From industrial power trucks to electrical panels, industrial facilities often face a number of hazardous areas and situations. Usually filled with workers and dangerous equipment, it is important (and a legal obligation of employers) to keep a workplace a safe and risk-free environment. One method that often gets overlooked when it comes to hazard communication is floor markings. Nearly every workplace has their safety signs posted on the wall or “Danger!” labels on hazardous chemicals, but usually nothing on the floor!
Floors offer a large surface area to place signs and floor marking tapes while visually alerting workers and facility visitors of hazardous items and dangerous areas. Developing an effective floor marking strategy will result not only in a safer workplace but can also make an area easier to understand. The following are just few floor marking safety ideas and items that may be helpful when creating your own strategy.
Hazard tape: Drawing attention to dangerous areas can be down with classic yellow and black hazard-striped tape. Industrial grade tape was developed with tough workplaces in mind; if you have forklifts driving around or heavy pedestrian traffic, you can be sure the floor tape will not lift, fade, or tear. Hazard tape options also come in red and white, black and white, and green and white. Line this striped tape around hazardous areas and dangerous equipment to clearly alert people of danger.
Floor signs: Just like wall signs, floor signs can effectively communicate important safety information. Nearly any kind of sign you can think of to post on the wall can be found in a floor sign option. You can find a selection of safety signs including caution floor signs, first aid floor signs, PPE floor signs, and many more!
Door swings: A facility floor hazard that can easily go unnoticed are door openings. Doors with a wide swing area or a door people are constantly going in and out of carrying heavy loads or a door with vehicles traveling through it can all pose a very dangerous risk. The swing of a door can be clearly marked with a specific floor sign to alert workers of where the door will sing and areas to avoid.
Floor marking bundles: Get everything you need at once with a floor marking bundle. Floor marking bundles are an ideal option when you need to mark a hazard up against or on the wall like electrical panels. These bundles include one circular floor sign and three separate border signs that are quick and easy to install. Border pieces have text reminders of “DO NOT BLOCK” printed on them.
Using the floor as a tool to visually communicate with workers can have a big impact on workplace safety. Workers are more likely to be aware of their surroundings and any present hazards in the facility. Using options like floor tape and floor signs are cost effective when compared to industrial floor paint so explore your options and start planning your floor marking plan!
Additional Resources
- Floor Marking for Door Opening– creativesafetysupply.com
- Floor Markings for Safety– safetyvisuals.com
- An Introduction to Floor Markings– facilityfloortape.com
- Floor Marking Tape Applications– floormarkingtape.org
- Floor Marking for Warehouse Traffic– forkliftsafety101.com
- A Guide to Safety Labels– safetylabelmakers.com
- Industrial Floor Tape vs. Industrial Floor Paint– infographicsdirectory.org
- How do I label for optimal arc flash safety?– arcflashanswers.com
- PPE for Electrical Safety– arcflashhazardclothing.com