Optimizing your Workplace with Strategic Area Markings

Good afternoon again everyone. My name is Brian Jaszewski here with Brady Corporation this afternoon. I am joined by Mr. Brett Polito. Brett will be joining us to speak specifically about photoluminescent egress during our webinar this afternoon, "Optimizing Your Workplace with Strategic Area Markings." I'm the global product manager here, and Mr. Brett Polito is our applications engineer. We'll introduce ourselves a little further after this slide.

Today we're specifically going to be covering different types of area marking that really help us optimize what we're looking for, how to adopt a standard color code, and what that means to each of your facilities. We're going to talk about optimizing floor marking, tips and tactics to ensure complete visibility, sign placement visibility, and material selection. Brett will be giving us an excellent recap of photoluminescent markings, egress signs, and their history. Then we will finish up with maintenance of your floor and area markings, a little bit on sign blindness, and a quick recap before we end.

As I mentioned, my name is Brian Jaszewski, and I'm the global product manager for floor and area marking. I've been at Brady for a little over two years, going on three. Before that, I came with over 20 years of experience in product management and operations within the CPG industry, spanning a mix of human and pet foods. I was actually a plant manager in that industry for a little over six years. So, I have a little over two decades of experience dealing with this. With that, I'll turn it over to Brett Polito.

Hey folks, pleasure to meet you. I'm Brett, the applications engineer here at Brady Corporation. I start my 13th year here this January. The first 10 years were spent entirely on our safety services team performing all sorts of different safety-related consulting tasks, ranging from lockout tagout to confined space and everything in between. It is a pleasure to join you here today, and I look forward to chatting soon.

Thank you, Brett. With that, we will jump right into floor and area markings. Everyone knows that there are various ANSI and OSHA standards around floor and area markings. Why is that so important? It's because those markings really act almost like a nervous system for your facility. They communicate hazards and workflows, prevent accidents, and help drive peak efficiency in your production process. They allow you to move product from point A to point B more efficiently, and if designed and maintained well, they keep your employees out of danger.

A properly marked workplace reduces the cognitive load on your employees. That means when an employee sees a marking on the floor or a sign on a wall that you've deemed essential for your operation, it shouldn't require a heavy mental lift to understand the message it is trying to impart. A new employee should be able to look at the floors and walls while walking through the facility and immediately understand where they are safe, where they are in danger, and where materials belong. All of that should happen without a lot of additional thought on their part.

5S, which we'll touch on in a bit, is also used for wayfinding. There are many instances where different colors or shapes of tape help employees find locations and navigate through facilities. Brett is going to touch on very important pieces of this in the photoluminescence section today. However, for reduced cognitive load to be effective, it's important to be consistent within your facility, your marking structure, and your overall program. We will talk about combining OSHA visual requirements with 5S methodology to focus heavily on the communication standard we establish for employees on the floor.

To achieve this, it is crucial to review the situational and environmental requirements for each location. With that information, we can determine the proper style of marking, the correct material, and how to impart the appropriate message effectively so employees can make quick assessments. In our various VOC visits and conversations with dozens of customers, we've found that the best approach is to work directly with your supplier and manufacturing partners for best-practice solutions. We see a lot of customer facilities day in and day out, and we can help accelerate your process by pointing you toward the most effective, complete solutions in the industry.

Let's touch quickly on the types of floor and area marking solutions available. There are three primary types and a catchall "other" bucket. The primary methods we see for conveying these messages are paints, tapes, and projected lines and signs. The "other" bucket includes solutions like chains, barricades, bollards, and barricade tape—any miscellaneous pieces that still impart a safety message. However, our primary points of discussion here will be paint, adhesives (tape), and projected lines.

These four solutions feature five core cost considerations that must be understood to ensure you place the right solution in the right environment. This guarantees that the marking remains viable for a long duration so employees don't have to continually ask what is going on. If we put something down too quickly, it's probably going to come up quickly, failing to provide the permanence of information required.

Going through those five general considerations, we start with labor: how long will that sign or line take to install from an employee perspective, and how long will it take to replace, repair, or clean? Next is material cost; these solutions carry different upfront costs. Flexibility is also highly important. If you are in a newer facility or one where work cells change regularly, you must consider the flexibility of your marking solution. There is nothing worse than explaining to visiting stakeholders, "We are ignoring that yellow line this week because we can't remove it, we didn't think through the process." Remember the 3-second rule: if employees can't digest the intended information within 3 seconds, the messaging needs to be tightened.

Durability is another major consideration. If the chosen marking isn't durable and requires re-labeling every two or three days, it will negatively impact your labor costs. Given today's variety of marking constructions, there are many options to ensure you select the right style. Finally, consider facility downtime during installation. A common example is painting: while it lasts longer than some solutions, the time required to take down a facility, prep the floor, paint, and allow it to cure can sometimes halt operations for 72 hours. Furthermore, removing paint requires barricading or sheeting to prevent contamination from dust. Most fast-moving modern facilities simply do not have the time to wait for paint anymore.

Regarding the standards mentioned earlier, we focus primarily on OSHA and ANSI. Fortunately, there is a lot of overlap between these guidelines and best practices. OSHA defines that markings must be between two and six inches wide. Aisles utilized by people should be at least three feet wide, or three feet wider than the largest piece of equipment traveling that path, whichever is wider. OSHA does not strictly define color codes, with the exception of red for fire equipment or stops, and yellow for caution or entering with care. ANSI gets slightly more particular by defining additional colors, but otherwise shares a lot of overlap. ANSI recommends tape widths of two to four inches (with three to four inches being most common) made of durable materials that withstand varying environmental conditions. Tape must be placed in a highly visible manner that clearly communicates its purpose.

Currently, the industry is moving heavily toward three and 4-inch tapes. These added widths provide a better adhesive surface area to bond securely to the substrate. Additionally, wider tape offers a stronger base to absorb impact damage and distribute it across the installation. From our side, we are seeing far more 3-inch installations lately, which is something useful to keep in mind.

As we navigate OSHA and ANSI, a question I regularly get asked relates to Lean and 5S. 5S is a visual organization system, and OSHA doesn't actually require it as a standard. 5S usually enters the picture when organizations want to move beyond basic floor markings. Incorporating 5S principles helps create a more efficient, productive, and safer workplace by enabling faster visual searches and better product organization. It enhances safety because aisleways, pallet drop zones, and interaction points are clearly denoted. This establishes visual awareness and sustainable efficiency. Studies show that implementing 5S can increase facility productivity by up to 60% in certain instances.

This powerful system is defined by clear navigation to guide movements and visualize optimal routes, instant visual guidance so new employees can intuitively understand the environment without reading a handbook, enhanced safety to protect personnel and facility assets, and boosted productivity. Beyond these, there is the wayfinding piece. Many facilities—including major data hubs, hospitals, airports, and amusement parks—use unique colors or styles of tape, or even footprints, to guide people. Brett has some vanished pictures of how this applies to stairways in his photoluminescent section.

Optimizing floor and area markings is essentially about creating the guardrails for your facility. Without clear communication and awareness, workflows break down and team members become disoriented. Markings help everyone understand the where, the how, and the why. To meet OSHA standards, aisles must be at least three feet wide or three feet wider than the largest piece of equipment. Lines should be at least 2 inches wide, though 4 inches works well for main aisles and difficult adhesion areas. I've visited facilities where main travel spurs use 4-inch lines, which transition to 2-inch lines for secondary paths, signaling to production workers that they have left the primary right-of-way.

The old adage applies: a place for everything and everything in its place. If an item belongs in a specific spot, mark and label it to streamline production flow. Another simple trick growing in popularity is marking an 'X' or specific messaging in areas where absolutely nothing should be stored. These simple steps collectively optimize safety and productivity.

When it comes to optimal viewing and placement for signs, they should generally be positioned between floor level and 60 inches high, placing the top at eye level. Lately, I've noticed a lot of aerial markings meant for forklift drivers. However, I prefer keeping PIT and forklift operators' eyes directly in front of them or on the ground to prevent collisions, so keeping signs at 60 inches or below is ideal. For visibility, ensure signs are never obscured behind racking corners. The moment a marking is hidden, its message is lost. Adhering to the 3-second rule ensures quick comprehension so anyone can instantly recognize a safe versus unsafe zone. Standardizing these markings and incorporating ANSI symbols significantly aids quick interpretation. General guidance tables offer baseline text sizes for various viewing distances, though individual facility needs may vary.

To determine the best marking materials across paint, tape, and projected solutions, we look back at our five total cost attributes: downtime, labor, materials, flexibility, and durability. Paint provides excellent longevity and customization, but its downtime requirements can outweigh the benefits. Tapes and adhesives install rapidly with minimal labor, though dirty or dusty environments—like a concrete plant I visited recently—make it difficult to achieve a proper substrate bond. Projected solutions offer outstanding durability, longevity, and flexibility without requiring floor prep, though they do demand a power source and carry a higher initial cost. However, looking at a five-to-seven-year lifespan operating at 100% efficiency, projected lines offer massive opportunities. In our travels, Brett and I frequently see "mixed media" solutions where facilities use a combination of projected lines and physical tape to cover all environmental needs effectively.

I will now turn the presentation over to Brett to cover photoluminescent solutions.

Hey, perfect. Thanks, Brian, really appreciate it. As we dive into the photoluminescent portion of today's presentation, I have to say that throughout my career as a health and safety professional, this topic has always fascinated me. I've long been captivated by the history behind luminous egress and how remarkably well it performs during emergency situations.

To understand the modern history of luminous egress, we look first to airplanes. If you've traveled by air over the past couple of decades, you've heard the flight attendants give their safety briefing as the plane taxis out to the runway. Part of that script notes that in the event of an emergency evacuation, the center aisle will illuminate to lead you to your nearest exit. This standard stems from 1984, when the FAA realized that during emergency cabin fires, thick smoke would rapidly fill the upper space, completely obscuring eye-level egress markings and signs. Their solution was to place the signage on the floor and make it light up, ensuring passengers could locate their closest exit route.

From the air, the technology moved to maritime applications. In 1990, a tragic fire broke out on the ferry boat Scandinavian Star in Europe, resulting in the deaths of roughly 160 passengers—about half of those on board. The fire was caused by arson when a passenger lit bedding on fire, and the smoke spread incredibly fast to the decks above. The ship featured highly confusing corridors and lacked proper markings. By the time passengers realized what was happening, the smoke was so thick they couldn't navigate. Tragically, many victims' bodies were found just feet away from exit doors they simply couldn't see. Shortly after, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) mandated photoluminescent paint along exit routes for ships.

Having covered air and sea, we look at land applications. The groundbreaking moment for luminous egress in the United States arrived with the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Terrorists detonated a truck bomb in the parking garage with the intent of bringing the tower down. While that attempt failed, it revealed severe shortcomings in the high-rise egress plans managed by the New York Port Authority. The blast knocked out primary power, which initially seemed fine because the building featured backup emergency generators. However, the explosion also destroyed the cooling systems for those generators, plunging the towers into total darkness. Evacuating occupants faced pitch-black stairwells filling with smoke, forcing them to form human chains to navigate out. The evacuation took some groups upwards of three hours.

While everyone eventually made it out safely, the Port Authority realized they needed a reliable third line of defense that did not rely on generators or external power. In 1994, acting strictly on best practice rather than any existing local, state, or federal laws, they applied photoluminescent paint to turn the stairwells and corridors into self-illuminating pathways.

Seven years later on 9/11, those safety mechanisms faced the ultimate test. While that day was profoundly tragic, the building evacuations were a massive success. There was a 99% survival rate for occupants located below the impact zones, allowing roughly 13,000 people to escape safely. In subsequent interviews, survivors explicitly recalled following a "green glow" down the dark, smoky stairwells to safety. To contextualize the timeline, the South tower collapsed just 56 minutes after being hit, and the North tower stood for an hour and 42 minutes. Given that the 1993 evacuation took over three hours, the implementation of photoluminescent paint and updated battery backups undeniably saved thousands of lives by drastically accelerating the evacuation.

Reviewing our timeline: the FAA introduced luminous egress to planes in 1984; the World Trade Center bombing occurred in 1993, prompting the Port Authority to add photoluminescent paint in 1994; 9/11 proved the incredible value of the technology in 2001. A few years later, New York City enacted Local Law 26, mandating luminous egress markings in all high-rise buildings, and the International Building Code adopted this standard in 2007 for all buildings over 75 feet tall. The takeaway for your own facility is clear: don't just ask what the regulations require; focus on best practices. As safety professionals, you know your facilities best. Just because an OSHA rule doesn't mandate a solution doesn't mean you shouldn't implement it to ensure your employees make it home safely to their families. I'll turn it back to Brian.

Thank you, Brett. I appreciate that historical timeline; it's amazing to see how many pivotal changes occurred over a short period to improve building evacuations. As Brett noted, you know your facilities and their specific challenges best. This reinforces my earlier advice: leverage your supplier and manufacturing partners to identify solutions tailored to your unique problem areas so you can achieve your safety goals.

Safety markings can fade into the background over time or become dirty. To maintain optimization, you must actively upkeep the markings and the messaging. When I was a plant manager, we instituted a policy where an employee from a completely different department would audit our area every 90 days. People working in the same space day in and day out develop a natural blindness to their surroundings because they are used to it. Fresh eyes provide the clarity needed to keep markings consistent and intact. Clean your signs and lines regularly—a yellow directional line coated in grime turns brown, which might be misinterpreted as a "rework" zone in your facility. Dust-coated signs lose their visibility. Keeping these elements clean proves to your workforce that their safety is a priority. Conversely, leaving peeling tape, chipped paint, or bent signs sends the message that safety is an afterthought, mimicking a poor retail experience that instantly degrades consumer trust.

To recap, we covered four major pillars today. First, we must communicate clearly and optimize our messaging by adopting standardized OSHA or ANSI color codes, using excellent online reference charts like those provided on the Brady website. You have the flexibility to tailor the system, provided your employees are fully trained on what the markings signify. Second, consider 5S as the silent language of a dynamic workplace. Marking pallet locations and aisleways goes beyond basic OSHA compliance to drive structural safety and productivity. Third, optimize and review placement. Placing communication in low-visibility or crowded corners defeats its purpose; stick to high-traffic areas at 60 inches or below. Assess your egress needs: can your workers safely exit every corner of the building during a total power blackout? Brett's compelling breakdown of the World Trade Center evacuations proves how minor changes dictate life-or-death outcomes. Finally, combat sign blindness by auditing and maintaining your facility alongside your team members, who will become the ultimate champions of your safety culture.

We discussed various marking media—paint, tape, projectors, and miscellaneous items—each carrying distinct pros and cons. Understanding how these materials interact with your environment over months and years allows for better long-term planning. Keep true costs in mind across their five distinct components, noting that costs can vary drastically from department to department or across a firewall. Trust your internal knowledge and transfer it into a structured plan: plan, implement, educate, and sustain. Map out your facility beforehand to see if a mixed-media solution—like projectors for high-traffic zones and tape for others—works best. Prepare the surfaces meticulously, as applying premium markings to a substrate or rack that is scheduled for removal is a waste of time. Apply the materials using recommended practices, educate your staff to uphold the 3-second rule, and consistently audit for damage while verifying employee comprehension. Never install markings without telling your team and expecting them to intuitively know what changed.

Brady offers a comprehensive, end-to-end solution for all your floor marking, area zoning, and photoluminescent egress needs. Beyond our product catalog, we provide on-the-ground territory managers throughout the United States, Canada, and Central America to guide your safety journey. Our experts are highly skilled in 5S methodologies and can streamline your implementation. Ultimately, our tape and projected line portfolios complement each other perfectly, allowing you to deploy robust mixed-media systems that preserve facility visual cues all day long, optimizing performance and ensuring every employee returns home safely at the end of the night. Thank you so much for your time, and have a wonderful rest of your week.