Document 3Q2jMawaZOYBQ2nZgR644gzQD

Product Liability is Out to Get You ED (To(L0o*0 P uM l. . 0016083 \ W esting house Electric Corporation )V a P o w e r S y s t e m s C o m p a n y W hy Us Warning Labels? Hundreds of persons are injured every day on their job due to an act of negligence. Some of these Injuries could have been avoided if the USER had followed what is considered to be proper safety practices and procedures for his job environment. Others could have been avoided if the USER would have had knowledge of the hazards Involved In his job environment. Although His not the responsibility of the manufacturer to train his customers' employ ees, it Is a good policy to emphasize safety. Contents Warning labels can provide a means of communicat ing to the USER of your product and others the immediate and potential hazards Involved In the installation, operation, maintenance, or foreseeable misuse of the product so that injury or property dam age from such hazard may be avoided. Warning labels are also a means of minimizing expo sure to product liability. Product liability in the United States, which in the early 1960's was running at a rate of about 50,000 claims a year, had mutipJled to 500,000 a year by the earty 1970's and is now esti mated to be In excess of one million claims annually The grounds for suing manufacturers have become much broader in recent years. Today if a product does not have warnings to warn the U S ER to lake precaution necessary to avoid all dangers resulting from its use, it is considered to be defective. - W ARN IN G L A B E L S : T H E P R O D U C T 'S "ROAD MAP IM PRO VE TH E PRODUCT U SE O F W ARNING L A B E L S SIG N A L W O RD S FO R W ARNING L A B E L S S IG N A L S Y M B O LS FOR W ARNING LA B EL S D ESIGN IN G W ORDING AND FO RM AT- NPC0001608 4 on7ftm W arning Labels: The Product's Road Map Product marking is a good tool to use for warning the USERS of your products about the immediate and potential hazards In the application, installation, use, maintenance and foreseeable misuse of your prod ucts. WARNING LA BELS CAN BE USED TO CALL ATTENTION TO: A) operating procedures and practices which, if not followed, could result In harm to persons or damage to equipment, and B) the harm to persons or damage to property that could come from foreseeable misuse. These points are intended to give a basic view for the wording and format of warning labels that can be used on your product and to suggest some of the considerations which should be taken into account when deciding on how to use warning labels. A warning label as described In this brochure Is an informative marking permanently attached to a prod uct, calling attention to immediate and potential hazard of personal injury or property damage that could result from use, misuse, or careless handling of the product. Improve the Product A properly designed and manufactured product can be considered defective if it does not have sufficient warning labels attached to the product that will stimulate the users to take precautions necessary to avoid all dangers resulting from all foreseeable use of the product Warning labels can be used to extend the warning of danger Involved in the installation, use, foreseeable misuse and maintenance of theLproduct to all per sons who may come Into contact with the product and be subjected to its dangers - - TO BE ADEQUATE A WARNING LABEL SHOULD AT A MINIMUM: a) Be In clear and easily understood language. b) Be reasonably designed to draw the attention of all persons who may foreseeably be endangered by the product c) Stimulate the user to observe the warning by putting the user on notice of the possible con sequences of disregarding the warning. '25* NPC0001608S 207811 1 K C 2 4 S O A Z W L ... i i 4 0 50 oO 60 3 1.t t t Signal Words .......--........... * iff *v , ' | 7! I I y t i This word Is to be used to call attention to IMMEDIATE hazards of equipment or conditions which, If not avoided, could result In personal Injury, loss of life or property damage. SOME IMMEDIATE HAZARDS a) Exposed Live Parts b) Accessible High Voltage c) Open Belts, Blades or Rollers DANGER This word Is to be used to call attention to POTENTIAL hazards of not following recommended operating and maintenance procedures which, If not adhered to, could result In personal injury, loss of life ' or property damage. SOME POTENTIAL HAZARDS a) Operating the Product Above Its Rating b) Operating the Product without Proper Maintenance c) Operating the Product without Proper Protective Devices such as Eye Glasses, etc. This word Is to be used only to warn against those infectious agents presenting a risk or potential risk to the well-being of man, The word Identifies equipment, BIOHAZARDcontainers, materials, or a combinationwhich contains or Is contaminated with viable hazardous agents. SOME BIOHAZARDS a) Toxic Substance b) Gaseous Substance This word Is to be used oniy to warn against the actual or potential presence of harmful radioactivity and to identify objects, devices, or materials which emit such harmful radiation. RADIATION Signal Symbols Symbols are optional supplementary signs and can be used In conjunction with wording on warning labels to "hlgh-llte" the hazard that could be encountered. When symbols are used they are to be In the lower panel to thejeft or In the optional square on the right side of the warning labels. a) This symbol denotes hazard or potential hazard of harmful radiation. b) This symbol denotes hazard of Infectious agents presenting a risk or potential risk to the well-being of man. . - % c) This symbol denotes hazard of electrical shock or burn. 207812 NPC00016086 Use offWarning Labels %> Since it is not always possible to design and manu facture a product in such a manner that makes It accident-proof or fool-proof and still have it perform its Intended function without compromising other essential characteristics, warnings of hazards should be considered. However, warning labels are not to be used as a substitute for taking reasonable action to eliminate or reduce potential hazards In the design ing and manufacturing of products. LOCATING: warning labels can be most helpful when attached to the product in a location that is readily visible to persons where they are best able to avoid the hazard. EVALUATING: warning labels are to be applied In a manner that avoids confusion or implies that the hazard Is Isolated and that caution Is not needed In other areas. WffCSLL-f-s--noM, C. AUtTysIwoOffoyNocfMlndeoynrtfhauttsecdsopbneitrapvmhoiewlrnnidyss,-l i ATTACHING: warning labels are to be permanently attached to the product and made of a material that has a life In the environment of the product equal to - that of the product ii-iaw . -''--cnG... sCnosnPtcteftii iOsftiutshttdrspttRtltii&lit iirf ttlFfe*f 'UttrtiofSnjsJjttUpS*it&icr!vLc*MjLcMMr***C** *'A*T:A*r*aIcNira*'siius*i1t:ii!&w*-iianwiimit3**-*p1ajhomo*t*cv(c**i .. y1 NPC00016087 207813 Vi-*- ^ 1 /* y jj ream ? (Signal Word) 1 Signal 1 Symbol (Wording of Warning) Optional Symbol Square Panel t>` DANGER EXPOSED LIVE PARTS HAZARD OF ELECTRICAL BURN OR SHOCK Turn Power Off When Working In This Area GE HAZARD OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK OR BURN -- Turn Off Power Or Use Protective Equipment When Working Inside WVjLV i* iftrtco ^ /! V ii* lowtavoi ... rmbol In option .*: * , -C v 'MfcS . *V " V:? /r *^k3*.r ?4 v- -feeInbT__a_c_k_If_le..r.t^trded'Jtnddnksyljmalb-o-l--f-n-r-eS-d-- ~r.rM -,Vu'i' -r i!e_,:--v - -- i *. NPCD 0 16 0 8 8 207814 9070*1*: Some POINTS on Instruction Literature Writing H EADQ UARTERS A S S IS T A N C E : For additional information and assistance, contact the Manager of Product Reliability, Power Systems Marketing-- Customer Service, Westinghouse Building, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222. (Telephone: WIN 235-3094) ------- - NPC00016090 207816 NPCOW ) 1 6 0 9 1 207817 (S Nf C000l609 V* M , K * , ~AINS'v c * l i \ j il .72MCOL i^ON-PCB C O M B U S T IB L E F L U 6D JSH~ 'CLASIII--B \ UP'C0001&093 207819