Pointers for Writing a Warning Label to Avoid Product Liability
A label on a product packet or jar is crucial as it gives significant information about the product, some of which is mandatory. While a label is a great source of branding your product some products require warning and safety labels as well. This is a kind of a disclaimer mandatory for products with hazardous or inflammable materials inside. It may also be required on certain drugs and medications, chemicals, paints, preservative ingredients, pesticides, and so on. These labels need to be written considering all the specifications, else there could be legal implications. This post discusses ways to write warning and safety labels.
Pointers to Create Informatory Warning and Safety Labels
Warning and safety labels highlight the precautions to be taken when handling that product or equipment. Appropriate content on these labels makes users aware of the possible dangers of handling or using the product, machine, or equipment. So, it is crucial that the content on these packages is crystal clear, easily visible, and easy to understand. Here are some ways to write warning and safety labels to avoid liability and legal implications.
Product safety signs and labels based on ANSI standards are a crucial aspect that needs to be complied with. The following pointers will help you when writing content on these labels:
- Write a verbatim that suits your requirements and speaks about the product.
- Leave space for the logo and the actual warning content, on the label.
- Select some keywords which highlight the caution aspect; for example, danger, hazardous, hot, use protective gear, handle with care, and so on. Make sure these words are highlighted and in bold for easy visibility.
- Make the content crisp, to the point, and specific, and the keywords prominent.
- For caution keywords, use colors such as red or black.
- In the case of parts and components, mention the part number.
- If your product is available across the globe, consider displaying message in languages other than English, such as Spanish, French, Arabic, and so on.
- Customizing common plain labels is a great option to suit your exact requirements. This includes customizing the shape, length and breadth of the label.
- Depending upon the application, you can keep the language that sounds cool or casual. For instance, if you are a restaurant or café owner, you can paste a “caution” or “entry restricted” label near your kitchen area or a “handle with care, I am breakable” on your glassware.
- If you deal with chemicals or other hazardous substances, it is best to write crisp and clear messages such as “hazardous materials inside, “keep away from children”, and so on.
- It is always a good idea to mention the actual risk and what exactly causes the hazard.
- Mention all the required warnings not just on the pack labels but also in the user manual.
- You can always estimate all the possible wrong things people would do when handling the product, and list them as assumptions. This serves as a great tool to avoid liability as they come across as an extension of the warning and safety guidelines content.
- Even after considering all these pointers, it is best to consult your lawyer when developing the content of such labels.
If you are a manufacturer of a product that requires warning and safety labels, make sure you approach the right label maker who would create these labels with appropriate content printed without compromising on your brand value. Ensure they understand your requirements. Also, apart from the important content, it is crucial for a label to have a good-quality adhesive so that it stays in place irrespective of heart, moisture, and so on. Performance Label Company (PLC) provides various types of stickers with a high-quality adhesive, and customized labels with warning and safety content to suit your requirements. The company has been designing custom stickers for the last 30 years.
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