Industry-Leading Fire Protection for Mezzanine Floors
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While some mezzanine floors are exempt from the requirements set forth in the Building Regulations 2010 Approved Document B Volume 2 (fire regulations), any floor that will be used as office space or used by members of the public will need to be protected against fire. This includes mezzanines in shops and commercial buildings.
While every floor is different, not only because they’ll be used for various purposes - but because their dimensions and location in a building will differ - you should always seek advice. These complexities need to be accounted for in the regulations. For example, small mezzanines used for goods storage will generally be exempt. Still, for a single-tier mezzanine (even if it incorporates the correct means of escape), fire protection is required if any edge (width or length) is more than 20m long. However, fire protection may not be required if an approved sprinkler system is installed. The fact is all mezzanine floors should be assessed on an individual basis, and you should always seek building regulation advice.
The bottom line is that fire protection should support getting people out of the building safely and also ensure (as much as possible) that firefighters have unimpeded entry to the building so they can fight the fire.
Protecting Your Employees, Your Investment and Your Business
As mezzanine floor specialists with 40+ years of design, manufacturing, and installation experience, we’re familiar with the requirements of the 2010 Building Regulations. With the help of building control, we’ll guide you every step of the way and design and install the appropriate passive fire protection system for your floor.
Robust and Reliable Fire Protection Systems
Founded in 1977, we’ve built an enviable reputation for supplying high-quality solutions that stand the test of time. Rather than taking a short-term approach to your mezzanine’s fire protection systems, we prefer to source or manufacture products that will withstand the rigours of day-to-day use – and provide reliable protection for the entire lifespan of your mezzanine floor.
Soffit linings, column casings and edge fascia can shield your mezzanine floor (and any adjacent structural elements) from flames, smoke, and heat – slowing a fire’s progress.
Their design can also stand up to the knocks, bumps and scrapes you’d expect them to face in a factory, warehouse, or retail setting – providing complete peace of mind, and minimising the requirement to replace or upgrade your fire protection systems in the future.
Recently, we helped a major retailer build a 22,500 metres-square, 10 m-high mezzanine floor with mesh handrail and three staircases.
Due to the scale of this mezzanine floor, fire protection systems were a legal requirement.
To achieve this, we helped them specify an array of industry-leading passive protection systems that would provide reliable fireproofing and heat protection for at least 60 minutes.
Case Study
Mezzanine Floor & Fire Protection For Distribution Warehouse
A new mezzanine floor and staircases for a brand new distribution warehouse. The project involved…
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Fire Protection Systems with Aesthetic Appeal
If you’re adding a mezzanine floor to a warehouse, factory or garage, aesthetics are probably the last thing on your mind. You’ll want to prioritise fire protection systems that do the job and don’t cost the earth.
But curb appeal will be quite high on your agenda if you’re running a customer-facing business like a high-street fashion store or a chain of self-storage facilities. Yes, your new floor must meet or exceeds the relevant building regulations, but you’ll also need to ensure that any protective systems match the look and feel of your existing store: Enhancing the atmosphere you’ve worked so hard to create instead of undermining it.
We’re well-versed in designing fire protection systems for retail environments. Over the years, we’ve built mezzanine floors for a number of prominent high-street brands, many of whom have strict guidelines to govern the design and appearance of their retail locations.
In a recent project, we designed a new mezzanine floor and had to ensure that all fire protection systems – from the soffits through to the column casings – blended in with the store’s pre-existing design.
To achieve this, we commissioned prefabricated casings and other components in colours - and textures - that were picked out in consultation with the brand’s regional management team, ensuring that the finished product looked like it had always been part of the store.
Case Study
Three Staircases With Mid-Landings For Sports Retail Store
This project for a major retailer entailed the installation of a new mezzanine floor and…
Read More
Selecting The Right Fire Protection Systems
Your exact requirements will depend on the specifics of your mezzanine floor, which is why we always specify fire protection systems on a per-project basis. But the overwhelming majority of mezzanine floor builds see us installing the following systems:
Soffit Linings
Designed to fireproof the underside of your mezzanine floor - and delay the progress of heat or flames while you evacuate any customers or personnel - soffit boards or lay-in-grid systems are a cost-effective way to protect your investment and ensure full compliance with the relevant building regulations.
Column Casings
Protecting the columns that support your mezzanine floor is just as important as protecting the floor. Preformed column casings shield the columns from heat and fire damage and slow the spread of fire. These casings can be purely functional, but we can also commission decorative options to match the aesthetics of your building.
Fascia Systems
Preformed fascia systems protect the edges of your mezzanine floor, shielding the upper deck from heat or smoke-related damage and slowing the progression of a fire. They generally provide at least 60 minutes of additional protection, designed to let you evacuate your floor quickly. Like column casings, they can be decorative or purely functional.
Intumescent Paint
Thin-film, intumescent paint systems are designed to swell upon contact with heat or flame, providing an additional buffer. They offer less protection than the fascia systems and column casings mentioned above, but they are also more discreet and easier to hide, making them an excellent choice for situations where aesthetics are critical.
A Bespoke Manufacturing and Installation Process
Here at USS, we offer turnkey mezzanine floor services, covering all aspects of mezzanine floor design, manufacturing, and installation. Naturally, this includes the specification and fitting of the passive fire protection systems required to fully comply with Approved Document B of the 2010 Building Regulations – and all relevant legislation for Scottish and Irish businesses.
Our long-standing experience with all elements of mezzanine floor design and installation means we can help you select the correct fireproofing solution.
As seasoned project managers, we’re also ideally placed to manage all aspects of the installation process.
We have a team of in-house staff, trusted contractors, and designers to ensure that all systems are installed per building control instructions.
In short, we’re the safe pair of hands your mezzanine project needs. Irrespective of whether you’re installing a 20,000 sq. ft floor in an international distribution centre, outfitting a new self-storage warehouse, or expanding a retail location in a busy shopping centre.
Ready To Talk Fire Protection Solutions?
Just get in touch using the form below. A member of our team will be in touch to talk through the particulars of your project and offer sound advice on your fireproofing requirements.
