Have you had mezzanine floors installed yet? These are usually used in commercial buildings, which are considered as workplace equipment with a lot of benefits to offer.
Because of its categorization, a business will need to prioritize and ensure the floor’s safety in accordance with the local and international standards. Not only is this for legality purposes, but to ensure their employees’ safety as they perform their duties.
Beyond those reasons, why are mezzanine floor inspections necessary? Here is what
gold coast mezzanine floors suggest you about inspections and why they need to be conducted.
About Mezzanine Floor Inspections
Safety inspections are conducted by approved inspectors that have experience in detecting damages or weaknesses that may go unnoticed. Even if minor, if any of these faults aren’t addressed promptly, they would worsen over time. This would affect the structure’s overall safety.
The major reason why mezzanine floor inspections are necessary is because of the many safety hazards that are associated with these floors. Inspectors will need to see that the mezzanine floors pass standards for quality control purposes, ensuring that there is minimal to no risk of work-related accidents that can cause injuries or death.
Not only will this ensure your employees’ safety, but it will also help you save money in the long run. You wouldn’t want an accident to occur, as this would affect worker’s productivity and waste a lot of time from the post-accident inspections and investigations. Furthermore, as an employer, the company will need to spend on the work-related medical bills and pay for those affected by the accident!
And let’s not forget the legal fines that are associated with failing an inspection or not having your equipment inspected at all. With mezzanine floor inspections, you save money, time, and effort, focusing more on the business operations and reaching goals.
The Safety Hazards of Mezzanine Floors
Now, let’s talk about the safety hazards associated with mezzanine floors. These are the usual defects found throughout mezzanine floor inspections:
● Detached handrails and/or edge protection. These carry the risk of loosening over time, which may end up in accidents or serious injuries. All unsecured parts need to be refitted, tightened, and/or replaced ASAP.
● Damaged fire ratings. Even if it is minor damage detected to fire-rated barriers, casings, and/or facias, it would hinder the standard of protection. Replacement of the damaged parts is vital.
● Floor damage. Uneven floors that are due to damage is a trip hazard, putting your employees at risk from slips and falls. All damaged areas need to be repaired or replaced right away.
● Displaced steel columns. When you take the weight of the platform, columns that were knocked from their position from heavy moving equipment may result in the structure collapsing. If this is detected, then urgent action needs to be taken to ensure the area stays safe while sectioning off the affected area until the replacement column is sourced and repaired completely.
Factors Contributing to Safety Hazards
Even if you believe that you’ve done everything to keep your mezzanine safe enough to disregard the need for inspections, you’re wrong! While mezzanine floors are robust and made of strong metal and steel component parts, there are factors that would affect its safety.
Such factors can affect the mezzanine floor without anyone noticing the damage it has done, whether minor or major. This is why regular inspections are necessary as well. Such factors include:
1. The activities done
Office mezzanines are less likely to experience a similar level of damage compared to storage mezzanines. This is because storage would have heavier loads, involving pallet movement, heavy machinery, along other large pieces of equipment used that increase the risk of bumps or scrapes.
This affects the floor surface and causes dents on the edge protection. A good floor company will be able to incorporate the right weight load bearings and the correct fixtures and fittings to minimize any potential hazards, though.
2. The floor’s age
Aging mezzanine floors would have an increased risk of having weakened areas compared to newer floors. This is because older floors have had longer exposure to collisions, usage, and the overall environment.
These floors have no age limit but will still require regular maintenance and safety inspections to keep them safe all throughout their lifespan. It will also increase its durability, lasting for at least a decade or more.
3. The overall environment
Mezzanine floors that are located in busy facilities with a lot of operating moving handling equipment will have higher risks of knocks and bumps. Moving forklift tricks below the mezzanine may leave supporting columns at risk compared to floors used for office spaces or retail shops.
Furthermore, the lighting in an environment is a contributing factor. Low-lit areas may cause trips and falls. Another factor would be the ventilation and temperature, as it can cause the floor and employees’ wellbeing when it isn’t set appropriately.
This is why column guides are recommended to protect the structure from collision and damage.
4. Is it pre-owned?
Pre-owned mezzanine floors are a good option for those who are on a limited budget. However, these mezzanine floors were tailored for previous owners and not for your company. Therefore, the floors may be unsuitable for your specific needs, in terms of safety and operations.
That is why companies will need to obtain the mezzanine floors’ full history documentation, including the detailed weight load-bearing, maintenance schedules, and safety inspections to ensure that the floors are safe to operate based on your needs. Furthermore, the floors may need to be repaired or renovated further (only as needed) to ensure it suits your business operations.
Safety inspections conducted can help you receive recommendations about how to improve the pre-owned mezzanine floors.
Wrapping It Up
Mezzanine floor inspections are absolutely necessary, so never skimp on them and take the appropriate measures to keep your floors safe. Take this information to mind as you conduct business operations on the floor, making sure that everyone is safe, including the company!
