There are some important rules you should follow to keep your warehouse aisles safe. From adhering to OSHA regulations, to general employee safety we’ll cover aisle size, signage and light in this blog.
Aisle Size
Aisle spacing requirements for pallet racking can vary. For drive-in pallet racks, 12’ of aisle space is required so that a forklift can turn or back out of the racks with ease. Similar to selective racks, pallet flow rack and push back rack aisle requirements can also vary depending on what type of forklift is being used. Your existing warehouse aisles should be measured to determine what aisle size best suits your needs and the pallet rack spacing requirements should be confirmed with your forklift or rack provider.
Aisle Space Requirements for Pallet Racks Based on the Lift Truck Size Used to Service the Racks:
Swing Mast: 60” aisle
Order Picker: 5’ aisle
Stand-Up Reach Truck: 9’ aisle
Small Forklift: estimated 10’-11’ aisle
Large Forklift: estimated 12’ aisle
Learn more about the width of Warehouse Aisles
Warehouse Signage
There are signs throughout a warehouse facility that take on different meanings and are categorized based on their location or purpose under one of these main groups:
Dock Door
Warehouse operators and drivers need to know where they are supposed to go. Signage on dock doors provides them with the information they need. They can be directly attached to the doors using magnets, adhesives, or screws. If they are displayed outdoors, durability should be taken into consideration. At night, reflective faces can significantly improve visibility for drivers. Learn more about Warehouse Loading Dock Best Practices
Hanging
These types of signs are available in a variety of different sizes and shapes and are installed from the ceiling. The label material is reflective and includes barcodes that can be scanned with long-range scanners. Hanging signs are useful for identifying bulk storage areas and can be installed in almost any place using metal cabling or joints.
Aisle/Row
Easy-to-read signage should be placed in every aisle so that contract workers and employees can find inventory quickly. Aisle/row signs are attached to posts or suspended from the ceiling and can be aluminum, plastic, small, large, angled, or flat. Most warehouses prefer large, colorful, jumbo lettering that anyone can identify no matter how far they are away from the signs. All exit and entry points should have these signifiers installed including at any breaks that can occur when multiple aisles cross as well as at the ends of each aisle.
Exit Sign
Should a dangerous situation occur such as a power outage, illuminated exit signs can help people find their way out of a building safely to prevent injuries or harm.
Safety
Safety protocols placed throughout a distribution center or warehouse environment effectively communicate how employees can stay safe where they work. They must alert people to company procedures and policies so they will be aware of how to protect themselves and other coworkers. OSHA requirements and state fire codes often dictate the displays that are used. For instance, safety signage can highlight the presence of fire extinguishers, help an employee locate a first aid kit or direct forklift drivers.
OSHA Signage Requirements for Warehouse Facilities
OSHA’s warehouse signage requirements are strict for many reasons. They specify the types of colors that should be used and the location of bolt heads or the sharpness of sign corners. OSHA also dictates the type of language that will be included so that employees can read and understand the signs clearly.
OSHA identifies three main categories to clarify different types of sign requirements:
Danger Signs
Danger signs do not have any variation – they must include “danger,” the most important signal word in a warehouse environment. The colors of these signs are limited to white, black, or red only. They must also indicate the need for special precautions and immediate dangers.
Safety Introduction Signs
Safety introduction signs include instructions that can help staff stay safe in many different settings or situations that may pose risks. The color of the signs is white with green panels.
Caution Signs
These signs always include a yellow background with black letters to warn employees about known safety hazards in their work area.
Warehouse Aisle Lighting
Warehouse lighting design isn’t based on the facility’s dimensions, but rather on the rack areas, which relate the height, width, and length of the racks to the ceiling height. Fixtures are not allowed on top of the racks because warehouses have high racks that can cause a shadow and block light. If fixtures are placed too close to your inventory, it can become hot and cause a fire. Higher visibilities require lighting fixtures in the middle of the aisles to avoid darkness or shadows.
The lighting should efficiently and evenly flux down on the shelves so that they will properly illuminate the floor. Lighting distribution and illuminance are important factors to consider with the exception of lighting quality, such as the color rendering index or correlated color temperature.
