Roger Yu, World Executives Digest |
Line marking your warehouse is definitely a project that’s worth your while. It will help your employees stay more organized and ensure the proper route when it comes to busy schedules of storing and transportation. Precisely because of that, it’s essential that you prepare everything for this particular task. Mistakes, in this case, aren’t all that forgiving. That being said, keep on reading to find out more.
Ask for employee input
You should never just decide on a project that will obviously affect your employees’ routine and work. When it comes to line marking your warehouse, you may not have a lot of choice for the strategic placement. However, it will still be a lot more productive and effective to ask the workers about their usual routes and their opinions on the best line marking strategy.
Choose your line marking solution
Essentially, there are two options to choose from. You can opt for a permanent and temporary line marking options. In case you want to go with the permanent solution, you’ll need to use special line marking paint of good quality. Also, you have to be certain about where the paint will go before you even start the project. On the other hand, you can also use line marking tape as a temporary solution in case your warehouse is pretty fluid with organization and setup. The tape may be the budget-friendly option as well but if you decide to go for good quality paint you won’t have to worry about reapplying it for years.
Pick the right colors
In general, the color you use for line marking in your warehouse should be bright and easily recognizable. The usual color in this case is yellow. You also have to be very careful not to use the same color for other markings on the warehouse floor. After all, your employees have to be able to recognize the color the moment they see it. Also, pay attention to safety markings as well as doors and electrical outlets. Neither paint nor tape should cover these elements.
Define the proper direction
You should never apply your line marking paint or even the tape without previously defining the line where the markings should go. Even if you’re absolutely sure when you look at the route you can never be absolutely positive that you’ll keep a straight line when proceeding blindly with the project. It’s recommended that you first mark the line with chalk or even a laser so that you know where to apply the paint/tape. Also, don’t forget to check the initial chalk application several times to make sure that the line is perfect and ready for the next step.
You have to prepare in advance
The paint used for line marking takes about 24 hours to dry. In that respect, your staff has to be very careful not to disturb it in that period. What’s more, even if it’s dry after a whole day, line marking paint cannot withstand heavy objects for around 72 hours. That being said, you have to thoroughly prepare your facility and staff. Apart from explaining them what to do, you may want to pause some of the operations or even close the warehouse for a couple of days completely until you finish with the process.
Of course, the most important and responsible thing that you should do is always follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. Line marking your warehouse may not be an overly complicated process but it still requires proper attention and focus as well as enough time before the space is ready for the usual traffic. Therefore, never try to rush this project cause it’s only going to lead to mistakes that will consequently take up a lot more of your time.
