Improving Safety with Floor Marking
Floor marking creates a safer work area by making that area easier to understand. A safer workplace will result even from applications not usually thought of as safety related. For example, having the floor marked for tool and equipment locations reduces trip hazards by ensuring that tools and equipment are not out of place.
Floor marking is an excellent way to reinforce other safety information that may have been overlooked or forgotten. Adding messages and symbols to the floor that may already be present on walls or equipment serve as reminders. For example, “Watch for Forklift Traffic” or “PPE Required Area” floor signs can be placed at dangerous locations.
While most industrial facilities already employ floor marking for safety purposes, few have studied ways to improve the effectiveness of their existing visual communication strategies. Smart, creative floor marking is an integral piece of this puzzle, enhancing the overall safety of a facility when combined with signage and labeling.
Some examples of floor marking for safety:
- Vehicular traffic paths: Use yellow floor tape to create separate lanes for pedestrians and forklifts.
- Aisle markings: OSHA requires floor markings for aisle and passageways.
- Pedestrian walkways: New hires and visitors will be able to easily navigate your facility with walkway markings.
- Exit routes: In times of emergency, people will be able to exit quicker when they have a route to follow.
- Glow-in-the-dark markers: Photoluminescent tape can be easily seen in low-lit areas and is ideal for marking emergency exits.
- “Keep Area Clear” signs: Remind workers to avoid hazardous areas by using a floor sign.
- PPE signs: These floor signs are a great indicator for areas that require workers to don PPE.
- Trip hazard alerts: Clearly highlight tripping hazards with bright floor tape.
- Electrical hazard: Floor tape and signs should be used around electrical panels and other electrical hazards to quickly alert workers of present danger.
Additional Resources
- Floor Marking for Electrical Panel Compliance– creativesafetysupply.com
- Floor Marking Applications– floor-tape.com
- Improving Facility Safety With a Visual Communication Strategy– blog.creativesafetysupply.com
- Using Floor Tape for Facility Safety– facilityfloormarking.com
- Floor Tapes for Safety– blog.safetytac.com
- Improving Workplace Efficiency with Floor Marking– 5snews.com
- Line Marking & Floor Tape– aislemarking.com
- Floor Tape Applications– floortape101.com
- Floor Marking Guidelines– safetyblognews.com
