National Floor Safety Institute

The National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI)" has members from various business interests, such as insurance, flooring manufacturers, finishing manufacturers, various industries and other sponsoring groups. NFSI provides guidelines for achieving floor safety. It offers test methods and related literature. 

The installation of toeboards should conform to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard A-1264.1, Safety Requirements for Workplace Floor and Wall Openings, Stairs, and Railings. Toeboards should be at least 4 inches high and should be made of wood, metal, or metal grille not exceeding 1-inch mesh. Toeboards at flywheels should be placed as close to the edge of the pit as possible. Wood toeboards for permanent installations should be of 1" x 4" stock or heavier. 

OSHA does not require floor markings to indicate exits or ways of exit access. If an employer chooses to install exit route floor markings, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z535.1-1998, Safety Color Code, recommends the color green to indicate evacuation routes. In contrast, the standard recommends black, white, yellow, or a combination of black and yellow for housekeeping markings. 

American National Standards Institute. Safety Requirements for Workplace Walking Working Surfaces and Their Access Floor, Wall and Roof Openings, Stairs and Guardrail Systems, ANSI/ASSE A1264.1-2007. New York, NY ANSI, 2007. 

The Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association requires fire doors between corridors and stairways for all institutional and educational occupancies. The purpose of these doors is to prevent the spread of fire or smoke from lower floors to upper floors, and to protect the escape route fi om a building as long as possible in the event of a fire. 

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