OHSA Standards for Floor Marking

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If you have ever worked in a warehouse or factory setting, chances are that you have heard the name “OSHA” used fairly frequently. OHSA actually stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The main purpose of OSHA is to help reduce the number of on-the-job injuries, illnesses, and deaths. This is done by helping to enforce specific safety regulations and practices within the workplace. Furthermore, with safer work conditions businesses are able to significantly reduce the number of worker’s compensation claims, medical expenses, cut down on defective products as well as enjoy the benefit of increased productivity. OSHA along with ANSI (American National Standard Institute) tend to work together to help create a national consensus regarding occupational safety and health. OHSA mandates many of the floor marking requirements, while ANSI assists by providing further guidelines in relation to the floor marking requirements. ANSI has assisted in determining the accepted guidelines for floor marking color schemes as you will see below.

OSHA and Floor Marking

OSHA mandates specific guidelines for all different areas within floor marking. Areas included within the regulations are aisles and passageways, housekeeping areas, as well as floor loading protection space. Let’s discuss some of the main objectives of OSHA floor marking standards.

Aisle Widths

First off, OSHA standards state that aisle markings must clearly define the actual aisle space. It does not matter whether the markings are in one continuous line, in dotted formation or in a squared pattern as long as the aisle markers can be recognized by employees. The main objective is that the aisle is clearly and concisely identified using some sort of aisle marking product. Furthermore, OSHA also recommends that aisle markings are large enough so they can be seen comfortably from a distance. The acceptable width of aisle markings is considered somewhere between two and six inches wide. In addition, the actual aisle that is utilized by employees should be at least three feet wider than the largest piece of equipment that will travel through the aisle, four feet wide is considered the smallest acceptable minimum. If equipment is not able to travel through the aisle with ease the aisle then becomes a safety hazard.

Color Schemes

Color coding floor marking tapes is another effective and worthwhile practice to implement within the industrial workplace. OSHA does promote the use of different colors to indicate different potential hazards, but only specifically addresses the colors of red and yellow. The rest of the colors are guided more by ANSI. According to OSHA, the use of red floor marking tape is meant to notify employees of fire protection equipment as well as to “stop.” While the use of yellow floor marking tape is used to indicate “caution” to employees meaning that the area should be entered into with care. The other colors of floor marking tape that are guided through ANSI include orange, green, blue, and striped or patterned floor tapes. ANSI recommends orange to indicate warning, green to indicate safety, blue to mean information and striped or patterned tapes to indicate attention.

Another part of being OSHA compliant is having the proper signage and labeling done. Here is a complete package from LabelTac.com that has you covered.

LabelTac Pribter and Labeling Package on special

Additional Resources

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