In today's industrial workforce, workers must know how to navigate through many obstacles often including traffic and complex facilities. Floor marking and wayfinding make it possible for workers to navigate their facilities with ease. These floor markers are utilized in every industry.  

On average, 95 people are seriously injured due to a forklift accident each day. This equates to one person injured every 15 minutes. Forklift incidents are common and each year there are:  

• 34,900 related injuries  
• 13 days off due to injury  
• 85 deaths  

Employers are responsible for protecting their employees from injury due to the hazards of their occupation. Safety can be improved by using warehouse floor tape to mark common hazards such as pedestrian walkways, slippery areas, and areas that require the use of personal protective equipment.

Floor Marking Colors and Patterns  

OSHA requires that all walking and working surfaces are inspected periodically, and kept clean, safe, and accessible. Floor marking is a convenient and cost-effective way to ensure the requirements are met. Wayfinding products come in various colors, patterns, and sizes. Each color and pattern represent a specific purpose.  

Colors  

The OSHA floor marking color guide for marking hazards uses two colors to represent a hazard. Red for “Danger” and Yellow for “Caution”. American National Standards Institute (ANSI) makes up the other colors to represent hazards or to catch the reader's attention. Yellow, green and blue are utilized to represent caution, safety messages and notices. Facilities can create floor markers with visual messaging to apply in specific areas. These custom tapes should still follow ANSI and OSHA floor marking requirements.

• Yellow— Used for pedestrian and equipment traffic lanes 
• White— Used for general production to border machines, racks, workstations, and equipment. 
• Red— Used as a boundary for red tag areas, scrap, and defective inventory 
• Orange—Used to hold materials for inspection 
• Green and Blue— Used for goods and materials management 

Patterns  

• Red and white striping—Identifies areas that need to be kept clear for safety  
• Black and white striping—Identifies areas that must be kept clear for operation and workflow 
• Black and yellow striping—Areas that present a health problem and should proceed with caution 

Floor Marking vs. Wayfinding  

Warehouse floor marking applications are part of a larger organizational philosophy called wayfinding. The goal of wayfinding is to help people orient themselves in a physical space and navigate from one area to the next.  Wayfinding is heavily utilized in public spaces, such as airports and hospitals. The goal of floor marking is to improve safety and make work areas easier to navigate. Warehouse floor marking is a great option for creating a visual floor plan.  

DuraLabel PathFinder offers a complete line of floor marking, wayfinding, and safety tapes designed to handle any application. Whatever the problem, DuraLabel PathFinder products provide a solution. Below is a list of floor marking products that DuraLabel offers:   

• RIGID Floor Marking Tape—A heavy-duty vinyl floor tape designed for areas with heavy foot traffic and vehicles.  This tape helps organize traffic flow and implements 5S.  In situations where the floor tape will be exposed to harsher conditions RIGID may be the best choice for optimized longevity.
   
• FLEX Floor Marking Tape—Designed to be driven on and can be placed in areas with heavy foot traffic. If your facility does not have a smooth surface, this warehouse floor tape works well on that as it possesses the flexibility to conform to the uneven surface. For mixed-use areas that will see a variety of environmental exposure, like dirt, water, or frequent travel, this tape is an option with the durability required to survive low and medium impact environmental effects. FLEX is easy to clean and can be applied to sloping surfaces like ramps without difficulty.

• LITE 5S Marking Tape—This tape has a flexible material that conforms to most surfaces.  For completely indoor options with little to no environmental exposure, this floor marking tape is a sufficient, cost-effective choice, providing multiple colors for a multitude of uses. 

• REFLECT Reflective Tape—Designed to be visible from long distances and at night. An ideal high visibility tape for vehicles, traffic signs, and machinery.  Here are some places where you can use it:

• • Walking Passages—Place reflective tape in areas like sidewalks, signs, and roadside fences. This is important so people can see where they are going.

• • Edges and Ledges— A narrow strip of reflective warehouse floor tape on the edge of a step will catch the eyes of drivers or pedestrians to help them avoid a fall or injury.

• • Low Hanging Dangers— Avoid serious head injuries by placing high visibility tape on surfaces and objects, such as low doorways and any place someone could walk into. The idea of the reflective tape is to give people enough warning to avoid an accident.

• GLOW Safety Tape— Designed to add visibility in low indoor areas. This wayfinding tape works great in times of an emergency, such as a power outage. Lining your facility with glow tape ensures that no matter how dark it is, people will be able to find their way to safety.

• TREAD Anti-Slip Safety Tape—An abrasive floor marking tape designed to reduce slips and falls. It conforms to most surfaces, both indoor and outdoors. Place this tape in areas where potential slipping hazards may occur, such as stairs and other high-traffic traffic areas.

• PRINT Floor Marking Tape—A thick, overlaminate floor tape that has been preprinted to enhance awareness. This tape is designed to mark boundaries, warehouse traffic, and PPE requirements.

The conditions of the facility will determine the type of floor marking tape needed as tapes applied indoors that are not subjected to the same environmental conditions, such as exposure to water, UV light, and debris may not require the same level of durability and longevity that a tape that is utilized in heavy traffic areas, such as areas where forklifts operate.   

DuraLabel Resources for Floor Marking

Floor marking tape was designed to create a visually enhanced safe working environment for anyone who inhibits those spaces. There are many types of floor markers out there. Choosing the right one for your facility may require additional support. With the assistance from our safety experts, we can guide you through the process of determining the type of wayfinding tape that will suit your environment. Give us a call today at 1-888-788-9855 and one of our experts will guide you through the process. 

DuraLabel’s free Floor Marking Instant Action guide can help create safe pathways for pedestrians and vehicular traffic, reduce confusion and improve efficiency, as well as guide workers to the tools they need. Download a free copy of the Floor Marking Instant Action Guide today. 

Want to learn how to implement a 5S plan?  The guide helps readers understand how to create a plan and set standards, and how to optimize safety and improve efficiency. Request your free 5s Instant Action Guide.    

Read Next: 

Tips for Choosing the Optimal Floor Marking Tape

OSHA Floor Marking