Right This Way — Warehouse Floor Marking Tips

There are No Blurred Lines in these Warehouse Floor Marking Ideas

We can, and should, train and drill our teams to follow warehouse safety protocols, but it’s also necessary to supply them with the right tools for success. In this case, floor marking is one of the easiest, most effective, and affordable things you can do to help your team comply with safety rules.

Challenges to Warehouse Safety

• Hectic, busy workspace with pedestrians & dangerous equipment
• Onboarding new workers and drivers, seasonal help
• Shifting inventory or processing procedures
• Expansions & renovations
• Traffic dangers of forklifts, AGVs, & AMR vehicles

Lead your team to safety with these durable floor marking products… and stay OSHA compliant while doing it.

Warehouse Floor Marking Products

Floor Marking Tape – Easy to use, effective, and affordable. Maybe because it is such a universally popular item, the options of tape products have expanded over the years to include:

• Standard tape – variety of widths & colors – solid & pre-printed
• Pre-cut shapes – e.g., dots, stop signs, arrows, exit signs, and footprints 
• Reflective tape – particularly effective indoors when forklift headlights are on
• Glow in the dark tape – perfect for poorly-lit areas and power outages

Floor Marking Paint – Choose from a wide variety of colors and the only limit on shapes and design is your imagination. Note, painting takes more time than taping and it can chip or peel. In addition, it’s more difficult to change when it’s time to do some space reconfiguring.

Floor Lighting – Images are projected onto the floor from above. For this reason, it is very easy to change the location of the floor marking. Also, You can choose from a large variety of signs and figures or create a custom design. However, the initial purchase cost is higher than tape or paint, but maintenance usually just includes bulb replacement. 

Good Uses of Floor Marking

In Front of Racking System

Aisle Near Modular Office on Mezzanine

X Marks the Spot – Planning Your Floor Marking Project

One of the major benefits of floor markings is that they are customizable and easy to change, but you should go into your floor marking project with a carefully considered plan. Your plan must be clear and not confusing, easy-to-follow, and quickly understandable. OSHA recommends the following:

OSHA Guidance for Floor Marking

The ultimate goal is to safely separate pedestrians and equipment.

• Mark permanent aisles & passageways
• Provide directional guidance (up or down) if appropriate
• Lines should be between 2” to 6” wide
• Use colors consistently

On that note, some common color choices include:

• Red – danger zones & fire-related warnings
• Red & White – restricted access – keep clear for safety
• Black & White – keep clear for operation
• Yellow & Black – hazard warning for physical or health concerns
• Yellow  – identifying aisles and passageways, traffic lanes
• Blue or green – work-in-progress, raw materials, finished goods
• White – other such as work cells, displays, racks, etc.

While the OSHA specs are relatively broad, it is always advisable to mark egress routes, stairwell access points, pedestrian-only areas, forklift or vehicle traffic restrictive lanes, exits, and areas where equipment is in use such as docks. 

Floor markings are valuable for warning workers of hazards, but there are certain areas where they should be used in conjunction with safety guard rails and heavy-duty barriers to protect against accidental access.

Warehouse Safety & Customer Satisfaction Go Hand-in-Hand at WOI

If warehouse safety is your goal, the Warehouse Optimizers, Inc. (WOI) team is ready to help. Our warehousing and design specialists conduct on-site inspections to identify areas of concern. We also assist in finding the best remedy –whether a safety product, simple floor markings, guardrails, safety gates, training tips, etc. 

Perhaps, you’re in the planning stages for a new facility or renovation? Now is a great time to ensure your forklift and pedestrian safety mechanisms will be in place from the get-go.

At WOI we provide seamless, turnkey customer support. Our commitment to you is 100% Customer Satisfaction through our 5-Step Total Satisfaction Experience.

WOI 5-Step Total Satisfaction Experience™:

1. Listen to your needs
2. Execute your project with particular attention to your unique application
3. Stick to project timelines
4. Ensure a safe environment
5. Pay close attention to the look of the finished product

Safety is always top-of-mind for every installation project. The WOI team is comprised of  experienced, professional rack installers that adhere to strict guidelines:

• Industry Experienced Installation Teams
• OSHA Trained & Certified
• Certified Drug-Free Workplace
• Licensed General Contractor
• Job Safety Analysis
• Forklift, Scissor Lift, and Aerial Lift Operator Trained

We install over 300 projects annually, including – Pallet Rack, Conveyor, Mezzanines, Modular Buildings, and More!

Call today to speak with an WOI representative (865) 540-4004 or email at info@warehouseoptimizers.com. We proudly serve customers throughout the Southeast, including KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, NORTH CAROLINA, ALABAMA, AND FLORIDA.