How can a workplace become more efficient at managing people, goods and machinery? The answer lies in planning a workspace from the ground up. Whether it is during the initial planning stage or after having established a natural flow of traffic, the secret to any well-organised workplace is a set of colour codes and guidelines, such as the ‘5S Floor Marking Colour Standard’.
Thankfully, Floor Marking Tape is the most cost-effective solution.
The benefits of a Floor Marking Colour Scheme
- Provides an orderly and safe flow of goods and helps in directing traffic along aisles and pathways.
- Ensures better organisation and clearly marks where to store, load and unload goods & machinery. A clear pattern eliminates confusion and wasting precious time searching as a result.
- Transmits important messages and if used correctly, can help anyone identify the workflow of a workplace within a minute.
- A durable solution and can take the abuse of warehouse traffic.
- Add it quickly to any workplace without interrupting or limiting access to work areas.
Unfortunately, there are currently no government-mandated or widely accepted standards. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulations state that companies should clearly mark permanent aisles & passageways. Meanwhile in the UK, the HSE requires that companies separate pedestrian and vehicle circulation. While companies referenced ANSI Z535 Safety Colour Code in the past, it is not a sound formulation for floor marking and no longer represents recommended best practices. As a result, most companies use whichever colours are available to them. They miss a chance to organise their work area for efficiency and effectiveness as a result.
5S Floor Marking Colour Scheme
A colour scheme titled ‘5S Floor Marking Colour Scheme’ developed by Brady has become a point of reference for companies that seek to standardise floor markings. The guide complies with the OSHA 1910.144 and can help to visually separate work areas and passageways. Identifying the locations of machinery, emergency equipment and assembly areas thus becomes easier.
Although the scheme is short and sweet for the sake of simplicity and easy learning, companies can personalise it to fit the needs of any workplace! It can improve productivity and organisation, not just safety.
*For a text and more accessible version, please scroll to the end of the post.
Guidelines and best practices for floor markings
- Use as few colours as possible, making it easier for employees to remember the meaning of each code.
- Identify specific colours with specific purposes, such as matching equipment locations with aisle ways and work cell boundaries.
- Pair floor tape with labels, to minimise the number of tape colours as well as for easier identification of goods, work areas or machinery.
- Use yellow floor markings to mark existing aisles and passageways as well as to demarcate safe aisles and passageways that do not exist without the floor markings.
- Separate pedestrian lanes and motorised traffic lanes in warehouses that use fork lifts, for example.
- Separate workers from hazards such as high noise, flammable or combustive material containers by using yellow and black striped tape.
- Areas that require additional safety and slip & trip prevention can be demarcated. The coloured Gripfoot Safety Tape or Gripfoot Hazard Tape (Black/Yellow, Red/White or Luminous) are some good choices.
- Make stair treads, ramps, entrances and loading docks safer with the Gripfoot Black Abrasive Grit Tape.
How to apply floor marking tape
- Create a document that lists all colours used as well as their intended meaning.
- Clean the floor area with soap and water and let dry.
- Mark areas, including aisles, passageways, work cells, storage areas, fire extinguishers, hazardous areas, etc. using the Chalk Marker Line.
- Insert the floor tape into the Self-Adhesive Floor Marking Applicator and apply tape.
- Optionally, label areas using the Stencil Set and Paint Cans.
- Clean and maintain the area with a damp mop.
Floor marking tape is most likely used in industrial and warehouse environments, yet any area where goods and people need to flow in a quick and efficient way can benefit from it. Floor tape can assist in the organisation of stadiums, schools, hospitals, shopping malls, airports, trade shows and exhibitions. You can help create a safe and productive work space today! To view our complete range of Floor Tape & Paints, visit Matting Direct2U.
*Text version of 5S Floor Marking Colour Scheme
| Colour | Area |
| Yellow | Aisle ways, traffic lanes and work cells |
| White | Equipment and fixtures not otherwise colour coded (workstations, carts, floor stand displays, racks, etc.) |
| Blue, Green, Black | Materials and components (raw materials, work-in-progress, finished goods) |
| Orange | Materials or products held for inspection |
| Red | Defects, scrap, rework and red tag areas |
| Photo-luminescent | Steps and perimeter demarcation to identify egress routes in a lights-out emergency |
| Red/White Stripe | Keep area clear for safety/compliance reasons (in front of electrical panels, firefighting equipment and safety equipment) |
| Black/White Stripe | Keep area clear for operational purposes (not related to safety or compliance standards) |
| Yellow/Black Stripe | Areas that may expose employees to physical or health hazards |
Sources:
- http://www.plantservices.com/assets/wp_downloads/pdf/110404_Brady.pdf
- https://www.bradyid.com/en-us/featured-products/tape/floor-tape-color-code-guide
- http://www.plantservices.com/articles/2010/09floormarking/
- https://www.graphicproducts.com/articles/what-is-floor-marking/
- https://www.graphicproducts.com/articles/osha-floor-marking/
- Banner Photo Credit: Personal Creations [flickr] – http://www.personalcreations.com/