Workplace safety programs are not complete without a visual communication strategy, and a visual communication strategy is incomplete without floor marking. Floor marking tapes, shapes, and signs are a simple and cost-effective way to communicate important safety information, even for those not familiar with your facility. SafetyTac® floor tape is used for all kinds of applications, but as the name suggests, safety is a priority.
Below we have gathered just a few ways you can use floor tape to improve safety and avoid workplace injuries:
Identifying hazards
Hazards can be avoided when they are clearly marked! Alert workers to hazardous areas, machines, or equipment by applying hazard-striped floor tape in front of and around the area. For example, you can place red-and-white striped tape around electrical hazards (like electrical panels) and yellow-and-black tape for physical hazards (like open pits or uneven surfaces). Hazard stripes are virtually universal and even facility visitors will be aware of potential risks.
First aid & emergencies
The minutes following an injury are critical and workers may need to locate first aid quickly. Green floor tape (along with signs or arrows) can serve as a guide to first aid equipment like eyewash stations or AED devices.
If evacuation is necessary in an emergency situation, it crucial that anyone in the facility can easily find and navigate emergency exit routes. Directional arrows and photoluminescent tape are both easy-to-see floor markings that anyone (even someone with no training) can follow in the chaos of an emergency.
Traffic control
Forklift and pedestrian traffic can be particularly risky in facilities with open spaces, but floor tape is an easy way to develop a traffic pattern. Use yellow tape to create separate lanes for the different types of traffic and create crosswalks at busy intersections. Clearly marked traffic routes allows for easier navigation, reduces the risk for collision, and keeps the facility floor running smoothly.
If you are looking at updating your current floor marking strategy or if you want to start completely from scratch, be sure to spend time in the planning phase. Brainstorm with employees to define what your facility’s safety needs are, how you want floor tape to address issues, where you want to install floor tape, and what kind of floor tape to use. Be creative with your planning! You may choose to develop a color-coded system for hazard communication or you may plan a labeling project to coincide with floor marking, but it is important to create a system that will succeed in your workplace.
Additional Resources
- Floor Marking for Electrical Panel Compliance– creativesafetysupply.com
- Using Floor Tape for Facility Safety– facilityfloormarking.com
- Improving Safety with Floor Marking– realsafety.org
- Types of Floor Marking Tapes for Warehouses– babelplex.com
- Floor Marking Applications– floor-tape.com
- Warehouse Floor Marking Tapes for Safety– aislemarking.com
- Floor Tape Applications– floortape101.com
- Floor Marking Tapes and Shapes– floor-marking-tape.com
- Floor Marking Guidelines– safetyblognews.com