How to Choose the Right Floor Marking Tape

Floor marking tape is designed to inform workers when they are approaching a safety hazard. OSHA requires that all walking and working surfaces be inspected periodically and kept clean, safe, and accessible. Floor marking tape is a convenient and inexpensive way to meet these wayfinding requirements. Here are some areas that are common causes of accidents:

• Traffic routes –A high rate of workplace fatalities occur in traffic routes, such as areas involving forklifts. For warehouse floor tape to be effective, it must be where people can easily see so they can navigate safely.  
• Product storage spaces – These areas can often be confusing to navigate. Clearly marking products and storage areas with distinct colors is a helpful way to communicate where materials should be placed.
• Hazardous areas – OSHA says employers are responsible for the safety of their workers from occupational hazards. One way to prevent a potential accident is to install traction, safety messages, and hazard-stripped boundaries in areas where these incidents can occur.

Choosing the right floor marking tape for your facility is crucial. Factors like durability, visibility, and adhesion should be considered. Assess your facility’s needs and requirements to determine the type of warehouse floor tape needed to enhance not only safety, but efficiency too.

What is the Best Floor Marking Tape for Your Facility?

Aisle marking tape is not universal and will not work in every situation. Knowing the type of wayfinding tape that works best for your needs requires careful assessment. Below is a list of floor tapes and where you can best utilize them:  

• Rigid—A heavy-duty aisle marking tape designed for areas with heavy foot traffic and vehicles. This tape helps organize traffic flow and implements 5S. In situations where the floor marking tape will be exposed to harsher conditions, DuraLabel PathFinder RIGID Floor Marking Tape may be the best choice for optimized longevity.

• Flex—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 it since 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 floor marking tape is easy to clean and can be applied to sloping surfaces like ramps without difficulty.

• Lite—This aisle marking 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—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 high visibility 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 floor marking 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 reflective 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— Designed to add visibility in low indoor areas. This glow-in-the-dark tape works great in times of an emergency, such as a power outage. Lining your facility with glow-in-the-dark tape ensures that no matter how dark it is, people will be able to find their way to safety.

• Tread—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—A thick, overlaminate floor tape that has been preprinted to enhance awareness. This aisle marking tape is great for marking boundaries, warehouse traffic, and PPE requirements.

The facility conditions determine the type of floor marking tape needed because it can affect the longevity and effectiveness. Floor marking tapes applied indoors that are not subjected to environmental conditions, such as exposure to water, UV light, and debris may not require the same level of durability and longevity that a tape being run over by a forklift or in an area with heavy foot traffic might.

DuraLabel Floor Marking Tape Resources

After evaluating the environmental conditions of your facility, it is expected to discover some wear and tear to the floor tape. If the floor marking tape is predominately walked upon it will tend to last longer than tape that is constantly driven over by heavy machinery.

There are many types of warehouse floor tape out there. We understand how choosing the right one can be overwhelming, but it does not need to be. 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 1-888-326-9244 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 OSHA and ANSI compliant safety signs? The guide helps readers understand the regulations and standards and improve safety and efficiency. Request your free OSHA Safety Signs Instant Action Guide.

Read Next:

Industrial Wayfinding 101: Navigating the complex terrain of industrial spaces

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