‘Will my mezzanine need fire protection?’ is a question we frequently get asked by potential customers planning to install a mezzanine floor. Fire protection (also known as ‘fire rating’) as much as it can be an additional cost is very important for protecting employees or users in the case of an emergency. In the unlikely event of there being a fire the fire rating helps to extend the time users on or around the mezzanine have to evacuate if necessary. It also helps the fire services calculate how much ‘safe’ time they potentially have if they need to enter the mezzanine.

If your mezzanine floor was installed some time ago, you may have opted for the low-cost option of a sliding rail for pallet access, as pictured in the main image above.

Even when used in conjunction with a site-specific risk assessment, this system still relies on operators remembering to slide the bars back after use and potentially leaves employees working in this area vulnerable.

Current Health and Safety Work at Height Regulations require the employer to take all reasonable measures to safeguard personnel from falls from height.

We strongly recommend that for all current installations customers use a safety pallet gate which ensures that there is never an exposed edge on the mezzanine floor. We would also advise any existing sites to seriously consider replacing sliding rails with a safer option.

Advantage offer two models of safety pallet gate – the ‘up and over’ model and a bi-swing spring-loaded gate. Both are pictured above below the main image.

Standard sizes are ideal for typically 1200 x 1000mm pallets with the up-and-over gates accommodating loads up to 1500mm high.

For custom requirements – just give Advantage a call at our Worcester offices and we shall be happy to discuss the right solution for you.

Most single storey offices, like the one pictured, have dead space above them as the ceiling structure is not load bearing and very little in terms of weight can be placed there safely.

If you are short of floor space for storage or additional accommodation then a mezzanine floor installed over the existing structure with staircase access is your answer.

This can be used to house racking and shelving, offer additional production space or provide a platform for new offices.

Provided you have sufficient headroom, this option is most likely more affordable than the cost and upheaval of relocating to a larger unit.

Advantage has completed many projects of this kind for our customers with minimal disruption to ongoing operations. We are able to offer a complete package including Building Regulations approval, electrical installation, data, plumbing and flooring, if required.

Call us to discuss your requirements. We offer a site visit and provide a detailed quotation free of charge.

With all building work, the owner of the property in question is ultimately responsible for complying with the relevant Planning rules and Building Regulations

It is generally understood that a form of permission is required for building work or alterations to properties. However, it may not always be clear how the Planning and Building Regulations approval regimes differ.

Building Regulations set standards for the design and construction of buildings to ensure the safety and health of people in or about those buildings. They also include requirements to ensure that fuel and power is conserved and facilities are provided for people, including those with disabilities, to access and move around inside buildings.

Planning seeks to guide the way our towns, cities and countryside develop. This includes the use of land & buildings, the appearance of buildings, landscaping considerations, highway access and the impact that the development will have on the general environment.

For the installation of mezzanine floors, Buildings Regulations approval will be required, but Planning permission will generally not be, with a few exceptions e.g. in some areas planning permission should be sought if new external windows are part of the project.

Advantage has designed, manufactured, supplied and fitted a galvanised steel partition, for a civic client located in Worcester, to restrict access around certain areas of the building.

The project was successfully installed out of hours to avoid disruption to this busy building and to the great satisfaction of the customer.

In June Advantage completed a large mezzanine and fit-out build in Shropshire. The project entailed the design and build of two mezzanine floors with a total floor area of 543sqm.

Not having racking protection for your industrial racking is always a false economy. At best, warehouse operations will be disrupted while repairs are carried out. At worst, a racking collapse following an impact poses a very real danger to the life of your employees.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) both strongly recommend that column guards or guide rails, which prevent forklifts or other vehicles getting too close to the main racking structure, should be installed at the exposed ends of aisles and at passageways used for movement of trucks.

Advantage has undertaken a significant project for a Shropshire retailer including the design, manufacture and installation of a large mezzanine to adjoin an existing mezzanine and other associated works.

Advantage has designed a new shelving solution for a science-based supplement company in Worcestershire. As per the customer’s requirements, we maximised the layout for a large area of product shelving which was designed to improve the ability of pickers with order fulfilment.

Advantage has conducted the design, manufacture and build of a mezzanine covering 287sqm for an equipment supplier in Kidderminster. The project included the installation of fire rated protection to the mezzanine, together with electrical works and lighting to the underside of the mezzanine.

Additionally, we reconfigured the existing partition offices to reflect the changing requirements of the business and built additional partition areas/store rooms under the new mezzanine.