Category: Millennium Storage and Interiors (page 9 of 17)

Racking safety checklist

Use this handy racking safety checklist to check your racking’s condition and ensure that it is being used safely.

It’s important to have your warehouse’s racking inspected by a professional on a regular basis to ensure that it has not become damaged and still meets all building and safety regulations.

Whilst professional racking inspections are important, it’s just as important to keep up with your own regular checks to make sure that employees are always working in a safe environment.

Familiarise yourself with the different parts of your racking and then use this handy checklist to perform regular safety checks.

Racking use

Your racking will have been designed, built, and positioned according to safety regulations and with its original purpose in mind. It should not be used for a different purpose unless this has been cleared with an expert.

Is the racking being used as it was intended?

Is it in the correct location?

Check for damage

Racking can easily become damaged over time, particularly in warehouses where machinery like forklift trucks are used. Inspect the different parts of the racking for signs of damage like dents, rust, and missing or loose parts.

Parts to inspect include:

Beams
Posts
Base plates
Frame bracing
Beam safety locks
Column guards

Debris

Your racking and the area surrounding it should always be kept clean and tidy to prevent accidents and avoid it becoming damaged. Empty packaging should be removed and disposed of immediately and not left on or around the racking.

Is the racking and the area surrounding it free from rubbish and debris?

Maximum load

Your racking will have a maximum load limit that should always be adhered to. Make sure that all employees are aware of what this limit is and check that it is being adhered to.

Is maximum load limit being adhered to?

Is there anything extra leaning up against the racking?

To book a professionalrack safety inspectionfrom one of our qualified personnel, give us a call on 01942 603 344 or email info@millennium-si.co.uk.

Mezzanine design safety requirements

April 10, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

The two most important considerations when designing a mezzanine floor are that the structure is fit for purpose and safe.

Mezzanine floors are an ideal solution for conveniently and affordably increasing the size of your business premises.

No matter how big or how small your new mezzanine floor is going to be, it will need to be designed by an expert who can ensure that it complies with all relevant building and safety regulations.

A few of the key safety requirements of a mezzanine floor are:

Guard rail– To comply with building regulations, all mezzanines must have toe boards and hand rails to provide users with protection from falling. Guard rails protect people from slipping, tripping or falling over the edge of a mezzanine floor. You will also need to ensure that the rail is installed at the right height and can withstand a certain amount of force, our team of designers will help you to ensure that your guard rail meets all relevant safety requirements.

Safety gate– Areas with stairs or access for pallets should always be guarded by a safety gate to reduce the risk of anyone falling from the mezzanine floor. Safety regulations should ensure that gates are always in operation when employees are loading or unloading pallets from a forklift or other machinery.

Stability and maximum load limit– Your mezzanine floor will need to be designed according to building regulations to ensure that it can safely hold the weight it is intended to. Your mezzanine must be a safe and stable structure that will stand steadfast even in the event of ground movement or severe weather.

Access and fire safety– Your new mezzanine will need to be carefully designed with fire safety regulations in mind. These specifications will vary depending on the size of your building, number of employees, and size of the mezzanine.

Contact our team of experts here at Millennium Storage and Interiors by calling us on 01942 603 344 to discuss a mezzanine design for your business premises.

Planning permission and building regulations for commercial mezzanines

March 20, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

Before having a commercial mezzanine installed, it’s important to gain all relevant approval required.

Commercial mezzanine floorsare typically raised, demountable platforms, commonly used by businesses to cost-effectively gain more space within their premises.

Having a mezzanine installed before it has been approved is risky business, as it could end up requiring changes to make it compliant with the relevant regulations.

Does a mezzanine require planning permission?

Providing that your mezzanine floor is a mobile structure and that no external changes are required to install it, then you won’t require planning permission.

You are, however, likely to require building regulation approval.

Building regulation approval for mezzanine floors

Nearly all new mezzanine floors require building regulation approval to ensure that they are safe, meet quality standards, and are compliant with safety regulations.

Mezzanine floors are required by law to be compliant with the following statutory requirements:

Building Regulations 2000 (England and Wales).
Structure: Approved Document A.
Fire Safety: Approved Document B.
Stairs, ramps and guards: Approved Document K.
Means of access for disabled: Approved Document M.

When you apply for building regulation approval, your local authority or approved inspector will look at the detailed plans for your new mezzanine and information about the existing building, to ensure that the new structure will be safe and complies with access and fire regulations.

At Millennium Storage and Interiors, we have 20 years’ experience in designing and installing mezzanine floors. We will be happy to provide you with everything you require to gain building regulation approval.

Mezzanine safety tips

March 7, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

Keep employees safe at work by implementing these four simple mezzanine safety tips.

Installing a mezzanine floorin your warehouse is a smart way of affordably gaining more floorspace.

Once you’ve had your mezzanine installed, it’s important to train employees in the safety rules and regulations surrounding how to use your new space safely.

As well as initial training, processes should be put in place to ensure that mezzanine safety is maintained ongoing.

Here are our top 4 tips for using your mezzanine safely.

Review your safety policy

After your mezzanine has been installed, don’t forget to review all existing health and safety policies and update them accordingly. Safety regulations surrounding your mezzanine should adhere to OSHA, be easy for employees to access, and actively communicated and implemented.

Keep it free of clutter and debris

Staff should take extra care to keep the mezzanine floor and staircase clean and free of clutter and debris. Workplace slips, trips and falls could often have been prevented if an area had been kept tidy and free of obstruction.

Designate a safety officer

All employees should be trained in mezzanine safety as part of their onboarding process. Having said that, it can also be useful to assign one or more people the role of ‘safety officer’, making it their responsibility to know the safety regulations inside out and ensure they are being adhered to.

Do not exceed load limits

Your mezzanine will have a maximum load limit which should always be adhered to. Make sure the maximum weight limit and person capacity are clearly visible and there are processes in place to ensure that they are never exceeded.

For more help and advice about how to use your new mezzanine safely, give our friendly team a call on 01942 603 344.

How To Increase Your Warehouse Capacity Ready For Brexit

February 18, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

If you’re a business owner relying on imports and exports for your business to function, Brexit is most likely going to be an unwelcome distraction this year. Uncertainty over supplies is going to be the biggest problem, therefore stockpiling is going to be the best answer to getting through the uncertainty in March.

Carrying more stock, however, means freeing up more storage space and doing that can mean taking a fresh look at how you use your warehouse space and where possible reconfiguring it. Reconfiguring your warehouse space is likely to be far more cost effective than moving to a different warehouse and it saves the time involved in moving everything.

To begin with it’s a good idea to do an inventory of the stock you already have. You will need to factor in any likely increases in stock levels and how much demand there is likely to be.

Next take a close look at your current storage methods – you may find that pallet racking needs to be replaced so that it makes better use of the space available. If the space between racking is overly generous then you could add considerably more storage capacity and still provide enough space for your forklifts and pickers.

If you are taking on extra stock, then it will be important to make sure that you can easily access stock that will be in higher demand in the coming months. This means distances to the exits should be shorter than for products you are storing long term.

How To Create A Breakout Space

February 8, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

If your office doesn’t have a breakout space and you have thee space to create one, then you and your employees will be missing out on all the benefits they can bring. Here’s some guidance on how to create the ideal breakout space in your office.

A breakout space may have a name that suggests something new and exciting but really, it’s simply an area where employees and visitors can sit and relax in an informal space. The breakout area or break room to use the old-fashioned term is simply the modern evolution of an area that would have been a smoking room in factories and offices before it was banned.

Now the breakout room is a place for relaxation away from computer screens which the most people now work on in service industries. They can also be places to eat lunch, hold informal meetings and brainstorm.

Breakout rooms should be furnished with soft furnishings, comfy chairs and sofas and painted using colours that encourage relaxation. Ideally the area should be partitioned to separate it from the main office.

If you are looking for office refurbishment call us today to find out about the services we offer.

3 Reasons to Revamp Your Office In 2019

January 10, 2019 / admin / 0 Comments

After waving goodbye to 2018 it is time to focus on what 2019 has in store including any changes that might be needed to your office space. Here are our top 3 reasons to revamp your office in 2019.

Bring some positivity
Not everyone starts the year on a positive note. The often dark gloomy days of January leave staff with nothing much to look forward to. Throw in a month of struggle after the excesses of the Christmas and News Year break and you have a recipe for poor morale and people with one eye on a career move. An office makeover can take away some of this feeling of repetition and help create a more dynamic environment that will hopefully inspire staff.

Improve productivity
A well organised and inviting office space can do wonders for productivity levels. Studies have even shown this to be the case. If staff are unhappy with their work environment they won’t be as productive. Ensuring there is plenty of natural light and work spaces are open is particularly important as is ensuring those who prefer peace and quiet aren’t bothered by noise and chatter.

It will demonstrate progress
If your business isn’t moving forward it can often start going backwards. A makeover will project success and give the impression to customers that your business is going places.

Benefits of Suspended Ceilings

December 6, 2018 / admin / 0 Comments

Suspended ceilings aren’t just for hotels, they can be equally beneficial in all sorts of buildings including homes and offices.

Suspended ceilings may seem like a recent innovation but they have actually been around for a very long time. There is evidence of their use in this country from the 16th century in fact.

The suspended ceilings we see today have come a long way since then and offer a variety of benefits depending on where they are installed.

One of the key attractions of suspended ceilings are the way they can enhance a building. Installing one will completely change the look of a room. Not only will a suspended ceiling make a feature of an existing ceiling but it is also makes it possible to install lighting in new and creative ways.

Another benefit is affordability. If you want to make a significant change to your rooms and ceiling heights allow for this, this can be an excellent and cost-effective way to make a space feel homelier and inviting.

Lastly, a suspended ceiling acts as great sound insulation from above. This is why you will often see them in office and apartment blocks where insulating against sound from above can be difficult and expensive.

What You Need to Create A Healthy Office

November 25, 2018 / admin / 0 Comments

If you own a business, you and your staff are going to be spending a large proportion of your waking lives working in the same office space. This makes it vitally important that you ensure that the environment is as healthy as possible to keep everyone motivated and productive. Here’s how to achieve a healthy office…

One of the first places to start in creating a healthy office environment is lighting. Too much artificial light is not good for the eyes and old outdated lighting can not only be inefficient but also add additional problems for employees already staring at laptop and computer screens. Where possible offices should make the most of any natural light available.

The second and most troublesome area is temperature control. It can be difficult to regulate temperature to everyone’s liking in a large office as there will inevitably be cold spots and warm spots. Spending extra on better air conditioning systems can make a major difference all year round.

When these basic areas are taken care attention can then be focused on areas such as providing easy access to drinking water and even exercise spaces for more progressive offices.

Tips on Fitting Out Stockrooms

November 12, 2018 / admin / 0 Comments

If you have a business that holds a lot of stock then you will naturally need to keep that stock in good condition and you will find there are plenty of solutions to achieve just that.

Organising a stock room correctly is of vital importance to the functioning business handling large amounts of stock. If a stockroom isn’t fitted with the right storage aids or is lacking them altogether, then chaos is often the result.

Having a well organised stick room means you can get to the items you need quicker and identify areas where there are low stock levels so new orders can be placed to satisfy demand for particular products.

Shelves and racking
Shelves and racking are mong the more popular storage options. They keep items off the floor and greatly increase storage capacity. Shelves and racking are ideal for use in stock rooms where both large and smaller items may be stored.

Wire shelves
Wire shelves are extremely lightweight and more mobile. They are also robust and ideal for storing medium and lightweight items. They are also easy to assemble and are usually delivered in flatpack form which saves space.

Garment racking and clothes rails
While shelving and standard racking is great for storing most products, clothing presents its own challenges. Garment racking is the ideal solution which allows items to be easily accessed and crease free. Clothes rails with casters are also useful in busy retail outlets where turnover is high.
If you encounter any problems organising your warehouse, feel free to get in touch with our helpful team today.