Many companies operate with the risk to health from exposure at work to biological agents. These bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi can cause biological infection, ranging from mild discomfort to acute or even chronic health issues. Therefore, it is imperative that such biohazard risks are identified, fully assessed and controlled.

Much of the legislation covering biological safety stems from the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) 2002 and The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and lays the foundation for effective measures to minimise or eliminate biological risks to human health.

Many health and safety measures to prevent biological infections can include controlling the following;

• Personal hygiene. To encourage regular washing of hands, and where practical supplementing with the use of hand sanitisers.
   
• First aid. All open wounds such as cuts, scratches or grazes should be washed and treated, before being covered with protective, waterproof dressings. Eye wash or emergency shower facilities.
   
• Rest areas. All meal breaks should be taken remotely away from the work area.
   
• Cross contamination. Avoid the transfer of infection from hands by contact to eye, mouth or nose.
   
• Protective clothing. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn to eyes (visors face shields or goggles), breathing (masks or respirators), ears (ear protectors), hands (gloves or gauntlets), body (aprons, gowns, lab coats or overalls), and feet (overboots).
   
• Waste disposal. Contaminated waste, substances or clothing should be disposed of safely.
   
• Housekeeping. Work equipment and work surfaces should be cleaned and decontaminated, which may include sterilizing or autoclaving in some sectors.
   
• Building maintenance. Air conditioning should prevent build up or circulation of dusts or liquids, water supply should be checked for micro-organism growth (legionella), and adequate ventilation
   
• Pest control. To prevent bites and infection from waste from pests, insects or animals.
   
• Protection from injury by sharps. To prevent the piercing of skin from needles or broken glass.

It is the employers’ responsibility to identify any of the risks and accompanying preventative actions necessary as outlined above.  At Label Source we supply a comprehensive range of health and safety signs to promote good practice and endorse sound operating procedures. These include biological hazard warning signs, labels and tapes; mandatory safety signs including personal protection ranges; prohibition safety signs; first aid signs; and waste management signs.

Our customers include:

• Clinical or biomedical scientific research laboratories.
   
• Healthcare, including hospitals, health centres, dental surgeries, social care, chiropodist or acupuncture practices, and associated services, such as porters, cleaners and laundry workers.
   
• Animal welfare, such as veterinary practices, zoos, farms, kennels, catteries and stables.
   
• Social services including, social workers, care workers and custodial services (police or prison services).
   
• Horticultural services such as groundsmen, gardeners and park keepers.
   
• Waste services including refuse collectors, sewerage workers, ditch cleaners and sludge removers.
   
• Other services including undertakers, grave diggers, poultry processors, abattoirs, butchers, tattooists, hairdressers and beauticians.

For more information on the product ranges available on biological hazards please visit our website www.labelsource.co.uk or contact us by e-mail on sales@labelsource.co.uk for further information.

If you need to provide the right perception, why not use our architectural door signs to reflect and enhance your corporate image. These metal nameplates are supplied in robust, hard wearing polished brass, anodised aluminium or stainless steel (the last available in satin or polished finish). The brass and anodised aluminium are 1.5mm thick, and the steel is 1.2mm thick.

The standard eye catching ranges cover toilet or WC identifiers for ladies, gents, unisex or disabled facilities; pull and push signs; emergency fire doors, such as fire door keep shut; and no smoking safety signs. Each sign is supplied pre-drilled, with screws for fixing.

The construction industry is getting to grips with The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM), which came into force on the 6^th April 2015. The aim is to improve the health and safety record within the construction sector, thus leading to a reduction in the number of accidents, and as a consequence less serious injuries and fatalities.

The regulations have a very wide remit, and the intention is to streamline the construction process between designers, main contractors and sub-contractors, so that there are less ‘grey areas’ of responsibility and clear lines of demarkation, with the promotion of health, safety and welfare. This includes the managing of risk, with emphasis on the co-ordination of work, suitable appropriate training, use of suitable skilled staff and the means of communication.

The remit of these regulations cover the planning, management, monitoring and co-ordination  in construction and building refurbishment of commercial, industrial, retail and domestic projects,  including site preparation and demolition. It includes the following aspects;

Fall from heights, including use of ladders, platforms, scaffolding, towers, and fragile roofs.

The use of support systems to prevent collapse of excavations or building structures.

Exposure to airborne particles and fumes, with inhalation of dust, lime, lead , asbestos or from vehicle diesel exhaust.

Electrical hazards from electrical systems in buildings, overhead or buried power lines.

Slips, trips and falls on uneven surfaces, alterations in levels, trailing wires, obstacles or wet or slippery floor surfaces.

Fire hazards for the safe storage of combustible materials and control of sources of ignition, including fire training on escape routes, assembly or muster points, or the location of fire fighting equipment.

Safe operation of cranes.

Safe operation of mobile plant and vehicles, including excavators, mobile work platforms, dumper trucks and road vehicles.

Site traffic control, and the prevention of entry to unauthorised persons, including the general public, and in particular children. Also, this covers car parking, site speed restrictions, and deliveries.

Housekeeping of materials storage, and management of waste (skips, wheelie bins, chutes).

Control of hazardous substances and dangerous chemicals.

Protection against physical hazards, such as noise, vibration through use of power tools, manual handling and repetitive strain.

Employee welfare, such as toilet, wash, rest facilities, and first aid.

Label Source can assist you in meeting your obligations by supplying health and safety labels and signs to the latest legislation for CDM applications, to highlight operational dangers and hazards, prohibited activities, mandatory actions (including the use of personal protective equipment supplied), and safe operating conditions. These can be used in your induction and training activities for site specific activities, so that all employees are suited to their roles in a safe working environment. Also see our ranges of tapes and barrier mesh for use on building sites and work excavations.

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.

In the global economy, it is imperative that production, processes and services consistently meet the required standards to satisfy the expectations of customers. Anything less can lead to customers opting for your competitors as confidence in your company ebbs away, and as returns, rejects or reworking escalate.

Calibration and dimensional testing are the necessary requirement methods to make sure that your equipment, instruments, meters, gauges and tools accurately meet the measurement standards. Many are included in internationally recognised standards such as ISO 17025 (BS EN 17025: 2005 in the UK) and ISO 9001.

At the end of such tests, checks and verification, the visual guide to users is to affix a label or tag to confirm compliance that instruments will operate within tolerances. These labels can advise date of calibration, frequency of calibration, tests undertaken and traceability.

Our range of calibration labels, calibration tags and calibration dots have been used for tests relating to dimensional, electrical, humidity, pressure, thermal and torque, in diverse industrial sectors including aerospace, oil, gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, automotive, medical and telecommunications. In addition, other ranges are produced in other formats including write and seal, and those produced in aluminium foil, tamper evident or tamperproof vinyl.

Besides the standard calibration and test labels on offer, we have supplied many UKAS approved laboratories and test centres with custom produced marking product. These can include company logos, help desk numbers, service centre return address details, and serial numbering or barcoding to provide tracking and access to test records.

For further information please contact Label Source by e-mail (sales @labelsource.co.uk) or telephone 0800 3761693 (in UK), or +44 1443 842769 (outside UK) to discuss your requirements.