You might have seen industrial floors marked with various colored strips. Some of the strips are colored yellow and black, red and white, and so on. In this article, we will discuss the meaning of various colored strips that are used for floor marking.
Floor marking is the process of using visual indicators such as lines, shapes, and signs on floors to make a space easier for people to navigate. These indicators divide spaces, highlight hazards, outline workstations, and storage locations, direct traffic, and convey important safety or instructional information. These markings are done as per OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards.
These markings are done for Organizational Improvement, Finding First Aid Equipment, Personal Protection Equipment, Navigation Assistance, Placement of Objects, Traffic Direction, etc. In short, these markings are done to keep the working environment safe and organized.
Different color coding is used to convey different messages. However, the industry can define its own color-coding. Following are the most commonly used color coding used.
Yellow Floor Tape
Yellow tape (or paint) should be used for all normal foot traffic going through a passage (both indoor and outdoor) as well as vehicle traffic.
White Floor Tape
White tape should be used for anything related to facility equipment, fixtures, racks, carts, and things of this nature. This helps people to alert people about their availability and lets people know where to put them when they're done using them.
Blue, green and/or black
Materials and components, including raw materials, work-in-progress and finished goods.
Orange Floor Tape
Materials in inspection
Red Floor Tape
Locations where defective products, scrap materials, or items in the facility that need to be reworked are stored.
Red & White Floor Tape
Any area that must be kept clear for safety or compliance. Areas around fire extinguishers, emergency eyewash stations, electrical panels, or fire lanes.
Black & White Floor Tape
Areas that need to be kept clear for general operations. Not to be used for emergency areas.
Black & Yellow Floor Tape
Areas that may expose employees to special physical or health hazards.
Floor markings have been proven to improve visual communication within facilities, while also benefiting overall facility safety. So, now you know the meaning of various color coding tapes used in the industry.
- Log in to post comments