Aisle marking tape is a necessary part of any factory or warehouse safety regiment. Not only does it help protect the safety of employees by increasing awareness, but it also helps to create organization within facility for day-to-day operations. Although, you may have heard that aisle marking tape is difficult or cumbersome to use and apply, actually it is quite simple when you follow a few simple preparation guidelines. Check out our 3 simple steps toward applying aisle marking tape below and you will be taping aisles like a pro.
How to Apply Aisle Marking Tape in 3 Simple Steps
Step 1: Clear the Floor Space
The first step towards installing aisle marking tape is to make sure the aisle is free of any obstructions. Many warehouses and factories choose to elicit the help of aisle marking tape to clearly mark off space reserved as an aisle so people can walk freely through the aisle and also so items can be transported safety through the aisle. In order to make this a reality, the space that will be designated as an aisle will need to be cleared of any sort of boxes, parts, and or other supplies.
Step 2: Prep the Floor
The next step is floor preparation. The whole area where the aisle marking tape will be applied needs to be prepped. This includes sweeping or vacuuming up any loose debris as well as dust. Once all loose material has been removed and cleaned up, the floor should also be mopped and wiped using your regular industrial strength cleaning fluid. This mopping is needed to remove any sort of oils or other surface fluids that may compromise the adhesive of the aisle marking tape. After this step has been done it is also vital that the floor is permitted enough time to fully dry which may take an hour or more.
Step 3: Application
Open the tape dispenser and peel back about 2 inches of the back liner to expose the adhesive part of the tape. Locate the starting point of the aisle to be marked and tack the tape down onto the floor surface. Once the tape has been secured to the starting point of the aisle pull the tape out in the direction of the aisle, only work with about 2 feet of tape at one time and then set the rest of the tape down. Do not cut the tape at this point. Pull the back liner off of the sticky adhesive side and try to secure a straight line with the tape on the floor. It may be helpful to utilize the help of a flat edge tool to burnish it onto the floor to ensure a good tight attachment. A helpful tool to ensure adhesion to the floor would be the use of something such as a paint scraper to carefully run along the tape as you are applying it to the floor, this tool would also help to eliminate any trapped air bubbles in the tape as well. Proceed by unrolling the tape in 2 foot intervals and burnishing it down to the floor. Once you have come to the end of the aisle, cut the tape as needed and be sure to really tack the end of the tape to the floor so it adheres tightly.