Many facilities these days are implementing their own 5S or Kaizen programs as a way to transform their workplaces into areas conducive to safe, efficient and effective operations. The result of implementing these practices is visible in well-organized storage areas, clutter-free warehouses, easily-accessible tools and equipment, clean offices, less office waste, lesser costs, and a leaner organization, to name a few.
These programs dovetail with the standards of the Department of Labor’s OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA aims for the safety and good working conditions of workers. OSHA’s standards define the need for the proper setup of aisles and passageways to ensure workers’ safety. Floor safety markings make the goal of properly-marked and well-maintained aisles possible.
Floor Safety Markings
The National Safety Council once reported that the leading cause of work-related injuries came from unsafe floors and ground surfaces. Furthermore, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported in a study that there are more than 2.2 million emergency room visits for falls and slips on stairs, ramps and floors.
For OSHA compliance, facilities need to maintain proper floor markings to prevent workplace incidents. Proper floor markings are a sign of good facility layout. The flow of goods, supplies, tools, equipment, vehicles and employees in and out of the facility should be smooth and orderly with well-planned floor safety markings.
Floor markings define the areas of the facility that are designated for aisles and passageways. As per OSHA, aisles should be well-marked, with proper width, and always unobstructed, well-lit and in good condition.
Floor Marking Application
Paint is commonly used for floor safety markings, although tape strips are also used. The markings are applied in places where passersby and employees have access, such as car parks, service and storage areas, stairs and lobbies. Floor markings are very useful in public places such as hospitals, malls, stadiums, and places where the safety of the general public cannot be compromised. In business and industrials areas, floor markings assure unimpeded transit from one location to another, eliminating accidents and delays.
Marking applications vary from simple demarcation lines, to instructional signs and symbols, to implicit words and phrases denoting information about the area or where to go from there.
Floor Marking Options
Products in floor safety markings improve as time goes by, to offer cost reductions, accuracy and durability in applications. Superior paint products offer high-resistance against damages and friction, and give excellent performance in outdoor marking applications because they are impervious to the rain and moisture wash-offs.
While spraying machines and equipment are familiar tools to use, the introduction of masking tape is also very useful in marking applications. Masking tape produce clearer and more precise lines and in a shorter span of time. Masking tape offers a frame several inches wide, and is used as a guide for the actual painting process.
Floor tape is preferred by facility managers who wish to eliminate the downtime involved in painting floors. Areas can be marked more rapidly with floor tape that come in more colors than paints. Anti-slip tape offers safety and protection. Unlike paint, tape can be removed easily with the application of heat, eliminating the need for caustic chemicals.
