Good day all.

I'm in the process of putting final touches on a plant layout for a heavy industrial manufacturing company, as part of our expansion.

I'm trying my best to incorporate as much lean and 5S into the new plant, and one of the initiatives I'm working on included floor markings with colored tape.

Is there any standardized color code for the application of tape colors?
To my surprise, I wasn't able to find anything on this site about visual floor markings, Elsmar has been fantastic for pretty much every other question I've had so far.

Right now I'm using
Yellow: forlift expressways and main aisles,
Black : station outlines for each assy station or 'cell' on the line
Red: rework area at end of line (wish it wasn't required but one step at a time here)
Blue: "wip" inventory, parts on pallets delivered to the line
Green: walkways and areas to remain clear of obstruction for access to work stations and work tables along the line
Orange: areas that are to remain clear of the assembly line as the large assemblies make their way down the track.

Before I go inventing my own standard, does anyone have any knowledge of actual standards or anything beyond common sence?

Thanks in advance

David

Other areas you may need to mark a locations for fire hydrants, emergency exits, ect as clearly marked not to obstruct (red with a cross from diagonal to diagonal).

Well my knowledge of safety laws is far from expert status, but I would stay away from red except a place where there is eminent danger, or obvious need to call attention to something (fire extinguisher locations for example)

You might attempt to find somethign in ANSI or ASSE. My Safety Coordinator tells me that OSHA does not really say what colors go where, but does accept most ANSI recommendations. The big thing is that you have documented very thoroughly what means what.

Yes, most likely in the USA, the "Life Safety Code" that is used by many practitioners and is adopted by numerous state and federal agencies.....

http://www.nfpa.org/aboutthecodes/AboutTheCodes.asp?DocNum=101&cookie%5Ftest=1

Also OSHA in 29CFR 1910.144 & 1910.145 have specific requirments for the use of colors in the workplace. There will be similar requirments in Canada because US and Canadian safety requirments pretty much run in parallel to each other. You had better check with CCOSH and the Manitoba safety agency at http://www.gov.mb.ca/labour/safety/

We just made our own as per some safety norms, and previous experience of several people, see attached.

Wow,

Thanks for all the advice and support. Don't take my low post count as lack of interest in the boards. Every time I have a question, It is usually answered with a quick search of previous threads, and every response or suggestion I could offer is usually already posted.

As for the floor marking, I went with the 'generic' green = good, red = danger etc etc. I put more emphasis on common sence than any convoluted industry color codes.

I'll take some pics of the final floor plan with markings and share them with the group.

Cheers.

David.

Try ANSI Z535 standards (American National Standards Institute)

ANSI Z535.1 -2006 - American National Standard for Safety Colors
Updated reference section and a new title, reflecting the standard is meant to be used as a reference to define specific colors.

ANSI Z535.2 - 2007 - American National Standard for Environmental and Facility Safety Signs Definitional changes and safety alert symbols formats intended to clarify the distinction between signal words and greater harmonization with international standards.
Includes a new annex of informative references and an annex on risk assessment and choice of signal words.

ANSI Z535.3 - 2007 - American National Standard Criteria for Safety Symbols The safety alert symbol has been harmonized with color alternatives that are specified by the International Organization for Standardization. Information symbols related to fire and other safety conditions have been added.

ANSI Z535.4 - 2007 - American National Standard for Product Safety Signs and Labels A number of previous graphic approaches have been consolidated into a common design that present product hazard information in an orderly and visually consistent manner for effective communication.

ANSI Z535.5 - 2007 - American National Standard for Safety Tags and Barricade Tapes (for Temporary Hazards)
Harmonization with international standards by permitting different colors to be used with the safety alert symbol.
Uniform and consistent visual layout for safety information is established, as well as a national uniform system for the recognition of potential personal injury hazards.

ANSI Z535.6-2006 - American National Standard for Product Safety Information in Product Manuals, Instructions, and Other Collateral Materials
This new standard sets forth requirements for the design and location of product safety messages in printed information that accompanies a product, including owner’s manuals, instructions, user’s guides, maintenance or service manuals, assembly instructions, safety manuals, instructions on product packaging and similar information about a product.

There is no official published and controlled standard for the colors used in 5S. There are de facto standards that existed because consultants have tended to copy each others materials.

You can obtain a free copy of one such de facto standard from this site (http://www.duralabel.com/free-5s-standard-color-guide.html). I have seen the same chart on about ten other sites and it appears to be the same chart. Note: they all require the filling out of an online form.