Safety Signs Labels

Safety labels are an effective way to warn people about health and safety hazards. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Federal Hazardous Substances Act, hazardous substances and materials must have proper safety labels or signs so consumers are well-informed about potential dangers.

Types

• Products that are flammable, explosive, toxic, poisonous or hazardous must contain a safety sign or label. Different hazards have their own safety sign associated with them. For example, the sign for "flammable" is red with an image of flames.

Identification

• Employees must learn how to identify safety sign labels. Before handling substances, workers shall visually inspect containers or storage devices for safety labels. Workers are responsible for adhering to the warning and taking proper measures to decrease the potential for hazards.

Effects

• When hazardous materials are not labeled with safety signs, workers can be exposed to health and safety dangers. Substances can explode or catch fire when people are not properly warned. Accordingly, safety sign labels must be conspicuous so they are easily identifiable.