Health & Safety Labels Material Guide
Safety labels are available in a choice of legends, symbols and pack sizes to suit all requirements, however with such a wide variety of industries requiring them as part of their health and safety policy the decisions don’t stop there. Label material can play a huge part in how suitable the option you choose will be for your business.
In this guide, we breakdown the materials we supply here at Seton and give you the information needed to help you make an informed decision on which one will suit your application best. Think of labels as small safety signs that can be used in instances where a larger option isn’t necessary, or when space is limited. You already know how important it is that signs are seen and understood - labels should be exactly the same.
Labels aren’t just used to show hazard symbols or warning signs. At Seton you will also find a comprehensive range of label types, including:
- GHS labels
- Inspection labels
- Pipemarkers
- Packing & shipping labels
- Quality control labels
These are all manufactured using materials particularly suited to their purpose.
What materials are available?
Location and application play a huge role in the decision you make when it comes to which material is required for your labels. For a tougher environment, you’ll want something more durable like aluminium foil, but if it’s for an office or somewhere less industrial self-adhesive vinyl will be perfect.
Below is a list of materials that are available within our range of safety labels.
Self Adhesive Vinyl
- Our standard safety label material suitable for most applications including high-use areas
- Ideally suited for curved surfaces such as cylinders
- A high gloss flexible self-adhesive material with an easy-peel backing
- Self-adhesive vinyl signs are quick and easy to position on various surfaces
- Require no fixings so can be more time and cost efficient than signs
- Perfect for use indoors and outdoors when applied to smooth, clean, dry surfaces
- Photoluminescent and hard wearing plastic alternatives are available
Self-Adhesive Polypropylene
- An eco-friendly alternative to vinyl labels - all the same benefits with the added feature of being recyclable
- Ideal for indoor and outdoor use when applied to a smooth surface that is dry
- Polypropylene can be recycled over and over - perfect for businesses or industries that are targeted to watch their waste
- Suitable for most working environments including warehouses, kitchens and factories
Vinyl Cloth
- Multi-purpose material for quality control, inspection and calibration labels
- Polymer coated cloth with a pressure-sensitive adhesive
- The perfect mix of durability and economy
- Rubber-based adhesive can be repositioned if necessary
- Excellent flexibility for wrapping around curved surfaces
- Adhesive holds firm to clean, dry surfaces until purposely removed
- Suitable for most environments, but recommended for I.T., medical and education applications
Tamper Resistant
- Designed to be destroyed upon removal making it easy to see when a label has been tampered with
- Perfect for expensive items such as I.T. equipment or those that would be easy to steal such as tools, phones and laptops
- Manufactured from vinyl with permanent pressure sensitive backing
- High-performance satin finish
- For ultimate destructibility, a curing time of 24 hours is recommended
- Also suitable for machinery, lab apparatus or other equipment where safety is of utmost importance and inspection dates etc. must be shown
Aluminium Foil
- Designed to meet all your industrial, warehouse, inspection and safety marking needs
- Soft, conductive aluminium foil with permanent adhesive and Matte finish
- Resists abrasion, oil and solvents
- Can withstand extreme temperatures from -40° to +130°C
- Excellent “memory” when wrapped around wires - may remain attached to a wire or cable even if the adhesive fails
- Each label is smudge-free and will stay permanently debossed once marked
- Applies easily to any clean, dry surface
- Suitable for use in industrial environments, as well as workshops or garages
- Perfect for hand tools and vehicles
Self Laminating
- White Polyester material with an overlaminate
- Use to ensure important information is protected against tampering, accidental damage, chemicals, grease and grime
- UL tested and approved for suitability
- Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use
- Use any pen, pencil or marker to add your information
- Permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive
- Suitable for harsh environments when vital information needs protecting, such as factories, workshops, laboratories and warehouses
Laminated Labels - Create Your Own
If you have stock of non-laminated labels you would like to protect from damage or your needs change, write-on label protective covers are available. These are made from clear acrylic and have a permanent adhesive backing.
Specialist Materials
- Paper: Easy to use and economical - available as inspection labels and shipping & packaging labels
- Overlaminated Polyester: Resists extreme temperatures, chemicals and scratches; low-halogen to protect pipes - meets European standards for pipemarking
- Vinyl with Polypropylene Overlaminate - Increased durability and protection - used for hazard warning diamonds
Label Printers
If you use safety labels regularly, need multiple materials or require specialist label types such as cable wraps, a label printer may well work out to be the most useful and cost-effective solution. Label stock is available in polyester, nylon cloth, standard and self-laminating vinyl as well as many other specialist materials making them ideal for all applications. The Brady printer range has options for handheld and tabletop printers and includes software that makes creating your perfect label easy.
Seton can also create bespoke labels for all applications and environments. Contact sales@seton.co.uk for more information.