Increasing Warehouse Safety Using Commercial Paint

There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint to give your business the boost that it needs! However, paint can be so much more useful than for just looks and visual appeal. Hiring commercial painting contractors can make your business a safer place for your employees and customers alike in several ways.

Whether you want to create a more peaceful and safer business with color psychologically or if you’re going to add color to reduce the potential for danger and/or injury, there are many options at your disposal for you to choose from. Let’s look at a few reasons why and a few ways to increase your warehouse safety with paint!

There can be many workplace hazards that can cause accidents and injuries. As a business owner, you will want to prevent these as much as possible. Luckily, there is a way to do this. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Association, or OSHA, paint can be an effective safety tool. Whether you use paint to help your customers avoid unsafe areas, help guide your forklift drivers with bright paint lines, or mark electrically charged machines throughout your facility, following safety guidelines should be of utmost priority. Be sure your commercial painting contractors are up to speed on these guidelines during the hiring process. 

Ways to Use Paint to Promote Safety

Warehouse Floor Painting

When thinking about the uses of paint, think past walls and murals. You can use paint on your floors to increase safety, add traction, and ensure that workers and customers are safe. As a business owner, your safety guidelines prompt you to keep your floors free of slippery conditions, moisture, and debris. Consider following OSHA’s recommendation in using a “high-friction” paint to add traction to your floors and make them non-slip.

This will make your floors safe for movement and egress for all. If you are using such a product, however, be sure to mark any areas, including stairs, that are not coated in that non-slip product to prevent accidental falls.

You can also use paint on your floors to make them more visible. Using a bright (but not blinding) color, those walking on the floors and driving heavy machinery on such can see a clear path to safety. You will want to make sure that the color of your floors contrasts with lines and other safety markings, so those are made more obvious.

Warehouse Safety Markings

Paint can also be used for specific safety markings throughout your warehouse. It has been shown that paint color can send a clearer and more obvious message than signage and/or shapes. You can mark unsafe or prohibited areas with a bright red or other obvious colors. You can mark safe walkways for customers and employees, and you can mark driving areas for forklifts and other heavy movable machinery. However, make sure that your markings are consistent to avoid confusion. OSHA sets certain standards for such markings:

• A minimum line width of 2 inches is mandatory in all warehouse settings where aisle markings exist
• Corridors marking egress to emergency exits must be at least 28 inches wide
• Warehouse aisles must be marked to 36 inches wide

Psychology of Color

In general, colors can be used to evoke certain moods, emotions, and feelings. Use these to your advantage in your business:

Yellow: Cautiousness, alertness, and vigilance

• Use evident yellow tones to mark travel areas or mark spaces to yield to

White: Neutrality

• Use white shades for racks, common machines, and/or benches

Red: Danger, flammability, and deterrence

• Use red colors to denote dangerous areas or flammable substances and/or fire safety materials

Orange: Urgency, shocking, and threatening

• Use orange paint to point out energized equipment or other running equipment

Green: Safety, clarity, and cleanliness

• Mark areas of safety with green paint or areas in which first-aid equipment is present

Blue: Informational, peaceful, and calming

• Use blue shades to mark potential water hazards or informational products

When looking to increase the safety of your warehouse or business, use paint as both a protective barrier and a deterrent. Use it to deter falls and prevent accidents and protect your consumers and employees by marking out specific areas of safety or hazard. If you are looking for more guidance regarding making your warehouse safer with professional paints, consider hiring commercial painting contractors to help you get started.