Mezzanine floors are essential for many businesses, especially ones which deal with high levels of stock. These floors unlock vital vertical space without having to expand traditionally or relocate. Just as important, however, is the access to these floors, the loading of stock on and off of said mezzanine floor safely. There are a couple of options to choose from: a staircase, goods lifts and pallet gates.
The question comes when deciding which is more suitable for you. Let’s take a deeper look into the options.
The Problems They Solve
As mentioned, mezzanine floors help provide valuable space; however, this space is only useful if it’s effective to access. Stock needs to be able to move on and off with ease and safety.
A mezzanine floor is only as good as its access solution. If you choose the incorrect solution, you could end up with teams handling stock upstairs or other slow workarounds which bottleneck the process. This is both inefficient and unsafe.
Get the access solution correct and you’ll cut manual handling, reduce the risk of lifting injuries and speed up your whole operation. Get the choice wrong and the new mezzanine floor you’ve invested in goes from unlocking space to a bottleneck.
Manual handling remains one of the most common causes of workplace injury in the UK, and warehousing is far from immune. HSE injury statistics consistently show handling, lifting, and carrying among the leading causes of non-fatal injuries reported each year, which is exactly the kind of task a well-planned mezzanine access solution is designed to reduce.
Both goods lifts and pallet gates exist to solve this same core problem: moving pallets and stock between levels safely. The question isn’t which one is better. It’s which one is right for how you actually work.
Pallet Gates
The pallet gate, in most cases, is the most affordable and effective solution.
Although there are many types, they all act as a safe way to allow pallets to be loaded or unloaded in a safe manner, only breaking the containment while the pallet is being moved. Most also close automatically, meaning there is never an exposed edge for anyone working nearby to fall off.
Pallet gates install quickly alongside your mezzanine floor, so there’s minimal disruption to your operation while the work is being carried out. They work well with standard fork lift and pump truck operations, and they don’t need the ongoing maintenance or certification that comes with a powered lift.
Businesses who only need to move a moderate volume of stock occasionally will be fine with a pallet gate. The difficulty comes in when large amounts of stock need to be moved between floors with high frequency. This is where a goods lift becomes the only option.
Good Lifts
Costing considerably more than a pallet gate in both time to install, maintenance and actual cost, goods lifts are specialised for high-frequency logistics. Although it may sound negative, goods lifts are essential to some operations and should always be considered.
Where pallet gates come into their own is in specific, higher-demand situations. If you’re moving a high volume of stock between floors throughout the day, a goods lift removes the reliance on manual handling and fork lift access altogether, lifting pallets directly and safely between levels.
In some cases a pallet gate won’t suit your layout. Some examples include having awkward floor heights, limited forklift access or your mezzanine being on the other side of the warehouse from your loading bay.
Goods lifts do come with more to think about. As lifting equipment, they fall under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, which means regular thorough examination by a competent person is a legal requirement, alongside routine servicing and space allocated for the lift shaft itself. None of that rules them out, but it does mean they’re a bigger commitment than a pallet gate and one that should be driven by genuine operational need rather than preference alone.
Where the demand is there, a goods lift earns its keep quickly. Where it isn’t, it’s an expense most businesses don’t need to carry.
Which Is Right for You?
Although there is no single right answer, the choice depends on a few key factors:
- Volume of stock: The key here is knowing how much and how often stock is moved between floors.
- Frequency: Whether transfers happen a few times a day or if it’s a constant flow.
- Floor height and layout: The distance between your loading area and where you need to store your stock.
- Handling process: It’s essential to think about how your team moves stock and study the pinch points.
As mentioned for the majority of operations, a pallet gate does everything they require. However, a small number of businesses need the extra capability that a goods lift provides. The only way to know what category you fall into is to look at the details of your business and its operation.
Let’s Work It Out Together
Every business and every warehouse setting is different; mix the two, and that’s a lot of combinations. Finding the right solution can be daunting even with floor plans. A site visit is your best call for the perfect recommendation.
During a site visit we’ll look at how your team currently handles stock, your layout and your stock flow and make a recommendation for a solution which fits. No guesswork, no expensive reworks and no paying for solutions which don’t actually work.
If you’re looking for a site visit, feel free to get in touch with our team through email at hello@premiermezzanines.co.uk with your requirements and site location. If you’re looking for a budget mezzanine price, why not use our calculator?