Over the years, we have compiled a large number of guides for everything material handling related. These are things that can tell you everything from what caster wheel works best on a particular surface (on a floor with oils and greases you would want phenolic wheels, for instance) to safe ladder usage, to mezzanine decking advice.

Conveyors are extensively covered in our guide areas (MHIA has recognized this resource in its annual content awards). There are lots of guides, and if you’re trying to specify a particular kind of equipment, it’s a good bookmark to have.

• Cisco-Eagle’s Guides to Material Handling Equipment

Click “Calculating Mezzanine Floor Capacities” to get the whole story…

A few months ago, we posted a Guide to Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors (you might find it useful if you’re looking at any application that moves a load up and down at least one level integrated with a shaft, mezzanine or other are). That guide includes the following questions, which you should be able to answer as you move ahead with your project.

1. What do you need your VRC to do?
2. How often will it be used?
3. How much weight does it need to lift?
4. How big of a carriage do you need?
5. How will you load/unload the VRC?
6. How high do you need to lift?
7. What are your clearances around the VRC?
8. Where do you need perimeter safety enclosures?
9. What type of gate(s) do you need?
10. What electrical power do you have available?

Those are some things to get you started. If you want to know more, check out the VRC specification guide. There is a brief article, but you can download the more detailed, 26-page PDF file pretty quickly.

Anyone who has dealt with material flow onto or off of a mezzanine, up onto a ceiling-mounted conveyor line, or between levels in a building understands just how useful – and how vital – incline conveyors can be. To help you think about how you might implement inclines into your operation, we’ve published the Hytrol guide to incline conveyors.

It’s illustrated and it’s a quick read. Tips include how to set the degree of incline, how to determine box tumbling, and a bit more. We also have some inclined conveyor video available.

What are P.E. Seals and Calcs?

• Calculations are a hard copy document of the checks of the mezzanine structural components
• Seals are a stamp placed on the calculations and drawings certifying that a state registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) has made or reviewed them

Who & Why might you need them?

• To obtain building permits municipalities may require them
• Required by municipality plan checkers to review for code compliance
• The end user may require them to certify review of the structure
• Some companies require them for their records

What is included?

• 3 copies of the drawings and calculations (normal)
• All with a P.E. seal for the state that the mezzanine will be installed

Many people do not realize that when installing equipment such as pallet racks, mezzanines, shelving, in-plant offices, or many other pieces of common material handling and storage equipment that you may be required to obtain a building permit. If you ignore the building permit process it can cost you money in delays, fines, or even having to remove the equipment being installed until a permit is obtained.

I used to live in Arizona, and in Tucson if you were installing any equipment taller than 8′-0″ you had to obtain a building permit. If you did not have the permit and the building inspector came around, you would have to remove that equipment.

If your installation requires electricity, the odds are that the wiring is required to be inspected before you flip the switch for the first time.

At a former employer we were going to be installing a mezzanine for a customer, and as part of the permitting process found out that the concrete slab in the building wasn’t thick enough. We ended up having to cut out portions of the concrete, and pour new footers where the columns would be resting. That certainly added cost and time to the installation. However if we had not gone through the permitting process, the cost could have been much greater in removing the mezzannine to pour the footers after the fact. The cost of a failure in the foundation and/or the mezzanine could have been even greater.

For the most part, the International Building Codes (IBC) codes govern the standards which you will have to meet. Your state or city may have requirements in addition to those in the IBC. Of course the IBC is not the only set of codes that may apply. The Occupational Safety And Health Administration (OSHA) has codes covering the safety aspects. While the IBC codes may address some fire safety issues, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes codes may be even more strict.

You may also find that your insurance company may have certain requirements for some material handling equipment. It is not uncommon for insurance companies to require the installation of fire sprinklers in storage racks if they are going to insure your facility.

When you are adding material handling equipment, make sure it is understood who is responsible to obtain the proper permits, and get it in writing. You may opt to do that yourself, or elect to have the equipment provider or the installer do this for you.

Building permits are there for your protection and the protection of public at large. By submitting to the building permit process, and having your installation inspected it can provide assurances that your installation meets the current standards.

For additional information you may want to visit these sites:

ICC website. They are the people who generate the IBC code. http://www.iccsafe.org/

NFPA publishes codes for fire and electrical safety. http://www.nfpa.org/

OSHA is the federal government agency which sets safety standards. http:/www.osha.gov

The Material Handling Industry Of America (MHIA) publishes a free PDF document to download which covers the safety codes pertaining to material handling equipment http://www.mhia.org/vango/core/orders/product.aspx?prodid=175

I have also found that if you contact your local building permit office, they can be quite helpful in letting you know what is needed to obtain a permit for your location.