Looking for a simple way to improve efficiency in the day-to-day operations of your warehouse? Floor striping—the application of colored tape or painted lines to mark pathways and work zones—may be just the solution you need.
According to the 5S principles of workspace organization, an effective workplace layout allows visitors (and employees) to understand the room’s workflow at a glance. Carefully chosen colors are one of the fastest and most intuitive ways to communicate this kind of information, and floor stripes are relatively easy and inexpensive to add.
Here are four major benefits that floor striping offers your warehouse or industrial facility:
Better traffic flow
Floor striping can be used to create orderly movement out of an otherwise chaotic traffic pattern. For example, instead of forklift operators having to constantly watch for pedestrians—and visa-versa—you can mark some paths for vehicles and others for foot traffic.
This not only encourages the two to stay out of one another’s way, but it also sets clear expectations and helps to avoid surprises around corners.
Consistency
In addition to line striping, floor markings may include color zones to indicate where certain materials are to be stored, where vehicles should be parked, and where tools can be accessed. This saves time, since workers won’t have to improvise or guess where to drop an item off, and the next person in the chain won’t have to go looking for it.Safety
Floor striping allows you to quickly communicate safety information in an easy-to-understand way. For example, yellow and black stripes warn employees of hazardous areas, while red and white stripes denote safety equipment such as fire extinguishers that should not be blocked by vehicles.
In addition, clearly marking aisles may help you stay compliant with OSHA safety standards.
Improved morale
A well-thought-out floor marking system reduces the potential for confusion and frustration in day-to-day operations. It clearly sets expectations for organization, preventing conflicts that could otherwise stem from differences in personal preference.
Materials are less likely to be lost in the transferring process, further smoothing out the workflow process. In addition to creating a neat and well-kept environment, floor striping encourages employees to take pride their workplace.
Installing floor striping
In some cases, just using colored tape may work for creating stripes on your warehouse floor—but be aware that cheaper varieties of tape will fray at the edges or peel up, creating potential tripping hazards. The type of floor coating (or lack thereof) may also affect how well the tape does or does not adhere to the floor in the long term.
In addition, if you’re looking for larger blocks of color to designate work stations, you’ll want something more versatile than tape—possibly a paint or a long-lasting, colored epoxy coating.
If you need to outfit a large warehouse or other industrial space, you may save yourself a headache by consulting a local expert who can recommend the most cost-effective solution for your facility.
If you’re located in the Southeastern U.S., we welcome you to call CPC Floor Coatings at (864) 855-0600. We’d be happy to give you our professional recommendations.
