From body shops and car dealership service centers to mechanics and more, automotive repair shops rely on floor safety markings to help organize the workflow, comply with OSHA regulations, and help keep customers and employees safe. Floor marking tape is the preferred material for these applications because it’s easy to apply on nearly any surface, durable and long-lasting, highly visible, and just as easy to remove and rearrange if the tape fades over time or the shop flow requirements change. Consider floor tape and adhesive signs for the following areas in your auto repair shop:
Outlining Pedestrian Walkways and Vehicle Repair Zones
Pedestrian walkway marked in an auto service shop.
Maximize the number of vehicles you can fit in the shop by marking out repair zones.
Not only does outlining pedestrian walkways help protect employees, customers, and anyone else present on the shop floor from getting in the way, but it can also maximize productivity. When mechanics rely on their best judgment to arrange vehicles on the repair shop floor, they tend to err on the side of caution and allow ample space between the vehicles. By using floor tape to outline vehicle repair zones, you can better utilize the space on your shop floor and may be able to service a higher volume of vehicles at once, thereby increasing profitability.
Designating Areas Where Personal Protective Equipment Is Required
OSHA regulations dictate that auto body repair and refinishing shop owners must assess their unique hazards and determine whether employees must use specific personal protective equipment (PPE). If it is deemed necessary, shop owners are responsible for ensuring that employees utilize the necessary PPE. Floor signs offer an easy way to remind employees that they must wear items like respirators, gloves, or steel-toed boots in specific areas of the shop.
Labeling Fire Extinguishers and Eye Wash Stations
If your auto repair shop has fire extinguishers, eye wash stations, or other safety equipment, use floor tape and/or signs to clearly label these areas. Use high-visibility printed tape borders to mark the floor in front of these items and prevent people from using that space for storage. This will keep those safety features in full view and easily accessible in case of an emergency.
Use L, T, and X Markers to create cells for mobile equipment.
Organizing and Storing Mobile Equipment
Help keep your shop floor organized by designating storage areas for mobile equipment and rolling bins. Create a square or rectangular shape with tape to create a “dock” for each rolling bin, helping to keep these items out of the way and keep the floor from becoming cluttered. Use a combination of L and T Markers to make a series of cells for storing other mobile equipment. These markers use less material than creating solid border lines, but still create an organized home for portable equipment.
Storing and Labeling Chemical Hazards
If your automotive repair shop uses hazardous chemicals, you’ll need to ensure that those chemicals are properly stored and labeled in order to maintain workplace safety and comply with OSHA regulations. In addition to providing proper safety training to each shop employee, be sure to use long-lasting labels to clearly mark chemical hazards and ensure they are stored in the correct location after each use. You can even have custom signs and labels created to suit your facility’s specific chemical labeling needs.
Shield Labels From Damage With Clear Protectors
Clear Superior Mark™ Label Protectors will shield regular stickers and labels from damage, allowing them to be used on high-traffic floors—ideal for labels in sales areas. Using Superior Mark™ Clear Label Protectors over the top of regular labels will mean they can have a long life, even on floors that experience heavy traffic, machine traffic, or wet conditions.
These are just a few of the ways that our customers in the automotive service industry have used Superior Mark™ tape to help improve their workspaces. Because Superior Mark™ is easy to install and maintain, with none of the hassles associated with painting, it is a great choice for garage floors. Be sure to let us know if you come up with more great ideas! We love to see photos of our products in action. Explore our Resource Center for more visual communication tips and advice.
