Color-Coding Your Facility

OSHA Safety Colors Defined

Businesses are required to follow OSHA regulations to keep their employees safe from a variety of hazards in numerous different environments. In fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has several requirements about signage colors that should be used to improve safety.

Companies that familiarize themselves with the different sets of guidelines OSHA provides can help facilities learn how to properly use safety colors, which will not only improve workplace safety, but will also help them stay in compliance with OSHA guidelines. This is because each color in a code compliant and visually communicative facility is assigned a different meaning.

These color-coded signs and markings allow people to immediately determine the type of safety hazard in the area, even if they are too far away to read any actual writing.

Basic Color-Coding Requirements from OSHA

The first set of safety colors issued by OSHA covers a broad category of hazards that exist in facilities, and how people should be warned about them. There are four main types of warning language used for this set of standards:

Danger – Danger signs are only used when there is an

immediate risk to the life and health of an employee. OSHA requires these signs to be red or predominantly red. Any lettering or symbols must be a contrasting color to ensure maximum visibility.

• Warning – The warning category is for when there is a risk, but it is not as severe or immediate as when danger is used. The safety color associated with warning is orange or predominantly orange. As with the red, any lettering or symbols must be a contrasting color.

• Caution – This category is for alerting people to a potential risk. Caution signs must use the color yellow.

• Biological Hazards – Biohazard dangers have gotten their own category because of the unique risks they present. When issuing a safety alert about biohazards, the color to use is fluorescent orange or an orange-red color.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding color coding, floor striping, or any warehouse design needs please reach out to our EFS experts and we will help identify the best solution for you!