Floor marking is an affordable and versatile solution for improving all aspects of the workflow. It provides key information that may have been forgotten or unnoticed to people at the exact location where they need it, making a facility safer and more efficient. Here are four significant ways floor marking improves operations in any facility:
1. Addresses Facility-specific Needs
Customize your floor marking system to bring attention to site-specific hazards and procedures. Since no two facilities are alike, floor marking is a useful tool to enhance your facility’s existing visual communication.
Although it’s called “floor marking,” the system has the ability to extend far beyond the floor. Floor tape, in particular, is a convenient solution to accomplish all kinds of safety and organizational tasks for a range of applications, like marking pipes, walls, and equipment. It’s also quick and clean to install, and it comes in a variety of materials, colors, and patterns for any need.
You can even customize floor tapes and floor signs to communicate specific information in key areas and to certain people, such as personal protective equipment reminders for those approaching an active work area. Get your custom message and symbols preprinted directly onto floor tape so they resonate more effectively with those in your facility to improve safety and productivity.
2. Supports Lean Systems
Increase the chances of sustaining a successful lean system. Utilize floor marking to create bold visual spaces throughout your facility to identify where tools should be, where workspaces begin and end, and how traffic should flow through areas. Easily redesign the facility floor plan by outlining key areas in the supply chain, from quality assurance to transportation and delivery areas.
To get the most out of your floor marking and lean systems, implement a facility-wide color-coding system. Reduce wasted time and streamline processes by helping employees easily recognize locations of work areas and items with bold lines and shapes. A variety of recommended color codes for floor marking are available; most of them incorporate elements of OSHA’s safety-focused color code in 29 CFR 1910.44, and add details for 5S systems, Kanban organization, or other plans.
3. Improves Emergency Preparedness
Floor marking supports emergency preparedness as well as your emergency action plan (EAP). Be ready for emergencies like fires, chemical spills, and a variety of natural disasters with floor marking that can be seen day or night. Guide workers and visitors to safety using glow-in-the-dark tape to highlight exit routes and doorways.
Prevent people from blocking fire extinguishers, first aid stations, and other emergency equipment by clearly marking surrounding areas. To ensure you accomplish all mandatory markings in your building, check your state building codes.
4. Strengthens Overall Facility Safety
Floor marking is a great way to amplify your existing safety programs. Are there areas in your facility that could benefit from floor marking? Utilize floor tape to reinforce important messages and make work areas easier to understand.
Evaluate your workplace and use tape to highlight areas or equipment that may be overlooked, like electrical outlets, control panels, and access doors. Be on the lookout for anything that could use extra visibility. Highlight structures and items that may be hazardous with fluorescent and reflective tapes, like beams, bollards, ramps, and loading docks.
Focus on hot spots for bottlenecks and areas where worker errors frequently occur. Establish boundaries with bold and colorful lines and stripes. Use pre-cut shapes like dots and footprints to efficiently guide workers and visitors throughout the facility.
No matter how you use floor marking, thoughtful implementation is key for its success. Create a visual workplace where workers or visitors can easily identify how all areas of a facility operates. Floor marking is a tool that any facility can take advantage of to help cut down clutter and reduce risk of injury, making for a more efficient and safer work environment for all.
Kelsey Rzepecki writes for Graphic Products, makers of the DuraLabel line of industrial label and sign printers. For more information about customized visual communication, visit www.GraphicProducts.com or call 800.788.5572.
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The term “time is money” is quite literal in the construction industry. The constant pressure project managers and crews face to meet deadlines and stay within budget often causes safety to fall to the wayside. In 2016, out of 4,693 worker fatalities in private industry, one in five were in construction. Implementing each of these strategies can help improve health and safety in construction on any job site:
Set Safety Expectations
OSHA’s Safety and Health Regulations for Construction: OSHA 29 CFR 1926 serves as a baseline for safety requirements. Safety management in construction must reinforce these regulations and go beyond by continuously leading by example and making safety a priority before work begins. By setting clear expectations for safety from the beginning, managers can set the tone to ensure each worker understands their personal responsibility for safety. This will help everyone work together toward the common goal of preventing injuries.
As a safety manager, it’s important to “walk the talk” when it comes to workplace safety and health. “The example you set, and the way you talk to workers about safety, has a huge impact on the company’s safety and health program, safety culture, and ability to reduce injury and illness,” according to OSHA. When workers are able to recognize the value management has for their well-being, it helps build trust.
Some workers may never interact with senior management. It’s found that these employees are more likely to value and internalize safety messages when they are occasionally delivered by higher-level management rather than passed down in the chain of command. Make it clear that it is everyone’s responsibility to follow rules, procedures, and best practices to prevent accidents on the job site. Incorporate safety language into policies and procedures so it becomes ingrained as a natural part of a worker’s daily routine.
An informal safety talk at the start of each work day can make safety managers’ jobs easier by improving worker understanding of safety expectations, preventing wasted time on inconsistencies, and minimizing chances of error. Toolbox talks continue to be the most effective means of communicating safety to workers. It sparks valuable discussion on general safety and information about safer tools, equipment, materials, and processes.
Utilize OSHA’s website for a variety of topics from emergency planning, tool and equipment safety, ladder safety, personal protective equipment and more to help create or obtain a presentation. Always make sure the content is relevant to your specific work site and feature engaging elements like visuals and anecdotes that workers can connect with.
Promote a Nonthreatening Environment
The authors of Crucial Conversations conducted a survey of 1,500 workers in 22 organizations and found 93% of employees say their workgroup is currently at risk from a safety issue that is not being discussed. In addition, almost half knew of an injury that occurred because someone didn’t speak up. Trust and quality of relationships heavily influence the safety and overall productivity of workers.
Always encourage employees to speak up when they see something going wrong; this can significantly help to avoid incidents, injuries, and fatalities. To increase chances of participation, ensure workers feel comfortable to ask questions and raise safety concerns without fear of retaliation or bullying. This will make it easier and quicker to address issues head on to prevent them down the road.
OSHA finds that managers often avoid giving feedback to prevent confrontations. If improvements to a worker’s performance can be made, approach them in a constructive, positive way. Make sure to avoid judgmental statements and criticisms and focus on the behavior itself, not the person and their values or personality.
Plan Ahead
Ensure all prework activities, such as approvals, are completed before work begins. A thoughtful planning process can help the work day start on a more efficient and safe foot. Implement zoning to block off areas where certain tasks will take place, install nets and catch platforms, and apply any other safety measures.
Stage and stock each work area with the necessary tools, PPE, and equipment before the workday begins. This will make it easier and safer for workers to access what they need. Make sure to supply the right tools for the right tasks, and double check that workers understand how to properly operate the equipment they’ll be using. Eliminate hazardous distractions and obstructions by reinforcing consistent housekeeping practices on the job site.
Take Advantage of Technologies
Provide new opportunities to address safety challenges and experience immediate cost savings. Technology can be worth the investment to help bridge time and distance constraints, improving efficiency and safety in the long term.
The growth of digitization in construction now makes it possible to make real-time decisions remotely. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), known as drones, are already in use in the industry and provide a convenient way to conduct site inspections, observations, and safety audits. Managers can use smartphones, tablets, and project management software to share project data instantaneously from remote work sites and to workers and other onsite supervisors using a cell phone or tablet. Allowing everyone to have immediate access to the same information eliminates costs of equipment that must be updated and maintained, and it keeps everyone consistently on the same page.
A recent report by Dodge Data & Analytics found that 82% of contractors who use wearable technology see instant site-safety improvements. Wearable devices like smart watches, glasses, and clothing allow managers to have better visibility of the work site and workers. These devices have the ability to alert managers to activities going on in the field and even improve response time when injuries occur, like the ability to detect when an employee slips, trips, and falls, triggering an automatic alert to designated site personnel, including medics. These devices also keep track of locations of workers and procedures on the job site. Trigger alarms exist to streamline evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency. These capabilities offer immediate safety benefits. There are also a number of free iOS applications that exist to promote hazard prevention efforts.
Easy to Implement Safety Solutions
One of the most important parts of safety on a construction site is clear and effective communication at all times. An easy way employers can communicate with workers in different areas on a job site is through safety signs and labels. Comply with OSHA and ANSI standards and reinforce safety anywhere on the work site with easy to install premade construction labels and signs. For on-demand custom, site-specific procedures and instructions, DuraLabel printers and supplies are a reliable safety communication solution. All supplies are built to last in the harsh conditions that exist in the construction industry.
Thoughtfully implementing each of these strategies will help to prevent downtime, chances of injury, and improve overall safety on a construction site.
Kelsey Rzepecki writes for Graphic Products, makers of the DuraLabel line of industrial label and sign printers. For more information about customized visual communication, visit www.GraphicProducts.com or call 800.788.5572.
The accurate interpretation of safety signs is crucial to prevent injuries and save lives. OSHA has set industry standards that clearly define what a safety sign is, how it should be used, and where it should be placed. However, when it comes to deciding whether to use a sign or a label to convey a message, OSHA leaves that part up to you.
Every facility will have different priorities and constraints when it comes to choosing safety labels and signs. It may often require experimentation with different kinds of materials and designs to determine what is most effective, but these basic definitions apply:
Safety labels are most commonly made of an adhesive-backed vinyl material to apply directly to a surfaceSafety signs are constructed from a hard backed material designed to attach to walls, doors, fencing, and more
These definitions are not set in stone. To help choose between a safety label or safety sign, get a breakdown of the most important factors to consider.
How to Choose Between a Label and Sign
OSHA does not specify whether a sign or label should be used to communicate vital safety information, just as long as the message is communicated in an obvious, long-lasting, and legible way.
Labels are most commonly made to convey identification or instruction. They are typically made of an adhesive vinyl material to instantly peel and apply directly to a surface. This makes labels convenient to apply to a variety of items and areas for inventory labeling, product packaging, identifying tools and materials in a warehouse or office, and equipment instructions and warnings for machine guarding, lockout/tagout (LO/TO), and much more.
The main drawback of generic labels is that they are temporary and need to be replaced often. The adhesive will likely corrode and text will fade when exposed to light and moisture, which makes them ideal for work environments that have little to no exposure to harsh elements.
However, labels made with premium vinyl label stock material provide lasting durability to keep labels intact in a variety of environments without fading or peeling away from UV light, moisture, or chemicals. There is a variety of other labeling supplies that are engineered for use in specific environments including low/high temperatures, laboratories, electronics, and more. Labels can also be applied to difficult areas like piping systems and valves using tag stock that provides a rigid backing.
Signs consist of a hard-backed material for durable, long-lasting messages that can be hung or mounted onto many surfaces. They can be used to create large wayfinding messages, safety instructions and procedural signs for a variety of workspaces, and other general facility signs that need to remain intact in work environments with different degrees of exposures.
The drawback to signs is that they are a bigger investment due to their often bigger size, higher-quality material, and more complex design elements like graphics and specialized text.
Factors to Consider
The following factors will assist you to determine whether a sign or label will be the best choice for your needs:
What kind of environment will the message be in? Will there be minimal industrial and environmental exposures, or will the message likely come into contact with light, moisture, solvents, chemicals, or other materials?How durable must your message be? Can the material be flexible or must it remain rigid?Will the message be indoors or outdoors?Who needs to see this message and where? Consider the amount of information you need to convey. It is important to ensure your messages remain clear and legible to viewers at all times.
Transform Labels into Durable Signs
You can save significant time and money spent on extra supplies and materials by turning adhesive labels into sturdy signs using sign blanks. Sign blanks are an easy way to communicate safety messages in hard to label areas and locations that need temporary signage, such as construction sites, warehouses, and retail businesses.
The rigid surface ensures your messages remain reliable and long-lasting. You can also get the most out of your labeling supply by applying multiple labels onto sign blanks to create custom signs that may require more information or to make a bigger impact, like communicating site-specific PPE requirements and miscellaneous safety procedures. For example, you can make larger signs by doubling up on labels. Make an 8-in. tall sign using 4-in. label supply by applying two labels to a sign blank to instantly double its size.
Just choose the sign blank size and material that is best for the environment, ranging from strong fiberglass and aluminum, to corrugated plastic for temporary sign applications. Sign blanks also have the ability to provide visibility from all angles with 1, 2, and 3-way design options for both indoor and outdoor use:
1-way: a flat, one-sided semi-rigid white plastic material allows viewing from one direction. Attaches to fences, walls, and doors.2-way: a flat, two-sided durable translucent white plastic material allows viewing from two directions. An ideal solution for posting in hallways and areas where visibility is limited.3-way: a flat, three-dimensional v-shaped durable translucent white plastic material allows signs to be seen from 180°. This is ideal for critical safety signs that need to be seen from multiple angles, such as emergency exits and wayfinding.
Types of Sign Blank Materials
Sign blanks are available in a variety of materials that range in durability and purpose so you can have confidence you are choosing the best option for your specific needs. They also come with convenient pre-drilled holes at the corners to make them easy to hang on walls or mount to a variety of surfaces and building fixtures using cable ties, nails, or screws.
Sign blank materials include: steel, corrugated plastic, aluminum, reflective aluminum, and fiberglass. It is critical to consider the environment and installation method when choosing the material for your sign.
Environment
Will the message be indoors or outdoors?Does the sign need to endure certain temperatures?Will it be in direct sunlight or low light?Is there a chance it will come into contact with moisture, oil, solvents, or chemicals?
Installation Method
Will the message be permanent or temporary?Where will you apply this message? E.g.: on a post, wall, door, barrel, storage container, fence
Get a breakdown of the features of each sign blank material:
Steel
A steel sign blank is made of a ferrous metal (iron) material with a solid 24-gauge steel backing for heavy-duty signs that also allow magnets to stick to it. It’s highly resistant to most chemicals, stands strong to impact, and withstands low temperatures.
This material is mainly for interior signage as it will rust fairly easily. Apply to piping, shipping containers, on refrigerators, and more
Corrugated Plastic
Use this low cost corrugated plastic sign blank for temporary mounting locations. The tough corrugation provides a thick material that is lightweight and retains its flat surface shape, even after being bent. This material is made for mild environments that will come into little or no contact with prolonged UV exposure, low temperatures, and strong solvents.
Corrugated plastic is perfect for temporary sign applications on poles, fences, and more to communicate wayfinding, site-specific hazards and warnings, and other general safety information in warehouses and other indoor facilities.
Aluminum
Aluminum sign blanks are lightweight and reliable in locations that contain harsh environmental exposures including chemicals, abrasion, moisture, and sunlight. This is an ideal material for DIY sign creation using multiple adhesive labels, which apply seamlessly to this surface.
This corrosion-resistant material can withstand low temperatures. It won’t rust, making it highly durable for outdoor applications. Apply aluminum signs on fencing, poles, or other difficult to label locations that conventional labels cannot adhere to.
Reflective Aluminum
This material offers the same lightweight construction and durability as the aluminum sign blank but can also instantly add extra visibility to your message. Enhance visibility indoors and out with reflective aluminum signs to keep messages highly visible both day and night. This material is perfect for low-light conditions and for signs that need to be seen from long distances. These are an ideal solution for construction sites, mining operations, confined spaces, and more.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass is the sturdiest of the sign blank materials. It provides the highest resistance to impact and is stronger than most metals. The thick material lasts 25+ years outdoors and will retain its shape and durability in high and low temperatures as well as exposures from various external stresses. However, contact with strong solvents such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and trans-dichloroethylene will jeopardize this material.
This provides a smooth, clean surface for labels that is ideal for placement in areas where label application is difficult, such as mounting on walls with challenging textures that most signs cannot adhere to. Fiberglass is a worthwhile investment if you need a permanent sign solution.
Invest in Label & Sign-Making Solutions
You can streamline the safety labeling process by designing and printing materials on-demand whenever you need them using a DuraLabel industrial label printer. DuraLabel printers allow you to design custom signs and labels using label design software and choose from built-in templates to simplify the label creation process to produce compliant labels for common industrial applications like 5S, GHS, pipe marking, and more. Print safety messages small to large on ½’’ to 10’’ wide tapes depending on the printer model.
To improve safety instantly, choose from a variety of premade labels that are installation-ready.
In addition to sign blanks, you can improve visibility to dangerous work areas all the way down to the floor using tough adhesive floor signs. Simply peel and apply to your facility floor to instantly improve safety awareness and wayfinding. You also have ability to customize floor signs with your own message to tailor them to the work environment.
Prevent OSHA fines for a lack of hazard communication and make your own rigid signs directly from your facility.
Kelsey Rzepecki writes for Graphic Products, makers of the DuraLabel line of industrial label and sign printers.
A quarter of all businesses affected by a major disaster never reopen, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Small businesses especially are vulnerable to disasters since they have tighter budgets and personnel to restart operations and recover losses. Disasters aren’t limited to hurricanes and floods. Winter storms can be disastrous and costly if you aren’t prepared.No standard exists for determining when snow and ice accumulation is severe enough that it will endanger workers. In most cases, managers and supervisors must use their own judgment to alter work practices based on changes in weather conditions.There are four steps an EHS manager can take to help maintain a safe work environment during winter weather, regardless of company size or industry.1. Review Your Emergency Action Plan (EAP)OSHA requires workplaces with 10 or more employees to have a written emergency action plan. A facility-wide emergency preparedness meeting should occur well before the winter season. A group discussion promotes awareness throughout a facility about winter hazards likely to stall normal operations.Discuss the most common seasonal hazards that occur in your area, how it has affected operations in the past and for what everyone should prepare. Take into account events like power outages and blackouts from high winds and storms; proper snow and ice removal procedures; and evacuations and emergency escape route procedures.Clear communication, especially in emergencies, is key. Ensure employees know how to respond, who to contact and how to communicate effectively in emergencies and when inclement weather affects normal operations. All employees should have access to resources that outline the most important workplace emergency procedures such as contact information and procedural reminders.Likewise, practicing emergency scenarios will help you and your workers prepare. Simulate drills and scenarios in your facility on a regular basis and evaluate areas for improvement. 2. Perform a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)Winter introduces unique and often unprecedented hazards. In 2014, there were over 42,000 workplace injuries and illnesses in the United States involving ice, sleet or snow that required at least one day away from work to recover, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.The goal of a job hazard analysis is to identify hazards in the workplace before they occur. It’s important to consider how your worker’s normal tasks, tools and work environment may need to change.Conduct a walk-through of the facility or job site. Look for leaks or melted snow that could cause electrical hazards. Determine if equipment maintenance needs to change due to extreme temperature. Always involve your employees in the JHA process.Protect your building. Take precautionary steps to protect your facility from weather and temperature changes by identifying areas vulnerable to damage. Maintain your roof and clear from debris like clogged gutters and downspouts, inspect for water leaks, cracked concrete, ponding water and prepare your HVAC systems for winter with preventive maintenance.Assign protective control. Determine what you need to provide extra safeguards for hazardous areas and tasks. To effectively address modifications, implement a cold-weather response plan that consists of techniques to approach hazards such as product spills.Document your plan. Outline your findings and communicate them to your employees. Include all recommended changes to existing processes, new safety precautions and any special equipment that needs to be introduced. Clearly convey new work procedures and reminders using custom labels and signs.3. Prevent Cold-Related Illnesses and InjuriesAnyone working in lower temperatures can be at risk of cold-related illnesses and injuries. All workers should recognize the signs and symptoms of common cold-related illnesses including cold stress, hypothermia and frostbite. There also are controls that can be applied to ensure worker safety.First, evaluate if changes in personal protective equipment are needed. Employers are not required to provide workers with clothing items used solely for the protection against weather such as winter coats (29 CFR 1910.132(h)(4)).Steps also should be taken to prevent fatigue. Keep energy levels up and prevent dehydration by providing workers with warm fluids and water.In addition, employees ideally should work in pairs or larger groups to help monitor one another for symptoms of cold-related illnesses. Lastly, remind employees to keep their general health in mind.4. Highlight Hazards Using VisualsPoor visibility plays a large and dangerous role in the winter that can be detrimental if you don’t prepare for its effects. Bring hazards to employees’ attention using a variety of visual communication methods including signage, floor marking and wayfinding.Keep areas clear. Make sure pathways, work areas and stairways are clear from unnecessary items that could cause potential injury.Emphasize hard-to-see areas. Clearly highlight areas, items and machinery when it becomes more difficult to navigate in low-light conditions. Outline egress pathways, door entries, low clearance ceilings and other important areas that are in need of extra attention using glow-in-the-dark and reflective tape.Identify locations that are prone to being slippery or difficult to navigate by applying tread tape to keep employees stable. Tread tapes are perfect for areas that have a tendency to ice over and are ideal for application on stairs, doorways, ramps and handrails.Implement temporary and outdoor signage. Address hazards that may lurk in your facility as well as outdoors by placing durable premade signs and labels for icy conditions and slips, trips and falls in areas that are prone to freezing over or become slick.Upgrade your wayfinding. Locate where valuable signage and images should be installed to alert personnel of present hazards and recommended safe practices.Employees need to understand how to work safely when seasonal threats approach. Clearly communicating emergency procedures and posting reminders about new work procedures with employees is crucial to ensuring a safe workplace. Investing in winter safety solutions will protect your employees and facility against winter hazards this year. Kelsey Rzepecki writes for Graphic Products, a provider of industrial safety education and compliance solutions. For more information about customized visual communication, visit www.GraphicProducts.com or call 800.788.5572.
Winter workplace safety boils down to four steps any company can incorporate into its initiatives.
A quarter of all businesses that were affected by a major disaster never reopen, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Small businesses especially are vulnerable to disasters since they have fewer funds and personnel to restart operations and recover losses.No standard exists for determining when ice accumulation is severe enough that it will endanger workers. In most cases, managers and supervisors must use their own judgment to alter work practices based on changes in weather conditions. There are four steps an EHS manager can take to help maintain a safe work environment this season, regardless of the size or industry. Click through the slideshow to view the winter safety tips.