Question

What is the BS5609 - What does BS5609 mean??

Accepted Answer

British Standard BS5609 defines minimum standards of durability for printed self adhesive labels used in marine environments  It is also known as the Marine Immersion Label Testing Standard         BS5609 was designed to provide a standard for labels used to identify dangerous goods  especially chemicals  that are transported by sea  It is vital that these labels remain stuck in place  in one piece  and legible so that dangerous goods can always be identified  even if they fall overboard and are immersed in sea water         Marine environments are challenging for adhesive labels because they involve exposure to salt water  abrasive materials  like sand  rocks  and debris   UV light  and extreme temperatures  BS5609 determines if printed labels can withstand these elements and are therefore suitable for use in marine environments         There are two technical sections to the BS5609 standard     Section 2 and Section 3         Section 2 outlines criteria for blank labels  It applies to all the materials used to make a label  including the face material  adhesive  and any additional coatings  If a blank label meets these criteria  it is certified as BS5609  Part 2 compliant         Section 2 tests a label's durability  including its dimensional stability  tensile strength  and adhesive strength  Essentially  it determines if a label will remain fully intact and firmly stuck in place in marine environments         Section 3 outlines criteria for printed labels  It applies to the label materials  ink or toner  and printer used to produce a printed label  For a printed label to be BS5609  Part 3 compliant  it must be printed using the same combination of label materials  ink or toner  and printer used during testing         Section 3 tests a printed label's durability  including its print key effectiveness  whether print stays on the label   abrasion resistance  whether print is damaged by abrasive materials like sand   print permanence  whether print fades or runs     i e  has colour fastness   and legibility  whether print can be read and how easy it is to read   Essentially  it determines if the print will remain fully in place and legible in marine environments         The BS5609 standard involves rigorous testing  including exposure to artificial weathering  involving UV light  salt spray  and sand   temperature cycling  and immersion in sea water for three months         Set by the British Standards Institution  BSI   BS5609 is internationally recognised as the most intensive testing protocol for printed self adhesive labels and one of the highest standards for label durability         It is commonly used as part of certification for the United Nation's Globally Harmonised System  GHS  and the International Maritime Organisation's International Maritime Dangerous Goods code  IMDG            The GHS provides criteria for labelling chemical containers  It allows hazard information and safety precautions to be communicated through standardised pictograms  signal words  statements  and identifiers that are recognised worldwide             The IMDG code is a global system that controls how packages of dangerous goods are transported across maritime environments            At Label Planet  we supply various   waterproof labels   that are BS5609 certified  All of these labels meet Part 2 of BS5609  which means that the labels themselves are suitable for marine environments  We only supply blank labels  which means that customers who require fully compliant labels will need to source a printer and toner or ink that are both BS5609  Part 3 compliant

MWP - What does MWP mean?

Definition of MWP: