If you've ever installed flooring in an active food processing facility, you know the drill: caution tape everywhere, warning signs on every door, "DO NOT ENTER — UNAUTHORIZED" plastered across every access point. You do everything short of building a brick wall.
And yet.
Someone still walks across the freshly laid floor.
We had caution tape in an X pattern across the door. We had a "DO NOT ENTER — UNAUTHORIZED" sign. We had the door blocked. And somebody still managed to stroll right through and leave a nice set of boot prints in the wet material.
The Good News
We caught it early enough. A quick trowel repair and the floor was back to spec — no lasting damage, no delays. But it's a reminder that no amount of signage replaces constant vigilance on a jobsite, especially in active facilities where plant personnel are moving through the building around the clock.
Lessons from the Field
- You can never have too much caution tape — but even all the caution tape in the world isn't foolproof
- Communication with plant management matters — make sure every shift knows where work zones are
- Catch it early — a quick trowel fix is a lot easier than a full re-pour
- It happens to everyone — ask any flooring crew and they've got a story just like this
To everyone in the industry who's been there: we feel you. And if you've got a good "someone walked through the wet floor" story, we'd love to hear it.