How To Install Industrial Floor Marking Tape

If you’re looking for ways to improve the safety of an industrial facility, you should consider using floor tape. While OSHA requires industrial spaces to mark aisles and shelves clearly, the guidance isn’t very detailed. It’s mostly up to each facility to maintain clear floor markings with either paint or tape. Today, we’ll teach you how to install industrial floor marking tape.

Preparing the Floor

The first thing you need to do before laying down tape is to get rid of any old floor tape. Never lay down new tape over the remains of old tape because the new lines won’t get a very strong grip on the floor. After removing all the tape, make sure to sweep, mop, and dry the area. Additionally, ensure no oil spots are on the floor.

Getting a Straight Line

Visual safety communication is one of the important practices to keep a workshop safe, and it doesn’t work if your floor tape isn’t straight. The lines show forklift drivers and other employees where it is safe to drive without the danger of hitting something. You could end up with damaged property or injured employees if the lines aren’t straight. You can use several tools to lay down tape in a straight line, including the following:

Painter’s tape
Chalk and ruler
Laser

Applying the Tape

To apply the tape, lay down about a foot of it while removing the adhesive backing. Next, lay down more sections, one yard at a time. While it’s tempting to put down the tape in bigger increments, you risk warps and bubbles that prevent the tape from lying flat on the ground. Go slowly so that the tape lasts a long time and doesn’t cause any problems.

Ensuring a Strong Bond

The final step in installing industrial floor marking tape is to put pressure on it to create a strong bond with the clean floor. You can do this as you lay down the tape by pressing on it with your hands. After the tape is down, leave it alone for a day to let the glue fully attach to the ground.

As a final note, remember that OSHA recommends using red tape for areas related to fire protection and hazards. Use yellow for physical hazards and pathways. Any other colors are up to you!