Mezzanines and other high level platforms are commonly used for storage purposes and If built and used properly, these platforms can be a boon for companies that need extra capacity but without investing in larger premises. However, there has been many incidents where workers have injured themselves when working at unprotected openings.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has urged all organisations to ensure their mezzanine floors have edge protection handrails and safety loading pallet gates to prevent workers from falling. There are also manual handling issues to consider e.g. headroom can sometimes be limited. Which means people might need to crouch or stretch awkwardly.

Firms also need to give plenty of thought to access arrangements and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises against using ladders. Instead, companies should install stairs, where possible.

In many other workplaces, mezzanines and high-level platforms are used for manufacturing, processing, storage and workspace. Some of these, however, are not adequately protected from risk of falls from height.

Companies need to comply with:

* BS EN ISO 14122-3:2016 Stairs, stepladders, handrails, safety gates and mezzanine gates

* The Work at Height Regulations 2005, as amended by the Work at Height (Amendment) Regulations 2007 apply to all work at height where there is a risk of a fall liable to cause personal injury.

These directives place duties on employers, the self-employed, and any person who controls the work of others (e.g. facilities managers or building owners) who may contract others to work at height) to the extent, they control the work.

The regulations require all employers to take measures to prevent falls greater than 500 mm and take measures to reduce the injuries that may result from a fall. Unprotected mezzanines etc. frequently pose a high risk of someone falling off the edge, falling through the surface or falling when accessing the level,

Assessing the risks

If a task must be done where someone can be harmed by falling from a height, a risk assessment must be undertaken of that task. The risk assessment must consider:

* The type of task and how long the task will take; and the physical surroundings and conditions in which the task is undertaken.

* An integral element in assessing risks, including falls, is determining the processes used for accessing or working on the platform.

Basic questions to ask include:

* Does the mezzanine or platform need accessing frequently?
* How frequently? A few times a year, constantly or somewhere in between?
* Why is the mezzanine being accessed? Is it to access stock or work areas, inspection or maintenance purposes or a     combination of these?
* What type of items need to be moved to and from the mezzanine or platform and how often? Are they small, light and compact or large, heavy and bulky?
* What equipment or measures are being used to move items and people to and from the mezzanine or platform?
*For example, are forklifts, stairs, work platforms (mobile or fixed), chutes, conveyors, hoists or ladders used?
* Are the measures being used to access or work on the mezzanine or platform regularly inspected, maintained and in good condition? Are they being used as intended?
* Are there safety barriers in place to stop people from falling off the edge of the mezzanine?
* Is the mezzanine and any safety barrier in place structurally sound?
* Is there any sign of a fault such as cracking, warping, buckling or missing, broken, loose or worn parts?
* If a fault is observable has an engineer or relevant professional checked the structural integrity?
* Is the load capacity of the mezzanine potentially being exceeded?
* If so, or the answer is unknown, has the mezzanine or platform been checked by an engineer or relevant professional to determine if the structure is safe?
* Is the floor of the mezzanine or platform appropriate for the work task?
* Example: is there non-slip flooring to reduce someone slipping if this likely?
* Are there liquid spills or dust present that increase the risk of a fall?
* Are holes present that someone could fall through? Is the floor uneven increasing the risk of tripping?
* Is there sufficient light provided to assist people walking around the mezzanine or platform and to allow people to see adequately for other tasks e.g. stocktaking, accessing stairs?
Undertaking a risk assessment of the work task may identify that the current use of, and access to, the mezzanine floor or platform poses a significant risk of falling.
Where the risk of a fall is likely, measures must be put in place to eliminate that risk or if that is not possible, to minimise the risk as much as reasonably practicable.

Safe Design

Serious consideration and a detailed structural assessment of a mezzanine level should be undertaken before storing any items on it or generating a need to access the level.
This should occur if an assessment has not been undertaken when the mezzanine was first installed or if the loading of the mezzanine has increased potentially beyond its capacity or structural faults can be observed.
If a risk assessment identifies that the floor is safe to access, it is vital that the edges of the mezzanine be protected to ensure that personnel and visitors are unable to fall.
This is most likely to involve the construction of safety guard rails and other edge protection. To be totally effective these rails need to be constructed to the appropriate standards In England and Wales, “The Building Regulations 2010” (as amended) are made under powers provided in “The Building Act 1984” and the majority of Building projects are required to comply with them.
Part K of these regulations covers protection from falling, collision and impact. Mezzanine floors and specifically raised storage areas are actually mentioned in these Building Regulations. Essentially, a mezzanine floor is an “Element of Structure” which is one of the classifications included within the list of construction that requires Building Regulation Approval.

Adequate Guard Rails

In compliance with EN 14122-3:2016 handrails should include:

* A top rail of a minimum 1100 mm high.

* One or more intermediate rails. Maximum 500 mm apart.

* Kick plate 100 mm high. To avoid small items being kicked off the floor.

* Any railing must be secured in such a way as to be effective in stopping people falling from edges.

* It may be necessary to fit panels, netting or safety mesh or increase the rail height to stop people and objects falling from edges.

Safe Access and Working on Mezzanines

If access is frequent, it would be appropriate to install a suitable stairway or passenger lift. This access would allow small lightweight items to be carried manually while providing stable footing and suitable handrails for safe access to a mezzanine or platform via a stairway.

If a fixed stairway or lift is not reasonably practicable, a mobile platform or mobile stairs should be considered.

Where frequent carrying of stock or movement of large, heavy or bulky items is required, then hoists, chutes, rollers or conveyors should be considered and used to move items where reasonably practicable.

Many mezzanines are used to store larger items or palletised product. In this circumstance, high levels are often loaded by using forklifts...

Safety Loading Gates (Pallet Gates)

Many Mezzanine floors or high level loading platforms have gaps in the handrail used for loading areas which have no safety barrier at all or just a swing gate or sliding (trombone) gate or removable bars or chains.

These installations are dangerous to operate or are routinely left open and are accidents waiting to happen! Even the use of safety harnesses doesn't completely solve the problem as they only protect the wearer, if they remember to put it on!

In an HSE case study it was decided that the best way to safeguard staff was to install a system of 'pivoting safety barriers', providing continuous edge protection.

A safety pallet gate is required that allows forklift access while separating personnel from the mezzanine or platform edge.

Mezzbarriers-pallet-gates

This type of safety gate or a double rail structure excludes operator access whilst the edge railing is removed or elevated. Once stock is placed or taken off and the guard rail is back in place, pedestrian access is allowed.

There are many designs for this arrangement available. Some standard designs are adequate for occasional use with standard pallet.

Special Pallet / Loading Gates

For low headroom applications with high pallet loading requirements, there are designs where the bars fold up together to save headroom. See Delta pallet gate

For loading ‘Big Bags’ or other containers by means of an overhead runway or crane, a different gate design is needed. The gates pivot up to the side allowing the suspended load to pass. This design also allows for unlimited load height or hoist and load to pass through. See Hi-Gate model

Many mezzanine floors and platforms are short of space or the loading edge s used for pedestrian access so a space-saving model is needed. See Omega model. This design also allows access to the pallet from three sides.

Another special design pallet gate has a fold-up inner gate that folds forward over the closed edge gate. This is especially useful, where the pallet has to be unloaded with a vacuum sack lifting crane on the platform, see Sigma Model. This innovative feature allows the vacuum tube handling crane to swing over the entire pallet for easier in sack or box handling operations.

Another Sigma gate version can be used in the opening with inward opening doors, The side tubes are extended to pass through drilled holes in the wall on either side of the opening. The edge gates are then mounted outboard of the doors.

Other pallet gate designs can be custom made with wider openings for larger loads or twin pallet applications. This type is designed for very large loads. It is also useful for multi-pallet loading.

For applications often used in older buildings and plant rooms are the ‘Teagle’ hoist or cantilever runway which is mostly used with inward opening doors to raise machinery or goods baskets. A specially adapted version of an unlimited load height gate design.

Personnel Access

Personnel must not be elevated by a forklift on the fork tines. If a risk assessment identifies that a forklift is a suitable option then a specially designed work bin or cage must be used. Use of a forklift with a man cage to lift personnel should generally only be used for accessing the mezzanine for irregular or infrequent inspection or maintenance purposes – not for frequent access to stock, offices or other items.

Vertical /inclined 'cat' access ladders are supplied with safety hoops/cage as standard, together with top access platform, high level self-closing safety gate and integral grab rails situated at the top access/egress point. The supply of cat ladders without safety hoops require integral fall arrest safety lines, to comply with current British Standards.

Ordinary ladders are unlikely to be an appropriate method for removing items from mezzanines as the operator will not be able to secure their position on the ladder while carrying the items.

Fixed ladders may be appropriate for accessing a mezzanine or platform if access is very infrequent for inspection or maintenance purposes, but not for loading or unloading material or equipment. Where access is required for frequent access a permanent staircase and hand railing system should be provided.

Maintenance

In many workplaces, mezzanines or work platforms are often covered by dust, oil or other substances from production that reduces traction and increases slip hazards.

It is important to remove the risk of slips or trips leading to falls by providing suitable safety footwear, non-slip flooring, undertaking regular cleaning and maintenance and storing items in a stable manner.

Ensure gaps in mezzanines or platforms around chutes or equipment are covered in, or guard railing is installed to prevent people and objects from falling through.

More Information

Health and Safety Executive (HSE)  The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (as amended)
Other tools that may assist with fall prevention:

* Risk Assessments visual observations of work process

* Industry and union publications and forums

* Professional Association newsletters and forums

* Suppliers brochures and supplier’s magazines

* Manufacturer’s instructions

* Case studies

* Consultation with Emergency Services on emergency procedures required for a particular job.