emergency.

Workplace First Aid Guide

Most workplace safety posters aim to prevent accidents. This one gives advice on what to do if prevention fails and a life-or-death situation arises.

These are just a few of the safety posters available from Label Source's website - click here to see our full range.