Fire exits need to be very easy to identify and access when they are needed most. While signs and emergency lighting do play an extremely important role in directing people towards an exit, the markings that are applied to the floor can provide another clear visual indication of routes and spaces that must always remain unobstructed.
Fire exit floor markings become particularly important in warehouses and factories where pedestrian routes need to always remain clear despite the regular movement of people and vehicles.
Clear and easy to interpret markings can help businesses to organise these spaces and reinforce important safety information, which reduces the likelihood of designated routes becoming obstructed.
But what should fire exit floor markings look like and where should they be used and what should you consider before having them applied?
What Are Fire Exit Floor Markings?
Fire exit floor markings are visual markings that are applied to floors in order to identify areas that are associated with emergency exits and evacuation routes.
Depending on the particular site, they may be used to highlight the space immediately surrounding an exit or to identify a pedestrian route towards it.
They can be especially useful in larger commercial and industrial environments where there are many different routes and storage areas.
Clear floor markings should form part of a wider approach to fire safety rather than replacing appropriate signage and lighting that is already in place.
Why Are Clear Fire Exit Routes So Important?
During normal day to day business operations, it can be very easy for an emergency exit route to become less obvious.
Boxes may be temporarily placed nearby and equipment can gradually start to migrate into pedestrian areas. Pallets can often be left somewhere that is the most convenient rather than somewhere appropriate.
When it comes to an emergency, these small issues that seemed trivial before can become much more significant.
Clearly identifying fire exit routes helps reinforce which spaces need to remain accessible. Employees can see at a glance where items should not be stored, while visitors and contractors can more easily understand the intended pedestrian routes around a site.
This is particularly important in environments where layouts are complex or frequently busy.
Where Can Fire Exit Floor Markings Be Used?
Fire exit floor markings can be useful across many commercial and industrial settings.
Common examples include:
- Warehouses
- Factories
- Manufacturing facilities
- Distribution centres
- Workshops
- Loading areas
- Commercial storage facilities
- Large retail premises
- Car parks and external access areas
The exact markings required will depend on the layout and use of the building.
A warehouse containing forklift routes and extensive racking, for example, presents very different challenges from a smaller workshop. The marking system should therefore be designed around the actual site rather than applying the same layout everywhere.
Fire Exit Floor Markings in Warehouses
Warehouses are one of the environments where clear floor markings can be particularly useful.
A busy warehouse may contain pedestrian walkways, forklift routes, loading areas, storage zones, machinery and emergency access routes within the same building.
Without a clear visual system, these different areas can become difficult to distinguish.
Fire exit floor markings can be incorporated into a wider warehouse line marking scheme so that emergency routes remain visually distinct from operational areas.
This can also make it easier for employees to identify where stock, pallets and equipment should not be left.
At On Point Markings, warehouse line marking projects can be planned around the way each facility actually operates, which helps businesses to create clear and practical layouts rather than just adding isolated markings.
What Colour Should Fire Exit Floor Markings Be?
Colour selection is a very important consideration when you are planning any safety marking system.
Green is most widely associated with safe conditions and emergency escape, while other colours may be used elsewhere within a facility to communicate different warnings or restrictions.
However, it is recommended that businesses should not choose colours based just on appearance.
The complete safety system needs to be fully considered, including any existing floor markings and the environment in which they are being used. Maintaining a logical and consistent visual system will make any information much easier to understand.
Visibility is equally important, as a marking that does not contrast sufficiently with the existing floor may be difficult to identify, particularly in a busy work environment.
Should You Mark the Floor in Front of a Fire Exit?
Marking the area around a fire exit can help to communicate that the space needs to remain completely unobstructed.
This can be particularly useful in the types of workplaces where items are regularly being moved or stored temporarily.
A clearly defined area provides an immediate visual reminder that the space has a specific purpose and should not be treated as additional storage.
Depending on the site itself, markings may include coloured areas and wording or a combination of visual elements.
The appropriate design should reflect the environment that it is being painted onto and the wider fire safety arrangements already in place.
Fire Exit Markings and Pedestrian Walkways
Sometimes identifying the exit itself is only one part of the challenge.
People will also need a clear route to reach it.
In warehouses and industrial buildings, pedestrian routes may well pass alongside vehicle lanes and heavy machinery. Floor markings can be used to establish designated walkways which can help to separate any pedestrian movement from other site activities.
When these routes connect clearly with emergency exits, they can create a more intuitive layout.
Rather than just viewing fire exit markings as an isolated feature, it can always be useful to carefully consider exactly how they fit into the entire site’s line marking system.
Keeping Fire Exit Floor Markings Visible
Even markings that have been applied professionally will eventually experience some wear, particularly those that are placed in higher traffic areas.
Heavy duty equipment such as forklifts and pallet trucks can gradually affect the appearance of floor markings.
Businesses should therefore inspect their markings more periodically and should always look for signs such as:
- Fading
- Chipping
- Peeling
- Heavy surface wear
- Poor visibility
If your markings have become more difficult to see, giving them a refresh can help to restore a clear visual system.
A change in site layout might also be a good opportunity to review any existing markings allowing you to review whether they still make sense.
Choosing Durable Floor Markings
The longevity of fire exit floor markings depends on many different factors, including the surface, and the materials used, along with traffic levels.
A quieter pedestrian area and a busier warehouse aisle used by heavy equipment will place very different demands on a floor coating.
This is the exact reason why material selection matters so much.
At On Point Markings, we work with a variety of professional marking materials and can recommend suitable options based on individual site conditions. The aim is to create markings that provide the required visibility while offering appropriate durability and value for the environment.
Preparing the Surface for New Markings
Good preparation can make a considerable difference when it comes to the quality and durability of new floor markings.
The surface usually needs to be cleaned well and dry while being suitable for the chosen material. Existing coatings or old markings may also need to be considered before new lines are applied.
If a site’s layout is being changed, redundant line markings can often cause confusion when they still remain visible beneath or alongside the new system.
Professional line marking removal can be used where necessary in order to create a clearer starting point before replacement markings are applied.
Planning Fire Exit Floor Markings Around Your Site
Effective floor marking starts with understanding how the space is actually used.
Where do employees walk to? Where does the equipment operate? Which areas are regularly becoming too congested? Which routes need to remain accessible at all times?
Considering these questions before applying new markings can produce a much more practical result. Our full guide to warehouse line marking covers some of the wider considerations when planning safe and clearly defined areas within a warehouse.
It can also be well worth considering future changes. If a warehouse is likely to expand or racking is due to be reconfigured, planning markings alongside these changes may avoid unnecessary work later.
Professional Fire Exit Floor Marking Services
Applying markings to a working commercial environment requires much more than just choosing a colour then painting the floor.
The surface, its traffic levels, the layout of the site, and the operating hours of business all need to be well considered.
On Point Markings provides professional line marking services for businesses and organisations across Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and nationwide.
From individual safety markings to wider warehouse and industrial floor marking projects, our team is always on hand to help plan and apply clear, durable markings suited to the site.
We can also operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, helping businesses schedule line marking work around their normal operations and minimise unnecessary disruption.
If you are planning new fire exit floor markings or refreshing existing safety markings, contact On Point Markings to discuss your site and request a free estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are fire exit floor markings?
Fire exit floor markings are markings applied to a floor to help identify emergency exits, evacuation routes or areas that need to remain unobstructed. They are commonly used in warehouses, factories and other commercial or industrial environments.
Are fire exit floor markings required?
Fire safety requirements depend on the building, workplace and circumstances. Floor markings may form part of a wider safety system, but they should not be considered a replacement for required emergency signage, lighting or other fire safety measures. Businesses should ensure their arrangements meet the applicable fire safety requirements for their premises.
What colour are fire exit floor markings?
Green is commonly associated with emergency escape and safe condition information. However, the appropriate floor marking design and colour should be considered alongside the existing safety system, signage and surrounding floor colours.
Can fire exit routes be marked on warehouse floors?
Yes. Floor markings can be used to identify pedestrian and emergency routes within warehouses. They can be particularly useful where pedestrians share a wider environment with forklifts, machinery, storage areas and loading operations.
How often should fire exit floor markings be repainted?
There is no single repainting schedule suitable for every site. Markings should be monitored and refreshed when wear, fading or damage begins to reduce their visibility. Areas exposed to forklifts and other heavy traffic are likely to wear more quickly than quieter pedestrian areas.
Can old floor markings be removed before new ones are applied?
Yes. If a layout has changed, redundant markings can be removed before new lines are applied. This can help prevent old and new markings from creating a confusing visual layout.
Can fire exit floor markings be applied outside normal working hours?
Yes. On Point Markings can operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing work to be planned around the normal operation of a site and helping to reduce disruption.
