Floor Signs & Floor Tapes

What floor signs do I need?

The floor signs and tapes your company might need will depend on the nature of your business. At present, the government guidelines advocate adopting a 2-metre distance between people where possible.

However, the government has recognised that for some businesses, with smaller premises, it is not possible to maintain a 2-metre distance and thus have introduced a 1 metre social distancing rule.

Businesses such as pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and smaller shops may not be able to adhere to a 2 metre rule, whereas businesses such as offices, garden centres, large retailers including supermarkets and clothing departments, and construction sites should be in a position to incorporate the 2 metre rule within their health and safety measures. There is a large range of 2 metre and 1 metre floor signs available, which can always be incorporated in key footfall areas to act as a reminder to maintain social distancing.

In addition to social distancing signage, if you are planning on implementing a one-way system in your venue to help maintain a 1 or 2 metre distance, directional floor signage can show people how they need to move round the building. Floor tape or signs can be used to point people in the right direction. If your business has a lot of traffic, you may also want to use floor signage to advise people on where to wait at tills, ensuring they maintain social distancing rules at all times.

As well as the floor signage, it’s also worth considering free standing floor signs that can be moved as and when needed. Messages on social distancing, one-way systems, queueing, and no entry can all be conveyed on signs and are visible from a distance. It is advised that all businesses carry out a risk assessment to look at all the potential risks associated with reopening and plan accordingly. Your businesses health and safety measures should be communicated to all employees and also included on your company website if possible.

Are Coronavirus floor signs required by law?

Coronavirus health and safety signs are not a legal requirement however it is vital that workers and members of the public visiting your workplace are aware of the measures you have put in place and comply with them. The rules set by the government have been put in place to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and signs help to remind and advise people of the measures that have been put in place and encourage them to adhere to them. Social distancing is a key element of any Covid risk assessment and signs can form an important part of your health and safety measures. It is important to keep up to date with government guidelines regarding the latest rules and ensuring your advice remains relevant.

How many floor signs and how much floor tape do I need?

The number of floor signs and amount of floor tape is dependent on the size of your business and property. It also depends on the nature of your business. If you are seeing a steady flow of footfall throughout the day, it is advisable to have floor signs at regular intervals around the building and then placed strategically if there are areas where you’d expect queues. If you do implement a one-way system, floor tape or floor arrows placed directing people from the entrance through to the exit should avoid any incorrect pathways.

If your business operates over multiple floors, signs in either staircases, lifts or next to escalators will help to keep people alert at all times. Floor tape in lifts can demarcate out specific areas to show people how far away they need to stand and tape can be used in stairwells to keep people to the left hand side as they go up and down.

Where should floor signs and tape be positioned?

Floor signs are there to help inform and direct people, so in terms of their location, it’s advisable to place them in areas that will allow them to serve that purpose. Floor signage or tape at the entrance to help people go in the right direction is advisable, as is a steady stream of directional signage, and intermittent signs reminding customers and staff about social distancing.

If your business is in retail or it requires some level of queuing, signs to inform people of where they should stand while they are waiting should be positioned in the exact place you people to wait. All floor signs and tape come with a self-adhesive backing to enable an easy application.

A-board signs can assist with this process and be moved accordingly if your footfall varies throughout the day.

What size social distancing signs do I need?

Round advisory signs come in two sizes, either 200 x 200mm or 300 x 300mm. Floor tape tends to be 50mm in width and 33m in length and can be cut to size. Arrows come in packs of 5 and are 100mm long. There are a variety of colours available, and with the circular signs it’s also possible to customise them, adding your logo.