Brady Labeling Products Help Companies Increase Safety and Avoid Costly Fines

Lancaster Laboratories in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is one of the nation's largest commercial testing laboratories, offering independent analytical and research services. Their environmental services division provides detailed analyses of water, soil, air quality, and other chemical analyses to private homeowners, government agencies, and Fortune 500 companies.

Because of the vast scope of the lab's services and the need of multiple organic samples for every environmental test they perform, Lancaster Laboratories' environmental division must label, test, and store over 300,000 vials annually.

For many years, the lab staff labeled every vial by hand with a fine-tip marker. Aside from the obvious problems of effficiency and legibility, solvents would often dissolve the ink, leaving the vials smeared, unreadable, and useless. The lab staff experimented with paper labels, and while these improved overall readability, the paper caused their instruments to jam, and the ink faded over time - a significant problem when some samples must be stored for five years or more.

Samuel A. Huber, Manager of Environmental Organic Extractions at Lancaster Labs, received information from one of their supply vendors detailing "Ultra thin labels for extreme conditions." Hoping for a better alternative to the paper labels they were using at the time, Huber contacted the supplier, who put him in touch with a Brady specialist. The Brady team evaluated the lab's sample volume and labeling needs and provided an ideal solution: the Brady TLS-PC Link^TM Thermal Labeling System, a Brady LABXPERT^TM Laboratory Labeling System, Brady LabelMark^TM Labeling Software, and the PTL-73-461 self-laminating thermal transfer labels for vials. Used together, the system allows the lab staff to simplify and streamline the labeling process, while improving sample integrity and label readability.

The lab staff has also discovered many workflow advantages with the Brady labeling system. The TLS-PC Link system provides easy-to-use templates for specific label applications, so more of the lab staff can help with the labeling process, freeing up scientists to focus on their analytical work. Because the software can be set to print multiple labels, errors are avoided in the process of labeling multiple vials of the same sample. Most importantly, according to Huber, is that the labels are "virtually indestructible - they don't fade, smear, or fall off - even when they come in contact with solvents or go from the freezer to the lab bench at room temperature. The paper labels couldn't hold up to all that, but the Brady labels hold up to it repeatedly."

Since the lab adopted the Brady solution, they've seen vast savings in labeling time as well as improvements in label accuracy and readability: "The Brady system has been a quality boost," said Huber. "Handwriting can be washed off or misread, but the Brady system provides clear black-on-white printing. We've offset the cost of the label with the productivity savings of the individuals working in the lab."

Due to the enormous volume of work at the lab, Huber appreciates the reliability of the Brady printers, despite sometimes being "a bit lax" on printer maintenance. Lancaster Labs now operates four printers daily, and even with their high output needs, they get consistent high-quality labels. The lab even keeps a spare unit on hand, so his staff is never without one of their most vital tools.

"Brady's customer service understands that sometimes things happen - our representative brought over his own printer when one of ours needed service," said Huber. "They really work with us; they've even produced special runs of the labels we use to be sure that we'll never be out."

Huber is so happy with the system that he even uses it in his off hours - to label everything at the fire station where he volunteers. "These are the only labels we've found that have not come off the fire truck's equipment."