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by frigginawesomeimontv

Ten little-known facts about mezzanine floors for business owners to consider

It might be more cost-effective to install a mezzanine floor than to acquire new premises. A Mezzanine Floor could add a new dimension to your premises by making use of redundant overhead space – giving your business the additional room it needs at a fraction of the cost of relocation. And if you can outsource not only the build but also the mezzanine floor design, you will reduce your own staff costs to the minimum.
Mezzanine floors are useful for more than storage. The additional space created by a Mezzanine Floor can also be used to accommodate offices, or to increase production space. A well-built mezzanine floor can be used for any of the following:
Retail outlets / showrooms
Viewing Galleries
Laboratories
Office Accommodation
Assembly / production
Fitness / Gyms
Canteen / Staff Rooms
Mezzanine floors can be designed to your own specification. A good design and install company will create a bespoke design to meet your precise requirements, and will  install it having taken into account such things as site conditions, Building Regulations, safety and access.
Mezzanine Floors can be Multi-tiered. Where height allows, a two-, three- or four-tier mezzanine floor will give considerable additional floor space, and is particularly effective in ensuring a good return on your investment if and when you come to move on.
Planning permission is not usually needed for mezzanine floors if they are going to be used solely for storage space. For many other uses, planning permission and other building regulations must be obtained. A good mezzanine floor design company will obtain permissions on your behalf, having first advised you on the most cost-effective use of materials which will both comply with regulations, and fit in with your requirements.
Mezzanine floors can look wonderful. Wide ranges of colours and design options are available so that staircases, gates, walls and other structural elements can be blended with the overall design of your brand and internal decor. This is particularly important if you intend to use the additional space as a showroom.
Installing a mezzanine floor can be done quickly and with a minimum of disruption. If you can provide your mezzanine floor designer with detailed plans of the space and your requirements, much of the planning can be done off-site. A good company will provide you with detailed drawings and calculations for your approval, will give you an installation date well in advance, will let you know exactly how long the installation will take, and will keep disruption to the minimum while installation is carried out.
Mezzanine floors can be customised for special environments. Provided that your mezzanine floor installer is experienced in more specialist projects, you can use him to include such things as plant support structures, lorry sheeting platforms, plant access walkways or outdoor staircases.  And if you want your mezzanine floor to be used outdoors, there are numerous structural and design features that can make this work.
Production lines and production centres can benefit from mezzanine floors - for example, a mezzanine floor can be used to provide workers with a higher access point to a particular item. In addition, the installation of a mezzanine floor can minimise the amount of wasted space, while maintaining a safe and secure working environment.
A mezzanine floor can be most effective as a storage solution when combined with bespoke racking and shelving. Look for a mezzanine floor designed/installer who can also offer you design, supply and installation of  bespoke racking and shelving. This will ensure that your vision for transforming redundant overhead space into useful storage space can be effectively costed, planned, and realised in one undertaking.

If you would like to know more about designing, installing and using mezzanine floors, please contact a mezzanine floor designer, who will be happy to answer your questions. In the meantime, we hope this article has helped you become more informed about mezzanine floors!

by Andy Wilkes

High Visibility Clothing – The Essential Facts

Does your business use high visibility clothing? Are you an employer who provides hi viz clothing to your workers, contractors or visitors? Or are you an employee who is required to wear high visibility clothing when on site?

If so, are you aware of the legal requirements governing high visibility clothing, the ways in which you can verify that hi viz clothing is suitable and fit for purpose, and what to look for in hi visibility clothing that has been used, soiled, washed or simply worn for extended periods of time?

It’s a fact that many employers can become oblivious to the problems which may be encountered when using hi viz clothing, and if such clothing has been provided to workers or visitors for use on site and it does not comply with recommendations, regulations or the law, then not only are you running the very real risk of placing people in danger, but if an accident occurs you will be directly responsible in the eyes of the law.

Whether you are an employer who is under a legal obligation to provide hi viz clothing free of charge to any and all workers involved on site, or whether you are an employee who has been provided with high visibility clothing to wear, it is imperative that you are aware of the different ways in which such clothing should be checked to make sure that it is entirely suited to the job.

If it isn’t, then people are likely to be placed in direct danger, and worse than this, they may be relying on the hi viz clothing under a false sense of security and protection when in fact it is doing relatively to protect the wearer.

In some cases failing to verify the high visibility clothing is completely suitable can result in the clothing itself representing a direct risk, and there have been instances where such clothing has been responsible for an accident occurring which would not have occurred had the wearer either been provided with more appropriate hi viz clothing, or indeed hadn’t been wearing any safety clothing at all.

The first thing to be aware of, and perhaps one of the more obvious aspects of safety clothing is the colour. Most high visibility clothing is fluorescent yellow as this most often contrasts effectively against the surrounding environment. However, there may be instances where yellow is less effective, and may almost act as a form of camouflage. Regulations governing hi viz clothing state that the colour should be in contrast to the surrounding environment, and this may mean that the clothing should either be orange or green.

If unsure, compare the different clothing choices in the environment, under the conditions and lighting normally expected. However, be aware that lighting, the weather and the environment can all effect the level of contrast, and if in any doubt make sure that high visibility clothing is available which provides as great a contrast of  colour as possible.

The next point to be aware of is that there are three classes of hi viz clothing, simply referred to as class 1, 2 and 3. The lowest form of protection is class 1, which includes such items as tabards. Class 2 provides slightly more visibility and includes waistcoats and jackets, with class 3 providing full body cover and the very highest level of visibility.

It is important to make sure that the appropriate class of high visibility clothing is provided to the wearer. If managing a car park in summer class 1 or 2 is likely to be all that’s needed, but if working on the motorway in foggy, dark conditions class 3 will be essential.

However, there are times when the bulk of class 3 clothing can prove to be dangerous, either because it is too baggy, could get caught in machinery, restricts movement or limits vision. Judgement should be made according to the specific circumstances in such cases, and there may be cause to lower the class worn to lower the potential risk.

All hi viz clothing, regardless of class, will eventually be subject to wear and tear, including UV damage, damage due to washing, wearing, folding and working with machinery. Check regularly for missing retroreflective strips, or reduced reflectivity or visibility, otherwise the high visibility clothing may in fact be providing much less protection than would be assumed.

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