When Should I Upgrade from Painted Lines to Physical Barriers?

Many warehouse and site managers start with painted lines to mark out pedestrian walkways and vehicle zones, and for good reason. It’s quick, cost-effective and often seen as a “good enough” solution in the early stages of a facility’s development.

But as site activity increases and risks rise, a question emerges: "When is paint no longer enough?"

In this article, we’ll help you understand the warning signs, risk triggers, and safety expectations that indicate it’s time to move from floor markings to physical pedestrian segregation systems.

Why Painted Lines Are Often the First Step

Painted walkways are widely used to:

• Visually guide pedestrian flow

• Indicate safe crossing points

• Separate pedestrian and forklift zones

They’re a low-cost solution that can be applied quickly, which makes them a popular first choice.

But paint comes with limits:

• It doesn’t prevent forklifts from entering pedestrian zones

• It wears away under heavy traffic and cleaning

• It offers no physical protection in the event of impact

Eventually, what started as a helpful guide may become a false sense of security.

Signs It’s Time to Upgrade

Not sure if your site still suits painted walkways? Ask yourself:

1. Have you had a near miss or accident involving a pedestrian and vehicle?
   → Visual-only segregation won’t be enough in high-risk zones

2. Are your painted lines faded or ignored by drivers?
   → If visibility or compliance is a challenge, paint isn’t doing its job

3. Has foot or vehicle traffic increased significantly?
   → Higher volume means higher risk — and paint won’t stop an impact

4. Are your pedestrian routes close to high-speed or heavy MHE?
   → The closer the proximity, the higher the need for a physical barrier

5. Have you changed your layout or added new processes?
   → If you’ve reconfigured your site but left the paint, it’s time to reassess

What Are the Benefits of Physical Barriers?

Upgrading to a physical barrier system (such as polymer pedestrian segregation barriers) brings key advantages:

• Physically protects people from FLTs and material handling vehicles

• Absorbs and deflects impact without damaging vehicles or flooring

• Maintains clear, high-visibility routes for staff and visitors

• Complies with modern safety best practices, including PAS 13

Where Physical Barriers Make the Most Difference

While paint may still be suitable for low-traffic areas, physical barriers are essential in:

• Cross-aisle intersections

• Loading and unloading zones

• Entry/exit points to walkways

• Confined spaces where FLTs and pedestrians interact

• Areas where line of sight is reduced (blind corners, racking ends, etc.)

If your site includes any of the above, painted lines alone will not meet modern safety expectations.

Are Barriers Worth the Investment?

We understand the hesitation: physical barriers involve a higher upfront cost than paint. But consider the true cost of doing nothing:

• Downtime after an incident

• Investigations and enforcement action

• Injury claims and insurance impact

• Reduced morale and trust from staff

Most customers we work with find that the long-term savings in accident prevention, maintenance, and compliance outweigh the initial install costs. In fact, many start small with a single area as a lighthouse project, and scale from there.

Curious about costs? Explore our pricing options here.

Ready to Upgrade Your Safety?

If you’ve already invested in paint and still find yourself asking if it’s enough, it probably isn’t.

At Clarity, we help warehouse, logistics and manufacturing sites make the shift from visual to physical safety with flexible, modular solutions that suit any layout.

Still unsure? We’re happy to advise with no pressure or obligation.