Mezzanine Floor Regulations and Fire Safety

A mezzanine floor is a self-supporting, semi-permanent floor system, built as an intermediate level in between existing floors, or floor and ceiling. They are designed and installed in order to maximise unused vertical space, providing additional floor space or storage both above and below the structure. They usually do not cover the whole floor space of an existing building and provide a more flexible, open solution than traditional expansion or relocation.

The UK Buildings Regulations must approve planning and regulatory processes at the initial stages of the project, to prevent denial, removal, or fining, at a later date. Your designated officers should receive:

• Your formal application for a mezzanine floor

• Professional floor layout plans of every level, including the ground floor

• A detailed internal building plan with the mezzanine floor location highlighted

• Your specific building location plan

• All structural framework calculations

• Required slab capacity calculations

We are able to support you through this process and help to provide the design and framework documentation required.

There are some significant health and safety requirements to consider and install within your mezzanine floor, but their application varies greatly depending on the planned usage of your mezzanine.

Fire Safety

There are many determining factors about whether your mezzanine floor will require fire protection or not, largely surrounding its size and use. If the mezzanine is an extension of the pallet racking system and will just be used for storage, it likely does not need fitting out.

Your mezzanine will likely need fire protection if:

• It occupies more than 50% of the ground floor plan area

• The mezzanine is more than 20m either way, or the floor is more than 10m either way

• If it has multiple tiers

• If members of the public will ever be on the floor

• If staff occupy the floor full time, or congregate on the floor at any time

Load Notices

The maximum load requirements of a mezzanine floor should be on clearly displayed signs around the building, in order to prevent overloading of the floor and potential damage through that. This should also include restrictions such as whether forklifts are able to operate on the floor. Having these signs throughout your building is a requirement of the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.

Emergency Lighting

This is a critical aspect of any building safety, but the amount required on your mezzanine floor is again dependent on its size, use, and configuration. Ensuring you have the correct visibility in case of an emergency is vital as it will drastically impact the safety of your warehouse, and your employees.

Installing a mezzanine floor can be a big commitment, and knowing the requirements that come with it can be difficult. That’s why, here at DC Space and Storage Solutions, we will support you through all aspects of the design and installation process. Get in touch for a quote today!