Are Mezzanines and Work Platforms the Same?

April 19, 2020 2:12 pm

As businesses expand and grow, the biggest problem for warehouses can be where to find more space. The solution many will consider is to use the large amount of vertical space most warehouses have. However, there are a couple of options for how to utilize that vertical space, mezzanines and work platforms are the two most common, which vary how the warehouse functions a great deal, so it’s important to understand the differences between each option. Mezzanines and work platforms both function differently within the structure and legal distinctions of a building and parsing that difference out can be the key to making the right choice for a warehouse to thrive.

Industrial Mezzanine platforms are largely defined by the fact that they are permanent structures. This comes with a few technical and legal differentiations that change the way a Mezzanine exists in a warehouse’s space vs how a work platform would. To install a metal mezzanine system, a structural or building engineer is required to look at the affects the installation might have on the building. After it is built, it is counted as part of the building’s structure, meaning updated plans will be required and an approval process will be involved, and the increased square footage will affect the value of the building and the taxes. It is also included when totaling the building’s fire area.

Work platforms are not considered a permanent part of the building’s structure, and so there is much less legal red tape around them. They do not affect the building’s fire area, there is an easier approval process since less building codes have any direct effect on the process of installing one, and taxes and value assessments are less affected since the platform is only designated as a piece of equipment. There are also a few different types of platforms that each serve different purposes, and this combined with the fact that platforms are not permanent and can be moved means platforms can have a great deal of versatility depending on what they are needed for.

Because both create workspaces up in the air, both require built-in safety precautions and regulations to keep warehouse workers safe and healthy. These can include guard rails, safety nets, personal fall arrest systems, and toe boards. And both can be useful in a space for different reasons, depending on the needs of the workspace and the building’s structure. Both can make higher parts of the warehouse more accessible and increase storage space. For example the storage mezzanine platforms manufactured by WPSS often double usable workspace and meet all seismic zone and impact resistance regulations. This additional space can be a huge boon to a company as business grows and warehouse space becomes more important than ever.

Categorised in: