What Do Warehouse and Factory Line Colours Mean?

The lines on a factory or warehouse floor are not decoration; they are a safety language. Colour and shape tell you what may be done in that area. The meaning of the colours varies a little from one business to another, but there is a widely shared common usage.

What matters is that the scheme you choose is consistent throughout the site and that it is explained to the staff. A colour that carries a different meaning in different departments makes the marking useless.

Floor preparation. A line applied over a dirty, dusty surface lifts within a short time; the route of the line is cleaned first and roughened if necessary.

Width and continuity. When a pedestrian walkway line is broken, the route is not read as a route. The width is kept standard throughout the site.

Forklift turning points. These are the places that wear fastest; a more durable system or periodic renewal is planned for them.

Storage boundaries. A pallet area line makes the distance between the racking and the walkway visible.