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PAT Test Labels
Here at Label Bar, we are industry leaders when it comes to supplying all kinds of labels for health and safety, identification, and testing. Our experience of over 10 years in the industry makes us experts at providing the largest variety of labels that you could need. Today, we’re going to look at PAT labels. What is PAT? In this context, PAT refers to Portable Appliance Testing for the purpose of carrying out examinations of electrical equipment and appliances to make sure they are still safe to use. Whether by looking for any visual defects, or testing the internal processes of the device, PAT labels are useful management tools that enable you to monitor and review the impact of such as maintenance process, as well as acting as evidence to demonstrate that your company is carrying out regular tests. How regularly should tests be carried out? There is no set answer as to how often you should carry out PA tests, as this will entirely depend on the type of equipment. The general rule of thumb is that the bigger the appliance, the more frequently it should be tested. It will also depend on the environment that it is used in, for example, if you compare power tools used on building sites with a lamp used in a hotel room, you can see the logical difference between how often these two appliances will need testing in this way. The law requires that electrical equipment that has any potential to cause injury is maintained in a safe condition, so this means of testing can make sure this is the case for your company. Who can carry out the testing? Whoever carries out the PAT needs to be competent when it comes to the equipment being tested. It is necessary for them to have the knowledge, training and experience to carry out the job to enable them to use the correct equipment to do the test, as well as being fully capable of doing it, as well as understanding the results of the test. What PAT Labels do we stock? At Label Bar, we have an extensive range of PAT stickers and labels, usually available in a variety of colours, including green, blue, purple and black. As well as stickers, we also stock tuff tags, LabelGuard® tag protectors, and even handy Sharpie pens to use with the labels. You can have specific labels that say whether the appliance has passed or failed the inspection, as well as labels for particular purposes, such as microwave emissions. They are made from an extremely aggressive adhesive, making them highly durable. Some stickers and labels are also available to customise with your company logo and contact details. Contact Us If you would like more information about our range of PAT labels, please get in contact with us via our web contact form, or by emailing us at Sales@LabelBar.co.uk. Alternatively, you can speak to us directly by calling 01325 327 372. A member of our team would be happy to help you with any questions you may have for us. Read Full Story -
Electrical Safety Labels
It’s hard to imagine what our world would be like if engineers had never learned to harness the power of electricity. It is the power which lights our homes, runs our factories and our offices, and makes our modern lifestyles possible. Just as fire kept our ancestors warm, protected them and lit their way at night, electricity has transformed all our lives for the better. But also like fire, electricity can be dangerous if it is not handled with the utmost care. Electrical warning labels keep us all safe by alerting us to electrical dangers. Under UK law, it is the responsibility of every business and organization to protect their employees and visitors by posting an electrical warning label on and device or installation which may constitute an electrical hazard. Such electrical safety stickers come in all shapes and sizes, but are usually high visibility yellow to draw attention to their important message. This makes them stand out from their surroundings to hopefully prevent any kind of accident. Electrical warning stickers are often found on electrical installations such as fuse boxes and switch panels. These fixtures should never be opened or modified by anyone unless they are a qualified electrical engineer. Even experienced electricians take note of an electrical safety sticker, as it can give them important information such as the voltage of the installation (voltage warning labels), which parts of the equipment are earthed (earth warning labels), and so on. If an electrical safety label is ignored, it may prove dangerous not only to the engineer but also to others in the vicinity. For example, if equipment is connected to an electricity supply of the wrong voltage, the result may be a fire the results of which could be both hazardous and costly. Electrical safety labels are there for everyone’s benefit, so none of us should ever hesitate to draw attention to them if we believe someone may be directly or indirectly at risk. Electrical warning labels are especially important when an electrical system or piece of equipment malfunctions in a way which may constitute a hazard to personnel. If your company operates a LOTO (Lock Out / Tag Out) system as part of its health and safety procedures, you may be required to do more than simply attach an electrical warning sticker to a faulty device. Lock out electrical labels prevent a device or system from being operated until appropriate repairs have been carried out by a qualified professional, or at least until the system has been inspected and found to be safe. It is of critical importance that if any equipment is suspected to be faulty, no one should be allowed to use it, and the fault should be reported right away. Besides electrical warning labels, Label Bar can supply all the PAT test stickers, warning signs, equipment ID tags, chemical and materials signage, and barcode labels you may need. We are you one call solution for workplace signage, so get in touch today. Read Full Story -
PAT Test Labels
Most companies and organizations now have some form of PAT testing program in place, and PAT stickers, along with a test schedule log book or spreadsheet, are a convenient way to keep track of your program. To order PAT labels online, visit the Label Bar website, where you’ll find ‘Passed’ and ‘Failed’ PAT testing stickers, labels for RF emissions checks and appliance ID tags, plus just about any other kind of label, tag or sticker you could imagine needing in the workplace or elsewhere. For those new to the concept, ‘PAT’ stands for ‘Portable Appliance Test(ing)’ and is the process of ensuring any electrical device used in a work situation is not likely to pose a health and safety risk to the operator and others in the environment. PAT testing stickers are used to record the date of the test, and most companies check all their resources once per year. While such a program cannot guarantee that no device in the workplace will ever fail, PAT test labels can reassure staff that reasonable steps have been taken to protect them from faulty equipment. Next time you are in your office, check your computer or photocopier for a PAT testing sticker. If you can’t see one, or it has been several years since the appliance was tested, why not speak to your office manager or supervisor about how you can help the company keep up-to-date with its health and safety responsibilities. (It is worth noting that while every company has the legal responsibility to protect its employees by maintaining equipment, PAT testing is not the only way to fulfil this obligation, and the absence of a PAT test sticker does not automatically mean the device is unsafe or that the company has been remiss). If your company employs an electrician or other qualified person to perform PAT inspections, that person will usually bring their own supply of PAT labels with them. On the other hand, if your PAT testing is performed in-house, at least two rolls of PAT test stickers should be kept to hand, to be affixed to devices which have ‘Passed’ or ‘Failed’ the inspection, as appropriate. A PAT test usually begins with a visual inspection. One of the most common reasons electrical devices break down or become dangerous is if they have been dropped, bumped, or otherwise physically damaged. A quick visual check can often identify evidence of such an incident. Particular attention should be paid to power leads or flexes, which are susceptible to damage due to trapping. Cuts in the outer insulation of the flex, or visible inner wires, are enough to earn the item a ‘Failed’ PAT test sticker. If the product looks to be in safe condition, it can then be tested mechanically and electrically. A green PAT test label is only awarded to units which pass all these tests. Both these kinds of PAT testing labels, along with all manner of other stickers and tags, are available from Label Bar. Read Full Story -
Inspection Labels
Inspection labels can be found on almost any piece of equipment in the workplace. Whether it’s a ladder in a warehouse or a microwave in an office kitchen, every asset belonging to a business must be regularly checked as part of the business’s health and safety procedures. Each of these will have their own different process for being inspected. Here at Label Bar we stock a huge variety of inspection labels for a huge variety of equipment. Yet there are so many inspection labels it can be difficult to know which one to choose. Here is a selection of general inspection labels that can work Quality assurance labels ‘Quality assurance’ is an umbrella term referring to any process which determines whether a product or service meets specified requirements. For that reason, quality assurance labels often serve as general inspection labels for many different purposes. Many labels outline different stages of the QA process, such as highlighting that an object has been inspected, can return to stock or requires repair. The exact type of quality assurance label you’ll find depends on the company and its individual requirements. Battery test results labels Batteries are an essential part of many electrical appliances and this type of inspection label is specifically designed to highlight whether they work or not. Some of the details included on battery maintenance labels include voltage, amps, temperature and the name of the engineer. Ladder inspection labels Ladders aren’t hugely technical pieces of equipment but having a ladder that works properly is crucial in many work environments, particularly when it comes to keeping workers safe. Ladder inspection labels offer people using the ladders reassurance that their ladder has been tested for safety and will be regularly checked. Microwave inspection labels Emitting electromagnetic radiation, a microwave may be a fairly ordinary piece of kit to find around the office but they can be highly dangerous if not properly maintained, and costly to an employer. Microwave inspection labels allow the engineer to note the results of specific tests relating to the microwave relating to its interlock, door seal and emission level. Some also offer additional space to allow the engineer to note whether the microwave has passed or failed the test. Vehicle service labels When vehicles are regularly being used, it’s only a matter of time before they will begin to suffer from wear and tear. Vehicle service labels are handy for noting when a vehicle should next be serviced, whether that’s after reaching a number of service miles or by a certain date. Contact us today! As you can see, there are inspection labels available for almost any purpose, be they general inspection labels or specific service labels for particular objects. If you have any questions about inspection labels or would like to find a specific label to suit your requirement, please contact us right here at Label Bar today and we would be very happy to share our expertise with you. Read Full Story -
PAT Test Labels
Anyone working in an environment with electronic appliances will likely have seen PAT labels on their assets. PAT, which stands for portable appliance testing, refers to the process of examination which checks that an electrical appliance is safe to use. Many companies regularly perform PAT tests in order to meet health and safety regulations, placing a PAT label on the object once testing has been completed. Here at Label Bar we know everything we need to know about PAT testing labels as we host a huge variety of them. But what are the common types of PAT labels and what can you expect to see on them? Here are just a few of the types of PAT labels you can expect to see and the details you’ll find on them. Visual inspection check For the vast majority of electrical appliance defects, a visual inspection is all that is needed. This type of PAT label, helpfully illustrated with an eye, shows that the appliance has been briefly looked over and showed no obvious problems, rather than given a thorough examination. This check could be by a layman given simple training or a competent person, depending on the type of equipment. Radio frequency emission check A radio frequency emission check concerns appliances that emit radio frequencies which could be dangerous if they are faulty. Just some of the types of equipment this test might cover include microwaves and other appliances that use electromagnetic radiation. By seeing one of these PAT test labels installed on an appliance you or your staff will know that this specific element of the appliance has been checked. Passed/Failed The most important purpose of a portable appliance test is to determine whether the appliance is safe to use. If an appliance has a PAT test label stating that it has passed the test, the person picking up the appliance should have no worries. If the appliance’s PAT test label says that it has failed, then they will know that it remains faulty and needs to be repaired or replaced. Appliance ID Closely related to asset ID labels, an appliance ID is a common feature on PAT labels. These help people using the appliance know exactly which model they are handling, a particularly useful piece of information if the business owns several appliances of the same make and needs to know which one to repair or loan out. Contact details Many PAT test labels have the name of the person that the appliance belongs to, their contact details and often the engineer who has performed the test. By providing these details, the person using the appliance can contact the engineer or the company if they have any problems with the appliance. Contact us today! As the above shows, PAT labels vary hugely in their style and in the information that they provide. If you are interested in purchasing PAT test labels for your appliances or have any questions about PAT labels please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us here at Label Bar. We would be very happy to answer all of your questions. Read Full Story -
Asset Labels
When you’re running your business day to day, it is easy to build up lots of assets and equipment. As these things accumulate over time and you become busy with other tasks, it is so simple to lose sight of the proper systems of keeping track of these growing assets and equipment. For this reason, asset labels play a vital role in increasing the efficiency of your business, whether a private or public company, a government body or any other organisation. There are many benefits for purchasing asset labels. Organisation The obvious benefit of investing in asset labels is that it provides optimum organisation for your assets and equipment. It provides you with a system to track all your company’s inventory so that you can put the perfect system in place, so that everything has a rightful place. Systems The systems we are talking about when we refer to asset labels include sequential numbering, and bar-coding, amongst other forms of tracking. Fixed asset inventory can change, sometimes even on a daily basis, with new assets being bought, others being upgraded, and some being sent for maintenance and repairs, and sometimes needing to be disposed of. Theft By having these tracking systems in place with your asset labels, not only does it help if anything happens to be misplaced or go missing, but you are able to deter any theft of property from the company, whether internal or external. Reduced Labour Cost The use of asset labels also means your company can see a reduced labour cost, as your business becomes more efficient. It enables you to provide the most accurate information and asset inventory without unnecessary hard work. These smart systems can benefit companies of all sizes. Properties of Our Asset Labels Here at Label Bar, we offer a wide array of different asset labels, but they have many things in common, such as the use of different colours, and the ability to include your logo and/or company details. Our labels are thick and highly durable, using a strong adhesive. There are different types that may suit you best, whether our super stick asset labels, heavy duty one, or satin silver. Contact Us If you have any questions about our asset labels or any of our other products, please don’t hesitate to get in touch through our web contact form, or by emailing us at Sales@LabelBar.co.uk. To speak to a member of the team directly, you can also call us on 01325 525 675 and our staff will be pleased to assist you. Read Full Story -
Hazard Warning Diamonds
From power stations and industrial sites to the cleaning cupboards in our own homes, we are surrounded on a daily basis by substances which, if handled improperly, can be damaging to ourselves and our environment. It’s reassuring to know that there is extensive legislation in place to control the movement and storage of such materials, and the first line of defence are the mandatory Hazard Warning labels which must be displayed on the packaging of any product which contains them. How well do you understand the Hazard Warning diamonds which appear on so many products we buy at the store, as well as those which appear on HGVs we see on our roads? These diamond shaped signs are GHS Hazard Warning Labels. GHS refers to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals, a standard on which most national and international regulations are based. In their most basic form, these are black and white pictograms within a red diamond and are found on cleaning products and other retail goods. These simple Hazard stickers are aimed at consumers who are unlikely to be handling hazardous material in large quantities or high concentrations. By contrast, when large quantities of dangerous substances are to be shipped in bulk, the potential for a serious incident is increased many fold. A second set of GHS Hazard Warning Diamond labels are specifically for transport situations, and are the same as those recommended in the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. This set of warning diamonds use colours and numerical codes to give additional information about the type of goods being carried. According to this convention: Orange represents explosive substances Red represents flammable substances Green represents compressed gas Blue represents substances which become flammable when exposed to water Yellow warning diamonds may denote oxidizing substances Black and white warning diamonds may denote toxic or corrosive substances These colour codes provide at-a-glance information on the hazards associated with the cargo to industry professionals as well as groups such as emergency services in case of an incident. More information is immediately available by means of the numerical code found in the bottom corner of the Hazard Warning Diamond sticker, which may be understood as follows: Class 1: Explosives Class 2: Gases Classes 3 and 4: Flammable liquids and solids Class 5: Oxidizing substances Class 6: Poisonous and toxic substances Class 8: Corrosive substances Each class is then further sub-divided to provide more specific information, and each of these codes results in a definition which dictates how the goods should be handled. At Label Bar, we produce both types of Hazard Warning Diamond stickers, as well as just about any other type of label you could ever need. Keeping your workforce, your customers, and the general public safe is one of your top priorities, and you can demonstrate your commitment by making use of our comprehensive range of high-quality labels. Read Full Story -
PAT Test Labels
With around 1,000 electrical accidents at work reported to the HSE every year, a program for inspecting and maintaining electrical equipment is a must for any business owner or manager who takes their health and safety responsibilities seriously. Portable appliance testing, commonly known as PAT testing, is a process used by many companies as a structured way of meeting those responsibilities. While PAT testing is not a legal requirement, it demonstrates that measures to maintain electrical equipment are in place. Typically, each piece of equipment will be inspected periodically and a PAT test sticker will be applied stating the date on which the appliance was tested and who conducted the test. What is involved in a PAT test? This varies depending on the nature of the appliance and the environment in which it will be used. However, the first step should always be a thorough visual inspection of the unit. Particular attention should be paid to vulnerable components such as power leads and control panels. Any signs of wear or damage should be noted and assessed for impact on the safety of the item. PAT test labels can be used for this purpose. The operation of the appliance should also be tested. In some cases, this will amount to no more than turning the machine on and checking that it performs as expected. For industrial appliances, however, it may be necessary to perform more thorough testing with dedicated tools. The law specifies that testing should be carried out by someone who is competent to do it, so if no one at your company is familiar with the inner workings of an electrical device, it would be wise to enlist the services of an electrical engineer to perform the test. It may be convenient to have all your appliances tested at the same time, so that all the test labels will bear the same date. How often must PAT tests be conducted? When it comes to routine inspections, the law does not stipulate how frequently most appliances must be checked. However, many firms prefer to have their equipment tested annually as this demonstrates a responsible attitude towards safety in case they are audited by the HSE or other official body. Of course, some equipment may require more frequent inspections, such as industrial lifting equipment under LOLER. How should PAT testing be recorded? Once again, there is no statutory obligation to record the results of inspections. However, should an incident occur, thorough records of rigorous testing can provide evidence of a conscientious attitude to health and safety. PAT test stickers are small test labels which attach to the appliance which has been tested. Each label should clearly state whether the device has passed or failed the inspection. Other information found on most PAT testing stickers are the date the test was conducted or the date the next test is due, and the identity of the inspector. Come to Label Bar for PAT testing stickers and other labels of all kinds. Read Full Story -
Quality Control Labels
No one quality control label is the same at Label Bar. Although all meet the catch-all purpose of providing you with a great system to control the quality of the equipment and machinery being used in your business, each has a unique purpose. Our extensive range enables you to get the right label for any imaginable application. There are many benefits to using our quality control labels, so read on to find out four of the best reasons to bring these items into your business. Safety The number one reason for labels such as this is that the methodology will ensure that all equipment is safe to use. Or alternatively, it will help to signal when equipment should not be touched. Inspection stickers and PAT test stickers also come under the umbrella of quality control. Professionalism Our range of labels will help you to comply with the current legislation, creating ready-made labels for you to use when keeping regular records. This will give your company the stamp of approval when it comes to professionalism in the workplace. Keeping on top of your records, by filling in blank details on labels such as the date and signature, will ensure that all members of staff are clear on any machinery and equipment. This will give confidence to the operator of the machinery that all is in full working condition. Variation We have many different text options that depend on the application, so your label can say exactly what you want it to say. As well as ready-made designs, there are also custom designs, where features such as your company logo or details can be added to tie into that sense of professionalism, and show what your company stands for, and making it easier for the worker. Durability The last thing that any company wants is to waste time reordering labels, or getting sticky fingers peeling and unpeeling stickers. This is why we guarantee our customers of the quality of our labels, which are made to be highly durable, using a strong and secure adhesive that will live a long-lasting fixture to whatever application you choose. Contact Us To discover more about our quality control labels, or any other products, complete the form on our contact page, or email us at Sales@LabelBar.co.uk. You can also call us on 01325 525 675 in order to speak to a member of our team directly. We will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have about our range. Read Full Story
