Labels for Refrigerator Drawers

[Brenda K Hutson]

Just curious, does anyone have (or know of) labels that can be used to label drawers in a refrigerator (i.e. O POS; Quarantine; Autologous; etc) which will actually stick (and stay) to the drawer? In all of my years I am just used to homemade labels that do not stick well in the cold temp. and eventually fall off.

Thanks,

Brenda Hutson

[Deny Morlino]

We use the same labels the LIS uses for printing collection labels, or a white labeling tape about 1/2" wide. I have had a label peel off after about 8 years, but figured that was not too bad for a label and just relabeled using the same material as before.

Edited August 31, 2011 by Deny Morlino
Punctuation

[Brenda K Hutson]

Is that a special kind of white labeling tape; one that is known to stick in cold temps?

Thanks,

Brenda

We use the same labels the LIS uses for printing collection labels, or a white labeling tape about 1/2" wide. I have had a label peel off after about 8 years, but figured that was not too bad for a label and just relabeled using the same material as before.

[Deny Morlino]

Not to my knowledge. Let me dig a little further and get back to you.

[Deny Morlino]

The tape is available from Cardinal Health listed as follows:

SP Pressure sensitive labeling tape L1600-75A. I was wrong regarding the width. The item we source is 3/4" wide. This item comes in 1/2", 3/4", and 1" widths. Is has worked well in our refrigerators. I have not tried it in the plasma freezer. Hope this helps.

[David Saikin]

I use the "old" UAL Blood type labels we put on units of blood. They work fine (and are made to adhere in the cld).

[KKidd]

We have a label maker and the labels stick as long as the drawer is labeled before the refirgerator is turned on.

[Ajac]

Where I worked before, we had some single slot slide-in "hard" labels made. These came with holders that we affixed using double sided tape. I think the tape came with the holders. It was black and would stick to ANYTHING including fingers! This system was very handy, because if we needed an extra drawer for O's, we just slid in an O label. You could change things fairly easy. A little expense on the front end, but so worth it.

[MAGNUM]

I recently put a new plasma freezer into use, the other one was 21 years old and finally died, but I used plain old brother labeling tape from Staples and I have had none come off or even lift in the -30 temp. Just a thought, sometimes the office supply places are cheaper in the long run.

[Brenda K Hutson]

Thanks, I will give it a try!

Just seems that after all of these years, someone would have come up with a label for refrigerator drawers that is clean, professional looking, adheres well, etc. There should even be pre-printed ones that most Blood Banks use (i.e. O POSITIVE; REAGENTS; CROSSMATCHED A-F; etc etc). And then something similar for freezers (probably a different type of product to adhere in those temps).

Sturdy labels with a magnetic backing that can stick in the cold would be nice.

Brenda

The tape is available from Cardinal Health listed as follows:

SP Pressure sensitive labeling tape L1600-75A. I was wrong regarding the width. The item we source is 3/4" wide. This item comes in 1/2", 3/4", and 1" widths. Is has worked well in our refrigerators. I have not tried it in the plasma freezer. Hope this helps.

[Brenda K Hutson]

Do you recall the vendor; or were these something you created?

Brenda

Where I worked before, we had some single slot slide-in "hard" labels made. These came with holders that we affixed using double sided tape. I think the tape came with the holders. It was black and would stick to ANYTHING including fingers! This system was very handy, because if we needed an extra drawer for O's, we just slid in an O label. You could change things fairly easy. A little expense on the front end, but so worth it.

[Brenda K Hutson]

Right, I think one key is being able to put labels on "before" a unit is turned on (as another member mentioned). But alas, that does not describe any of my equipment.

Brenda

I recently put a new plasma freezer into use, the other one was 21 years old and finally died, but I used plain old brother labeling tape from Staples and I have had none come off or even lift in the -30 temp. Just a thought, sometimes the office supply places are cheaper in the long run.

[swede]

I have been having good luck with the P-touch label maker. I think it is by Brother, and I bought mine at Target. The labels are white with black printing. I have added the labels after the refrigerator has been in use (Helmer). Good luck!

[Brenda K Hutson]

We have one of those but the tape is not very wide (we have 2 different widths; but both seem small for a refrigerator drawer).

Thanks,

Brenda

I have been having good luck with the P-touch label maker. I think it is by Brother, and I bought mine at Target. The labels are white with black printing. I have added the labels after the refrigerator has been in use (Helmer). Good luck!

[swede]

We have one of those but the tape is not very wide (we have 2 different widths; but both seem small for a refrigerator drawer).

Thanks,

Brenda

Actually they work quite nicely, even for us folks with "old" eyes. Our tape is 1/2" wide. We use all caps on the letters. Our drawers have a lip that is angled out a little bit, so the labels are very prominent. I hope you find something that works for you.

[rcollins]

We needed to label our -30 drawers, so we removed the drawers (one or two at a time) to let them warm up. Once they were at room temp we cleaned them really well where the labels were going, stuck the labels on (P-touch label maker) and put the drawers back in. They're sticking really well in the cold. If you have some wiggle-room as far as space goes you might want to try that.

Right, I think one key is being able to put labels on "before" a unit is turned on (as another member mentioned). But alas, that does not describe any of my equipment.

Brenda

[Dr. Pepper]

I use 3/4" tape from a Dymo label maker. I wipe any moisture off the drawer, quickly apply the label, and it sticks well.

[Ajac]

We had them done in-house. I think they are just "door" name tags though. Look up single slot door labels. I will check and see what kind of tape they used.

I thought it was really handy to be able to switch labels readily as needed.