155: Poor/Illegible Labeling of Control/Display/Alarm or Equipment
Definition/Typical Issues
Was there a failure to appropriately and clearly label all controls, displays, or other equipment items that had to be located, identified, or manipulated by the user while performing a task? Did labeling fail to clearly identify equipment? Did labeling incorrectly identify equipment? Were labels hard to read, incorrect, or misleading? Were labels in a language that is unfamiliar to the user?
Examples
Example 1
- An operator selected the wrong valve from a configuration of 20 valves because more than half of the valves in the group were unlabeled. The adhesive used to attach labels to the valves was not reliable in the acidic environment in which the valves were located; therefore, many of the labels had fallen to the floor. The operator tried to judge which was the correct valve using the labels that remained attached.
Example 2
- An operator opened the wrong valve, causing a transfer error. The label was positioned between two valves, forcing the operator to choose between them.
Example 3
- A row of bins in the warehouse contained different types of bolts. The labels for the bins had part numbers on them, but no equipment descriptions. As a result, some items were incorrectly restocked after being returned to the warehouse.
Example 4
- As a result of improper labeling, a type of grease was placed into inventory on the wrong shelf in the supply room. Subsequently, a pump failed when this grease was used instead of the one specified for that pump.
Example 5
- A new supplier was selected to supply product barrels to the facility. Barrels from the new supplier were cheaper but only came in one color (black). This caused shipment problems because different-colored barrels had been used previously to easily identify the barrel contents. Purchasing did not realize the importance of the color-coding.
Typical Recommendations
- Ensure that all controls and displays are labeled correctly.
- Ensure that labels are made using an easy-to-read font and are color-coded if necessary.
- Locate all labels close to the related control/display.
- Maintain labels as necessary (clean, ensure reliable adhesive, etc.).
- Ensure that equipment locations and locations of materials are properly labeled.
- Ensure that equipment bins in the warehouse are properly labeled.
- Ensure that the relative position of controls and their labels is consistent.
- Develop standards for labeling, color-coding, and posting operator aids.
- Apply consistent labeling and color-coding to all equipment.
- Apply special labeling and color-coding to all safety-critical equipment.
- Ensure that color codes consistently have the same meaning on all equipment in the facility.
Cross-References
| Version 10 Element(s) | |
|---|---|
| Node ID | Node Name |
| 147 | Labeling of Equipment or Locations LTA |
| Maritime Element(s) | |
|---|---|
| Node ID | Node Name |
| 171 | Poor/Illegible Labeling of Equipment or Space |
| 172 | Labeling Language Issue |