When a company comes to designing industrial labels for its machinery, there are plenty of considerations to keep in mind.

The task of drawing up an instructional or hazard warning sign sounds very simple in theory, but the repercussions if it is done wrong can be damaging both in terms of employee’s safety and the firm’s finances. The key is to keep people safe while they are working in your factory or office – never let this objective escape you.

So what should you think about when designing your industrial label?

Standard

One of the first things to consider is whether you actually require a custom-made sign or if there might be a standard one that would do the job. It can save money to buy a pre-designed option and may be easier to order in, since the manufacturing firm will be used to producing it.

Failing that, an organisation can think about whether there are any signs that may be required on more than one machine and bear this in mind when creating the message or warning. By doing this, they can create their own standard templates.

Simplicity

There are countless adages and sayings regarding how important it is to keep things simple. Nowhere is this more relevant than in the world of signage. It is not about beautiful prose or clever puns, the sign must convey exactly the message you want it to – there must be no possibility of misunderstanding it.

Symbols

Industrial label symbols must be handled with care. Designed and used correctly they can take the place of a whole paragraph or more of text, but in the wrong hands they can create confusion, accidents and often hilarity.

Warnings

Whether you are designing a hazard sign or an instructional label, there will be certain warnings that you will want the equipment operator to be aware of, but do not stop at this level of caution. Check with a health and safety specialist regarding any possible legal issues, as you do not want to be landed with a compensation request just because a label was lacking information.