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Quality Control & Safety Labels Material Guide |

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.

Outdoor safety equipment label being positioned and affixed
Warehouse racking stacked with pallets showing this way up labels and shelf identification labels
Electrical equipment in a manufacturing environment marked with warning and status labels made from various label materials
Vinyl hearing protection PPE label being attached to a personal locker

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 vinyl label showing a hazard warning triangle being positioned on a fuse box
Custom printed label made from vinyl attached to a cylinder to show important safety information
Recycling signs printed in self adhesive vinyl indicating a company waste segregation policy

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
Recyclable polypropylene label marked “not drinking water” affixed to ceramic tiles near a sink
Hearing protection PPE reminder label made from recyclable material stuck to a wall in a factory
Eco-friendly “caution hot surface” label affixed to a glass oven door in a kitchen

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
Vinyl cloth pat testing label showing test date and details attached to a projector
Calibrated label made from vinyl cloth attached to testing equipment in a medical setting
Tested for electrical safety write-on vinyl cloth label affixed to I.T. equipment

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
Tamperproof label showing electrical testing information affixed to a dishwasher door
Tamper resistant safety label with permanent adhesive which has been attempted to be removed
Warranty void if seal broken tamper proof label attached to I.T. equipment showing signs of attempted removal

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
Aluminium foil write-on label affixed to audio equipment showing calibration test information
Foil write-on service record label marked with date and tester initials attached to fire extinguisher
Small foil label attached to laboratory equipment showing when calibration is due

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
Safety test label self-laminated against dirt and damage affixed to industrial handling equipment controls
“Do not use” and electrical safety laminated cable wraps
User affixed laminating layer over an equipment label to protect it against accidental damage or tampering

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
Paper shipping labels stating “fragile” and showing “this way up” information attached to boxes and on rolls
Overlaminated polyester pipemarking labels indicating which liquids are passing through pipes and in which direction
Flammable liquid hazard warning diamond label made from vinyl with polypropylene overlay being affixed to a mailing box

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.

Brady BMP41 handheld printer creating vinyl safety labels to identify electrical equipment
Brady BMP71 printer being used in a workshop to create safety, security and information labels in vinyl material