| It is one of the mandates of the Occupational | | | | have mistakenly identified it with OSHA, and treat |
| Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), tasked | | | | it as such. For the sake of clarification, it must be |
| with the responsibility to provide guidelines for | | | | noted that OSHA floor marking protocols do not |
| protection of America's employees, for industrial | | | | endorse any particular color scheme other than |
| facilities to be appropriately marked on their floors | | | | OSHA's own red and yellow markings, and even |
| with symbols and boundaries that promote | | | | these are merely directory in nature. If a certain |
| organization and worker welfare. To this end, | | | | workplace follows a different color coding system, |
| OSHA has prescribed that such locations clearly | | | | that is up to the management of that facility, so |
| mark any existing physical hazards, and lay out | | | | long as the color coding scheme adopted is |
| the proper markings for aisles and pathways, | | | | posted in conspicuous places in the building and |
| which should be of an adequate width to allow | | | | employees are adequately made aware of it. |
| adequate passage for either persons or mobile | | | | The ANSI color scheme also uses red and yellow, |
| machinery, according to the needs of the | | | | but to somewhat different effect. Yellow is used |
| structure. OSHA floor marking is another | | | | as a standard color for lines and walkways, and is |
| important element of this system, denoting a | | | | also used to mark areas where tripping or |
| specific color code to be used to identify certain | | | | stumbling is a likelihood. Red, associated generally |
| objects or draw attention to specific concerns. | | | | with danger or risk, is used in the ANSI method |
| This isn't quite as complex as one would first | | | | to point out sources of danger, or areas that are |
| assume - the only colors involved are red, which | | | | prohibited due to the injury that they might cause. |
| is utilized to point out the presence of fire | | | | As for other colors, orange is utilized by way of |
| protection equipment, like fire extinguishers and | | | | warning employees that there is machinery up |
| fire hoses, and yellow is used as a warning color, | | | | ahead that might pose a threat to employee |
| to designate areas where caution ought to be | | | | welfare, especially if handled improperly. |
| exercised. | | | | Conversely, green is used to mark safety |
| The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) | | | | equipment and devices that are used to reduce |
| has added to the OSHA regulations for color | | | | risk, such as protective goggles, eye washes, and |
| coding with its own recommended set of | | | | spill showers. Green is also the color used to mark |
| meanings for particular colors. Though these are | | | | medical supplies, for purposes of first aid. Blue |
| only advisory and not legally required, their usage | | | | marks are utilized to mark equipment that is in |
| has become widespread enough that most | | | | need of repair or currently undergoing repair, and |
| industrial facilities adopt them for the sake of | | | | cautions employees not to attempt usage of |
| uniformity. The popularity of the ANSI color | | | | machinery that is malfunctioning or defective. |
| scheme has reached the point that many people | | | | |