Mezzanine Safety Gate Suppliers

Surely if everyone’s careful to stay away from the mezzanine edge when pallets are being raised or lowered, everything will be fine and there’s a major cost saved. 

Firstly, pallet gates are very affordable and no business can afford to leave dangerous gaps on any raised platform. Safety railings are there for a reason; pallet gates are there for the same reason. It only takes a momentary lapse in concentration or an error from the forklift driver below for calamity to strike. 

Yes. From standard pallets to oversized pallets, there is a gate to suit. However, height is also a consideration for all pallet gates. Ensure all loads fall within the maximum height allowances for the installed pallet gate.

• Up-and-over pallet gate. Basically, this is the gate operation described above and it’s one of the most widely used gates on the market. This gate works for all standard pallet sizes. It’s fully mechanical and easy to use. Again, the gate is raised to accept the pallet, lowered once the pallet is safely in place, at which point the mezzanine-level worker has safe access to the pallet as the edge is secured. They can then pick stock directly or wheel the pallet away on a pallet truck. 
• Oversized up-and-over pallet gate. A larger version of the standard up-and-over gate to deal with larger than standard pallets, the oversized option works the same. However, they are heavier to use and take up more space. 
• Pulley-style pallet gates. Another option for large pallets, this gate uses an easier pulley system to raise and lower the gate. While they do offer a less strenuous way to shift large loads onto a mezzanine, pulley-style pallet gates are a more expensive installation than other options. 

Any mezzanine floor with no barrier to the ground below is a dangerous mezzanine, especially when workers are forced to work at an open edge while pallets are being lifted. Choosing the right pallet gate can fix that problem. 

Here are the main things to consider. 

• Is your pallet traffic only up, or down as well? Most pallet gates offer safe passage of pallets from ground to mezzanine and vice versa, but some don’t. Check the specifications thoroughly. 
• How wide are your pallets? A standard pallet is about 1.2 metres by 1 metre and most pallet gates are designed to cope with standard pallets comfortably. Any warehouse using larger pallets may need to consider an oversized gate. 
• How tall are your pallet loads? This is critical. Your gate needs to be fitted to cope with a set range of dimensions. Deviate over this and the goods won’t fit through the gate leading to safety issues. 
• Do you have flammable goods onsite? Pallet gates do on rare occasions cause sparks due to metal edges rubbing together and some have electrical mechanisms, also a potential hazard around flammable substances.

• Over-stacked pallet. A pallet gate is designed to allow access to pallets within a certain width and height. If a pallet is stacked too high, there is a serious risk of toppling boxes and damage to the gate framework.
• Heavy oversized gate. Oversized up-and-over gates can be heavy and less burly workers can struggle to open them, especially if required to do so repeatedly. 
• Wide pallets. If a new worker who has not been briefed on safety gate dimensions and requirements tries to get a large pallet through a standard-size gate, the risks of injury to workers and major gate damage are high.

Pallet gate maintenance is as integral to mezzanine floor safety as the pallet gate itself. A well-maintained gate ensures there are no hidden and potentially catastrophic surprises lurking around the corner – a rusting joint, a shift in levelness. 

So here are some regular maintenance checks to help keep your pallet gate shipshape. 

• Check everything is functioning as it should 
• Make sure all fixings are secure
• Check height 
• Check that the gate is level and hasn’t shifted
• Inspect all galvanized parts and joints for rust or deterioration
• Set a date for the next inspection one month forward and stick to it

All employees working in potentially dangerous environments such as warehouses and factories need to be thoroughly schooled in all aspects of workplace health and safety to protect themselves and those around them.