Floor Marking Best Practices

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Floor markings are one of the most important forms of communication within an industrial work setting since they set the visual tone in all areas of the facility. Because floor marking is such an important aspect of communicating facility safety, it is essential to follow the industry best practices.

Standardizing Colors

Floor marking tape is available in many different colors. Unless your needs are unique, standardize. Colors should be consistent and understood throughout the facility, this prevents confusion and allows for easier training.

Minimize the Number of Colors

Many facilities make the mistake of getting as many different colors as possible and using them to indicate all sorts of different things in the facility. Instead, keep the number of colors you use in your floor marking tape to a minimum, so it is easy for everyone to remember what each color means or indicates. An example of bad floor marking is purchasing black or dark blue tape and applying it to a dark colored floor.

Other Visual Hazard Communication Standards

What types of visual hazard communication or safety standards are already in place? You may want to copy the style or format of your current safety signs and continue with the same look and feel when it comes to the types of floor markings you deploy.

Plan your Floor Markings

Many facilities begin implementing their floor marking strategy without having it fully planned out, which can lead to problems. It is important to have one person or group in charge of planning who then implements all of the floor marking best practices in the facility. The plan for the whole facility should be in place before application to help ensure a uniform look and feel.

Get Input from all Areas & Depts.

Input from the various parts of the facility should be considered. It is essential to gather together the needs of all the areas in the facility to make the floor markings as helpful as possible. Managers throughout the facility should work with the floor marking standards team to meet needs and ensure uniformity.

Take steps to keep markings visible

Floor markings need to be placed in correct areas, so they don’t end up getting covered or damaged from heavy traffic or equipment.

Some important issues which may hinder floor tape include:

  • Cleaning – Floor tape should be washed along with the rest of the floor to prevent any dust, dirt, grease or other things from covering it up.
  • Covering – Procedures should be set up to avoid covering any floor tape with boxes, pallets, etc.
  • Repairs – If floor tape becomes ripped or torn, it is important to fix it or replace it in a timely manner.

Provide Detailed Training

Detailed training needs to be provided to everyone in the facility. If not available, provide them with a guide.

Choose the Right Tape for the Job

There are many different types of floor tapes on the market that vary in strength and durability. It is important to consider the elements and traffic in the facility, so a tape can be purchased that is capable of handling the demands of the environment without failing.

Following Best Practices

When you follow these best practices in your facility, you will find that floor markings will improve hazard communication and improve overall facility safety.

Additional Resources

Related posts:

  1. Improving Safety with Visual Communication
  2. 5 Ways to Use Floor Tape in Your Facility
  3. Tips for Getting Safe in the Workplace
  4. Types of Floor Marking Tape
  5. Utilizing Industrial Floor Tapes
  6. Floor Tape Applications
  7. Recommendations for Floor Tape Use
  8. Floor Tape: A practical, cost-effective solution for marking floors