Floor Markings for Forklift Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) sets the rules and regulations regarding workplace safety. The government entity exists to keep workers safe and employers honest about their practices. They have many regulations regarding the use of powered industrial trucks and their use in warehouses. When it comes to floor markings for forklift safety, they have two clear regulations that define what kind of passageways must be available in areas where forklifts are in use:

29 CFR 1910.22(b)(1)—“Where mechanical handling equipment is used, enough safe clearances must be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways, and wherever turns or passage must be made. Aisles and passageways must be kept clear and in good repairs, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard.”

29 CFR 1910.176 (a)—“Use of mechanical equipment. Where mechanical handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearances shall be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways and wherever turns or passage must be made. Aisles and passageways shall be kept clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard. Permanent aisles and passageways must be appropriately marked.”

What Does All This Mean?

What this means is that in any setting where forklifts are in operation must be a clearly defined and clear pathway for the trucks to operate and for pedestrians. Marking walkways for pedestrians and no-go zones, including blind corners, is necessary to avoid accidents between machine and man. That is a meeting a person will lose every time.

A good approach is to use yellow marking tape, or yellow-and-black alternating tape that is easily seen either on foot or from a machine. Use that tape to mark the areas in the warehouse that are designated for pedestrians only. Make sure that people know what side of the yellow line to stay on and not to cross it. Forklift operators stay on the other side, and if everyone obeys the rules, there should be no accidents. Yellow marking tape acts like the double yellow line on any road; as long as everyone adheres to the rules, everyone is safe.

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