There is a definite need for a system of safety inspection in the home and the workplace, especially as it applies to the use of electrical devices. The potential of fire and other related hazards is proportionately increased by the number and complexity of electrical components and manufacturing equipment put into place in any home environment or industry process.
The abundance of electrical devices and tools that are present today, and the variations of design within those devices, require a greater vigilance to their ability to handle electricity, especially at the loads that many sophisticated objects operate with. While the implementation of guidelines beginning in the 1960’s has provided a much more controllable environment for safety inspecting and reporting, the need for increased innovation in how this is accomplished has brought about more efficient and user-friendly methods.
Visual inspection labels, such as plug top labels and microwave emission labels, allow for an efficient and reliable inspection and reporting method to protect those who must come into contact with various tools and testing equipment, including the common microwave ovens found in so many homes today.
The introduction of the portable appliance testing system, otherwise known as PAT, instituted a much more reliable way to maintain a close watch on tools and devices that proliferate most industrial undertakings these days. Hand-held and plug-in portable electrical implements are in greater use today than ever before, thus demanding that safety precautions keep up with the increased usage of these types of devices.
Plug top labels, due to their diminutive size and shape, can be placed on plug ends and adaptors as well as other electrical wiring which must necessarily access high voltages and amperages. The danger in handling a worn or faulty plug in such close proximity to lethal amounts of electricity is enormous. A plug top label, when affixed to a device plug, will provide valuable information to the user as to the status of the plug, the agency or department and the inspector who has rendered judgment, and the date of the inspection as well as the date of the next required inspection.
Microwave emission labels are equally important in the safe use of microwave devices. Microwaves and radio frequencies are as potentially dangerous as electricity due to their invisible nature and the radiation levels that can be attained by using them. The information provided on microwave emission labels is invaluable in ensuring the acceptable performance of the device. Microwave emission labels are a requirement not only for new microwave products but on those that are re-conditioned for second hand sale.
The modern plug top labels and microwave emission labels are made of durable
materials, such as fabrics or plastics that offer a strong resilience to those factors which used to make hand-written labeling so unreliable. Lamination and adherent display pockets contribute to the longevity of readable information on these types of labels, which is so crucial to their purpose.
The innovations in safety labeling have brought about a much-needed approach to maintaining a safe environment, not only in the workplace but in the home as well.