Generally, in a warehouse work environment, the purpose of every aspect of the building needs to be planned thoroughly to comply with OH&S regulations in Australia. Your warehouse markings are one of the main factors; they outline a safe internal flow of traffic throughout the warehouse and are also an effective method of clearly indicating hazards and visually communicating information.

Now you may ask which areas of your warehouse need line markings? And are particular markings needed in specific places? That is what we will further explain in this article.

YELLOW LINES FOR WALKWAYS AND TRAFFIC FLOW

Clear routes for walkways and paths for forklifts and small transit vehicles need to be marked so employees and visitors can safely find their way through a busy working environment.

Pedestrian traffic and vehicle traffic must be separated, but yellow line markings should be used for any traffic lanes or aisleways. You may further customise the markings to differentiate them by using pedestrian iconography for footpaths, for example.

Yellow line markings are typically used for the following:

• HATCHED AREAS – SECTIONS WHERE EQUIPMENT SHOULD NOT BE LEFT UNATTENDED AND PERSONNEL SHOULD KEEP CLEAR WAY.
• PARKING BAYS – FOR FORKLIFTS, LOADING TRUCKS, THESE CAN ALSO BE NUMBERED.

WHITE LINES FOR EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS STORAGE ZONES AND RACKING

Whether for specific zones such as pallet storage areas or general racking areas, white line markings used to keep equipment stored safely and organised. White lines are used to segment individual storage bays or larger storage areas for specific items. For example, mobile cages need to be placed in their section when not used. The same goes for tiered shelving and pallet storage areas, clearly separated with white line markings.

BLACK AND YELLOW LINES FOR CAUTION AND SAFETY HAZARDS ZONES

Typically, diagonal black and yellow lines are used to indicate hazardous areas in warehouses. Instantly noticeable, this pattern can be used to address several hazards throughout your warehouse. Applied cases include:

• ALONG THE EDGE OF RAISED PLATFORMS
• IN-FRONT AND AROUND ELECTRICAL STATIONS AND CABLING
• FAST MOVING EQUIPMENT OR MACHINERY SUCH AS CONVEYOR BELTS, ROLLER SHUTTERS/HIGH-SPEED MOVING EQUIPMENT
• IN AND AROUND AREAS WHERE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ARE STORED

It should be considered here that red and white lines can also be used as safety markings. To be more consistent, always use one of the styles to make sure you don’t confuse your workers and visitors. The main goal in warehouse marking is to keep things simple and straightforward while making sure it improves the safety and efficiency of the work environment.

Using too many different types of marking, the risk of making things too complicated is high, which diminishes the entire purpose of line marking. A professional line marking company, such as ours, Sydney Epoxy Flooring in Sydney – can help you plan a simple, effective warehouse marking layout to avoid any confusion.

BLUE, GREEN AND BLACK LINES FOR RAW MATERIALS, WORK IN PROGRESS AND FINISHED PRODUCTS

For these types of materials, blue, green and black lines are the options. Of course, you could choose to use all three colours for all three types of materials, but that increases the risk of making the visual layout of your warehouse too confusing, undermining the efficiency of your floor markings. It is best to be consistent and go with one colour for all of these mentioned above and complement each with signage, iconography, or text.

NON-SLIP FLOOR SURFACING REQUIREMENT

One of the main concerns passing the OH&S regulations in Australia is the non-slip surfacing for your warehouse floor line marking project to ensure the warehouse floor remains safe even when wet. That is particularly crucial for walkways and forklift traffic areas.

When marking your warehouse floor, the team at Sydney Epoxy Flooring will also install non-slip surfacing wherever it is needed, ensuring the highest standard of safety for your workers.

SIGNS, ARROWS, ICONOGRAPHY

These line markings are used to express direction, conduct important information or further clarify the application of specific areas. Usually, it’s best to stick to one colour for these (often yellow), as workers will distinguish them totally by design.

Markings like these can complement other features like numbers across a parking bay or, more significant, more stand-alone markings such as STOP or EXIT. Either way, these are crucial markings that should be planned alongside the line markings we’ve mentioned in detail above.

Whether you’re designing your warehouse floor layout from scratch or need to rework and update your existing configuration, professional planning and execution are essential.

Sydney Epoxy Flooring provides comprehensive warehouse marking services, tailoring our work to your specific premises. We work with careful attention to detail to ensure your warehouse is marked efficiently, clearly and in a way that makes your work environment more accessible and considerably safer to use. To find out more about our warehouse marking services in Sydney, or arrange a free site survey,
contact us today on 1300 621 873
or use our contact form at:
https://sydepoxyflooring.com.au/contact-sydneyepoxyflooring/