Your ultimate guide to line marking a warehouse

Anyone who owns or manages a warehouse, knows the importance of maintaining a well-organised space. From drafting easy-to-follow floor plans to installing efficient storage systems, planning and organisation is the key to productivity.

One of the most essential features for any warehouse is line marking. You’ve probably got a work health and safety manual that may outline the location of each space and its purpose, but clear visual cues are just as important. That is why we’ve prepared you the ultimate guide to line marking your warehouse.

In this article you will learn:

1. Why you need to install line marking your warehouse
2. Whether you should plan first before marking
3. How to prepare for new line markings
4. What colours to use
5. What product you should use

Enjoy!

 

Why do you need to line mark your warehouse?

There are many reasons why most commercial warehouses make use of line markings for better navigation, safety and accessibility. Not only do they make life easier, they can also lower the risk of workplace accidents.

The use of clear line markings in your warehouse helps you to:

• Define safe walkways for employees and clients
• Assign specific areas for the disposal of hazardous waste
• Designate specific lane ways for transport vehicles and heavy machinery
• Improve the speed of workflow by decreasing time spent navigating the space
• Lower the risk of workplace accidents.

Should you plan first before you line mark?

When it comes to line marking a warehouse, planning is key. You may be tempted to figure it out as you go but doing so increases your chances of making mistakes that could lead to workplace accidents and injuries. Before you start applying paint or tape to your warehouse floor, it’s best to sketch a plan on paper or draw it to scale on an electronic system.

How should you prepare your warehouse for new line markings?

You wouldn’t paint the walls of your home without cleaning them first, and the same rule applies when you’re line marking the floor of your warehouse. To make sure you get the job done right the first time, press pause on regular daily tasks to prepare your space. To do so properly, we recommend the following:

• Sweep down your warehouse floor.
• Use a scrubber to remove any tough stains.
• Avoid hosing down your warehouse floor to eliminate the chance of excess dampness at the time you make your line markings.
• Move all heavy machinery that may block access to areas you need to reach with your line markings.

Do the colours of line markings make a difference?

According to national work health and safety guidelines, it’s important to use specific colours for your line markings, to help your employees and warehouse visitors follow all signals with ease. To make sure your line markings guide people as they should, remember:

• Use yellow line markings to indicate paths, work cells and traffic lanes.
• Use red line markings to alert employees to danger zones.
• Use black line markings to indicate works in progress.
• Use blue line markings in areas of raw materials.
• Use combinations of red and white line markings to warn employees of areas that may have restricted access for safety reasons.

Read our colour guide HERE for more on this.

Is it better to line mark a warehouse with paint or tape?

Traditionally the choice of paint verse tape has come down to flexibility verses durability, line marking tape gives you flexibility and paint offers durability. However Mighty Line Marking Tape is specially designed to hold up to the rigours of warehouse activity and is unmatched in durability. It is also easy to apply and won’t leave sticky residue when removed, which makes it a pretty strong case for line marking tape.

In the end the choice is yours, consider your options and choose a line marking method that makes sense to you. We do both options and there is pros and cons of each.

To learn more about how we can advise you on line marking your warehouse, get in contact with us today!

Call 1300-590-505 or email enquiries@cotewell.com.au