Maintaining Mezzanine Safety
Mezzanine floors are becoming an even more popular choice lately and the reason behind this popularity is that mezzanine floors allow you to maximize space within your existing premises. These floors are finding their applications in multiple industrial spaces including retail fit outs, offices, factories, and warehouses. Warehouse mezzanine floors are helping warehouse productivity by maximising space and ensuring better safety of workers.
However, while mezzanine floors can improve safety in your space, this will only be achieved if you are aware of the potential risks associated with them too. Therefore, it is necessary for business owners to know the safety requirements involved with the installation of mezzanine floors to keep everyone working on them safe.
As mezzanine floors sit above the ground floor they need to be kept as safe as possible to protect not only those working on them, but those working below them too.
Most of the potential hazards surrounding mezzanine floors arise due to poor installation and lack of precaution. These factors can cause serious consequences including loss of lives.
Here are some practical tips to make sure that your mezzanine floors are always safe for you and your workers. Implementing the tips listed below will help you in creating a safe workspace and avoiding any injury:
- Always make proper lighting arrangements on your mezzanine to ensure that it is always well-lit in order to avoid any accidents. Lack of proper lighting will increase the probability of workers and visitors compromised and at risk of injuring themselves while using your mezzanine.
- The installation of sufficient mezzanine handrails is also necessary to keep people working on the floor safe from falling. The handrails should be installed along all the outside edges and staircases to make it safe and secure. This will also help minimise the risk of objects falling from the sides of the mezzanine keeping everyone on the worksite safer.
- Installing kickboards on the sides of your mezzanine will add an extra layer of protection and further secure objects and equipment on the higher level from falling off and possibly injuring those below. Kickboards will also make the edges of the level more visible and therefore safer for those using it.
- Make sure that whatever is on your mezzanine always stays organised and clutter free. It should be the responsibility of all workers to ensure the space is kept tidy, safe, and workable. This will help in reducing the probability of injuries and keep the space more productive.
- Business owners should make arrangements to train and educate all their workers on how to safely use a mezzanine floor. A safety policy should be implemented to keep everyone safe and aware of any specific safety precautions that come with the use of a mezzanine.
- Business owners should be aware of the weight capacity of the floor being installed and this capacity should be very clearly displayed at all times. This will help avoid the capacity ever being exceeded. This capacity should be considered before the installation of heavy equipment and machinery on the mezzanine.