In the Mirriam-Webster dictionary, the first definition of the noun “safety” is, “the condition of being safe from undergoing or causing hurt, injury, or loss”.
Safety labeling is an action taken to prevent hurt, injury or loss through the use of labels. Labels play a key role in communicating safety messaging; messaging designed to alert workers and consumers to the risk of hurt, injury, or loss if a product is used or handled improperly. Labels convey messaging to workers and consumers about how to handle and use a product safely, whether it’s industrial or household chemicals, ladders, powered hand tools or food.
Why are labels such an important form of safety messaging? First, labels are a visual medium that a worker or consumer has immediate access to as they handle, use, or consume a product. In most cases, labels are literally at their fingertips. Second, through a combination of words and graphic symbols, labels can communicate safety messaging very quickly, efficiently, and effectively at any point in a value chain, from original manufacture to end-use.
Commercial enterprises recognize and leverage the value of safety labeling as a way to build trust and loyalty. Trust and brand loyalty are foundational to long-term business success.
Regulatory agencies at various levels of government recognize that labels play a critical role in achieving compliance with regulatory standards that are promulgated in order to prevent hurt, injury or loss on the part of the general public, whether it’s in a workplace or a home.
Perhaps without realizing it, we rely on safety labeling as one very important way to gauge product safety, and mitigate the potential risk of hurt, injury or loss associated with exposure to or use of a product. Safety labeling is pervasive in commerce as well as our daily lives.
Brandywine Label Printing actively promotes and supports safety labeling with solutions for digital, on-premise, on-demand label printing that enable your safety messaging to hit the mark and achieve your goals. Contact us to learn more!