How are Safety Tags and Adhesive Labels Different?

Industrial environment or a manufacturing floor uses various means to identify the equipment and their availability. The most common types used for such purposes are labels, tags and stickers. Labels are longer-lasting materials that are affixed to the surface. They carry  information and are made specifically for the type of surface they are going to be used. When labels do ot have an adhesive or are stitched to the material, they are called tags. They are attached to the product or surface via typing or hanging. So,let us explore the uses of safety tags and adhesive label and the differences between them.

What are Safety Tags

Safety tags are used in many workplaces to comply with OSHA regulations. They are used to identify specific dangers or hazards, such as equipment that is malfunctioning or in need of repair.They can also be used to warn of specific dangers, such as fire tags. As a result these types of tags are very important in preventing accidental injury and in factories that deal with chemicals protect employees from exposure to hazardous conditions.

Common types of safety tags used in workplaces are:

• Scaffold tags: Used at the entrances and exits of scaffolding. Scaffold tags communicate which scaffolding has been inspected, which is safe to use, and which is unsafe.
• Ladder tags: Permanently fixed onto the inside edge of all ladders. Ladder tags communicate which ladders have been inspected, which are safe to use, and which are unsafe.
• LOTO tags: Communicate important information about energy control procedures, such as the reason for the lockout, the person who performed the lockout, and the expected time for the lockout to be released.
• Lockout lock and tag: Controls and prevents the release of hazardous energy by locking a machine’s energy-isolating device. Examples of energy-isolating devices are manual disconnect switches, circuit breakers, line valves or blocks.

How are safety tags made?

Safety tags are made from tough and durable materials that can withstand harsh environments. They are made from materials such as high impact styrene, flexible polyester. rigid PVC or UV protected printing. They are tagged or secured to the equipment via ⅜ hole reinforced with a metal grommet. Safety tags are essential for inspection tagging, providing compliance awareness at a glance.

What are adhesive labels and how are they made?

Adhesive label are also known as sticky labels. They are made of three layers: a face material, a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a backing sheet coated in a release agent. The layers are laminated together and then die cut to produce the individual labels.

Adhesive labels are used to:

• Apply labels to surfaces
• Affix labels to any surface
• Label products

Every industry uses different types of adhesive labels. These can be permanent and removable designs. For strong adhesion to a surface, permanent adhesive labels are used as they are not easy to remove without damaging the label. Meanwhile, removable labels do not leave any substrate on the surface when they are removed. Generically, adhesive labels can be grouped in three chemical categories: rubber, acrylic, and silicone

Adhesive labels are made of three layers: a face material, a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a backing sheet coated in a release agent. The layers are laminated together and then die cut to produce the individual labels. The final product can either be in sheet, roll, or fan-fold form.

Adhesive labels are often made of paper. The side of the paper that does not contain any information is covered with an adhesive. The bonding strength of the adhesive may vary depending on its properties or the manufacturer’s needs.

Safety tags are different from adhesive labels

Safety labels are the most commonly made of adhesive-backed vinyl material to apply directly to a surface. They are used to identify the piece of equipment, the location, as well as the date of each inspection, and the name of the person who signed off on it.

Meanwhile, Adhesive labels are mostly used to identify a product or a brand. They come in permanent and removable designs.