Business Warning Labels

Typical Warning Label Layout and Features: Product Safety Sign or Label: Sign, label, or decal affixed to a product that provides hazard and safety information about that product.

Panel: Area of label having a distinctive background color different from adjacent areas, or which is clearly delineated by a line, border, or margin. There may be up to three panels per label: Signal Word, Symbol (optional), Message.

Message Panel: Area containing word messages which identify the hazard, indicate how to avoid the hazard, and advise of the probable consequence of not avoiding the hazard.

Signal Word Panel: Area that contains the signal word. For personal injury hazards, the signal word panel also contains the safety alert symbol.

Symbol/Pictorial Panel: Optional area containing symbol/pictorial.

Safety Alert Symbol: An equilateral triangle surrounding an exclamation mark, it indicates a potential personal injury hazard. Should NOT be used to alert persons to property-damage-only accidents.

Verbiage or Message Used a Warning Label: Signal Words Call attention to the safety label and designates a degree or level of hazard seriousness:

Danger: Indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious injury. This signal word is to be limited to the most extreme situations. COLOR: Use Fireball Red (485). White letting on red background.

Warning: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury. COLOR: Use Safety Orange (152). Black lettering on orange background.

Caution: Indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury. It may also be used to alert against unsafe practices. COLOR: Use Process Yellow (106). Black lettering on yellow background

Symbol/Pictorial: (Optional) Graphic representation intended to convey a message without the use of words. It may represent a hazard, a hazardous situation, a precaution to avoid a hazard, a result of not avoiding a hazard, or any combination of these messages. (See ANSI Z535.3-1998, also available from NEMA or Global Engineering Documents.)

Word message should be concise and readily understood. Multiple messages should have enough space between them so that they do not visually blend together. See Fonts section for size and style of font.

Label Layout and Design - Labels may be horizontal or vertical, and may incorporate two or three panels (Signal, Word Message, and optional Symbol/Pictorial. Actual size, layout, and proportion of panels may vary depending on application requirements.

Label Fonts Used on Warning Labels: Font Styles: Signal words must be in all uppercase sans serif letter. Message panel should be a combination of capitals and lowercase letters (clc), also using a sans serif font. A serif font may be used for longer text, and upper case only lettering may be used for short messages or emphasis of individual words. Sans serif fonts recommended are Arial, Helvetica, Futura, and Univers. It is also recommend that BOLD versions of these fonts be used.

Font Size: Although font size must be determined by legibility requirements of the particular application, the following guidelines establish minimum character heights for "Favorable" and "Unfavorable" conditions. The height of an uppercase "H" should be used to determine character height, and for practical purposes you can use a conversion of .01 inches for every point of type size. (e.g. use 12 point type for to achieve 0.12" character height.) Recommended Letter Heights (in inches) for Favorable Reading Conditions:

• 2 feet or less: Viewing Distance (in.) / 150 (Note: Suggested minimum type size for all safety labels is 0.08".) o 2 to 20 feet: Viewing Distance ((ft. -2) x 0.03) + 0.16
• Over 20 feet: Viewing Distance (ft.) / 28.6 Recommended Letter Heights (in inches) for Unfavorable Reading Conditions (All Distances)
• Viewing Distance (ft.) x 0.084 Example -5 foot reading distance: Favorable Reading Conditions: (5-2) x (0.03) + 0.16 = .25". Therefore use 25 point type. Unfavorable Reading Conditions: 5 x 0.084 = .42". Therefore use 42 point type. Label Colors: Safety color standards are specified in ANSI Z535.1-1998, Safety Color Code, also available from NEMA or GED.

Signal Word Panel:
• DANGER: Word in white letters on safety red background. In quoting and specifying with us, use Fireball Red (485).
• WARNING: Word in black letters on safety orange background. In quoting and specifying with us, use Safety Orange (152).
• CAUTION: Word in black letters on safety yellow background. In quoting and specifying with us, use Process Yellow (106).
Message Panel: Black lettering on white background OR white lettering on black background. Symbol/Pictorial Panel: Should normally be black on white background. Other colors may be used for emphasis or special situations, such as safety red for fire.

Label Materials: The application and environment where the safety labels will be used should determine the substrate material to use. The most common are:

• Standard 4 mil Vinyl - Gloss White or Clear: Inexpensive and has a 3-5 year outdoor vertical surface rating. Conforms to uneven or corrugated surfaces. For extra physical durability, add a 1 mil or 2 mil Gloss Polyester Overlaminate (better for indoor applications), or for ultimate durability use LexSaver® 5 mil Velvet Lexan Overlaminate. For extended UV protection use 1 mil Tedlar Overlaminate (will extend 3-5 year resistance to fading; for example in outdoor, horizontal surface applications in very sunny areas.) For warning labels meant to be read through glass, use Clear Vinyl, and add White as a floodcoat color.

• Polyester 2 mil - Gloss White or Clear: Tougher than vinyl, and better suited to applications where label will experience physical contact. Also for high temperature applications. For additional protection, add 1 or 2 mil Gloss Polyester Overlaminate, or LexSaver® 5 mil Velvet Lexan Overlaminate. For warning labels meant to be read through glass, use Clear Polyester, and add White as a floodcoat color.

• Reflective White 7.5 mil Vinyl: For highly visible, typically outdoor applications. Reflects light, so will draw attention to itself in dark. Add LexSaver® 5 mil Velvet Lexan Overlaminate for super physical durability.

• Lexan® 10 mil: For applications requiring a premium, nameplate look, superior durability, or adhesion to highly textured surfaces. 10 mil clear Lexan® (polycarbonate) with a velvet finish on the top surface is subsurface printed (printed with mirror image) on the back side. A 2 mil or 5 mil adhesive (usually crystal clear adhesive; we use 2 mil 300LSE, 2 mil 467MP or 5 mil 468MP) is laminated over the printed back, and the safety label is cut from the Lexan. The printing is protected by the 10 mils of Lexan, and the velvet surface masks minor surface scratches keeping the ANSI Warning Label looking like new for years. Using Thick (5 mil) Adhesive (3M 468MP) facilitates adhesion to highly textured surfaces (Only use thick adhesive for that purpose. It will not increase bond, and maybe weaken it, when used on smooth surfaces.) 2 mil LSE is used for adhering your warning label to Low Surface Energy plastics.

Custom Hazard and Warning Labels - Custom hazard, warning, OSHA labels based on your artwork or design. Any size, any shape, almost any material or design. No die charges. Minimum quantity is 1 piece. 3 day or less turnaround.