INDUSTRIAL FLOORING COLOUR CODING


Scott Saunders, technical service manager at Watco, discusses how to enhance safety with painted floors and offers tips on how to get the best result.


The spring and summer months are a great opportunity to examine the painting needs of a facility.


Industrial floor paints have many purposes, including adding slip resistance, highlighting safe pathways and adding waterproof protection to plant rooms, to name a few examples.


Periods of warm weather in the upcoming months are ideal for painting because the higher air temperature can speed up curing times. For example, one of Watco’s anti-slip, epoxy resin floor coatings is touch dry in 12 hours at 10C, however, at 20C the time halves to just six hours. Completing painting jobs in this weather can significantly reduce downtime, and allow multiple coats to be applied in one day.


Dry conditions are also preferable because in external areas such as car parks, rain can prevent the paint from properly adhering to the surface. When painting internal floors, the area should be well ventilated which is harder in wet weather because rain can blow in through open doors and windows.


To get the most value out of painting your floors, start by assessing the needs of the facility.


HOW INTRODUCING COLOUR CAN IMPROVE SAFETY


Busy facilities are full of hazards and need careful monitoring to ensure that robust policies are in place to keep team members and visitors safe.


Colour coding is a common practice to aid easy identification of areas everybody should be able to locate, including where physical hazards are present or first aid equipment is stored. Coloured floor paint is an easy and cost-effective solution to signal these areas, and also to highlight paths on the floor where pedestrians can walk safely around the facility without colliding with machinery or vehicles.


Paints used for this purpose can also be selected with added properties to reduce the risk of accidents, such as using anti-slip paints to mark out the pathways so that in periods of wet weather or if liquids are spilled, there is added slip resistance underfoot.


THE COLOUR CODING GUIDE


It’s crucial that a facility’s team members can easily identify what the colours mean and how to respond. The colours commonly used across industrial sites in 2025 are based on the original Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) code. In brief, the guide is:


• Red for emergency – for example, fire protection equipment, stop signs and danger.


• Orange for dangerous parts of machinery and equipment that can cause injury – for example, for guards on machines.


• Yellow for caution – for example, where physical hazards such as objects falling from a height, or worn steps are present.


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• Green for safety – for example, where first aid equipment is kept.


• Blue for safety information on signs – for example when equipment is out of service.


• Black & White for traffic and housekeeping – for example, walkways and storage areas.


Facilities can opt for a colour scheme that better suits its environment. However, this must be supported with signage and resources to ensure all team members are trained on what the colours denote.


PREPARING INDUSTRIAL FLOORS FOR PAINTING


Once paints have been selected, planning and floor preparation is key to ensure the best results.


To gain a full understanding of the paint and process, product pages and how-to videos are a useful resource, helping to avoid overmixing or thinning when preparing the paint for application.


To prepare the area, cleaning contaminants such as dust and oil from the surface will help to ensure the best adherence between the paint and floor. However, when new concrete has been poured, a primer is the best option to provide a moisture barrier and achieve better adhesion when painting.


With so many options available, consulting an expert is a smart way to communicate a facility’s specific needs and discover which paints will deliver the best results, including the most effective application techniques.


To learn more about floor preparation and the types of paint available, click below to download Watco’s free eBooks:


Guide to preparing your floors Guide to types of paint and application tips 29


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