Space-Saving Solutions: Benefits of Mezzanine Lifts for Industrial Facilities

Incorrect manual handling is one of the most common causes of workplace injuries, particularly when moving heavy and awkward loads between floors via stairs.

While mezzanine floors maximise storage and operational space in various industrial settings, ensuring safe goods handling between levels is essential to minimise the risk of employee injuries and asset damage.

In this article, we delve into the advantages of mezzanine lifts for enhancing safety and efficiency when transporting goods between floors in industrial facilities, including the various applications and how to find the right model for your needs.

What Is a Mezzanine Lift?

A mezzanine lift, also known as a mezzanine floor lift or mezzanine lift system, is a mechanical system designed for the vertical transportation of goods between the ground floor and a mezzanine or higher level.

Unlike standard lifts used to carry people which quickly become damaged if used in an industrial setting, a mezzanine lift is specifically designed to transports heavy goods, materials, or pallets. They are highly customisable to suit specific needs, offering flexibility in terms of size, load capacity, travel height, and other operational features. This makes them adaptable to a wide range of industries and their applications.

Common Applications of a Mezzanine Lift System

A mezzanine lift is typically used to move goods (loaded by hand, or on roll cages, trolleys, and pallets) between floors. This makes them essential in warehouses, factories, and workshops where storage and workflow depend on multi-level access.

A mezzanine floor lift from Penny Engineering can be used in almost any building with 2 to 3 levels and can lift loads of up to 1000kg, including:

Pallets of goods
Boxes & crates
Trolleys & roll cages
Wheelie bins (domestic & commercial)
Machinery, tools & equipment
Bulk packaged goods
Product deliveries
General storage

What Is the Safest Way to Move a Pallet to a Mezzanine?

While pallets may be carried to upper levels in industrial settings using a forklift and pallet gates, the safest way is with a mezzanine lift.

Enclosed Transport: Mezzanine lifts securely enclose pallets during transportation, preventing goods from falling and reducing the risk of injury or damage.

Space Efficiency: Mezzanine lifts occupy less space than forklifts, which need more room than the manual pallet trucks used to move goods to the mezzanine lift.

Safety Features: With various built-in safety features, such as interlocked gates and emergency stop buttons, they ensure the safe movement of heavy loads.

Low Risk of Operator Error: Easy operation means almost anyone can be trained to use a mezzanine lift system, eliminating the need for expensive training for dedicated operators whilst also reducing the likelihood of accidents caused by operator error.

Key Benefits of a Mezzanine Floor Lift:

A mezzanine lift system offers a range of advantages that can significantly enhance the efficiency, safety, and cost of industrial operations.

Increases Storage Capacity

Installing a mezzanine floor makes efficient use of vertical space in your facility, increasing storage capacity, optimising operational space, and maximising revenue. With the addition of a mezzanine lift, you can ensure access to storage is always efficient and safe.

Reduces Risk of Injury & Damage

From operating multiple forklifts in busy, confined spaces to carrying heavy and awkward loads up and down stairs, transporting items carries a risk of injury or damage to the goods. A mezzanine lift minimises risk by enabling staff to effortlessly, and safely, transport crates, trolleys, and pallets between floors.

Plus, they are safer to use than using a forklift with a pallet gate, which does not provide enclosed transport for the goods, increasing the risk of falling items, and tying up an expensive operator.

Enhances Workflow & Productivity

A mezzanine floor and lift system streamlines the movement of goods between floors in industrial settings, reducing the time required for manual handling or using forklifts to access high-level storage. This allows workers to focus their efforts on other key tasks.

Mezzanine lifts also reduce the risk of employee injury and asset damage, contributing to fewer disruptions and increasing overall productivity.

Cost-Effective Alternative to Expanding or Relocating

Growing operations consume floor space quickly, but expanding or relocating can be costly and disruptive.

With the installation of 1 or 2 mezzanine floors, complete with a mezzanine lift system, you can expand the storage capacity of your facility – efficiently, safely, and affordably.

Can be Fully Customised

A mezzanine floor lift can be used in almost any building with 2 or 3 floors, with a variety of configurations available to suit your unique application:

Platform sizes
Travel height
Lifting capacity (up to 1000kg)
Loading geometry
Number of entrances
Finish colour
Barriers or gates on platform
Solid clad enclosure
Interior / exterior installation

How to Find the Best Mezzanine Lift for Your Facility

Choosing the right mezzanine lift system for the job involves aligning the supplier’s capabilities with your specific requirements. Start by considering your budget, essential features, and any additional preferences.

Key factors to evaluate include:

What items you plan to lift & how they are packaged
Required maximum working load & size of the goods
Desired loading & unloading method & direction
Expected frequency of loads per hour
Floor-to-floor height the lift needs to travel

Penny Engineering for Safe & Efficient Mezzanine Lift Solutions

At Penny Engineering, we specialise in designing, manufacturing, installing, and maintaining bespoke mezzanine floor lifts tailored to your specific needs. All our solutions are crafted to enhance operational efficiency and ensure safety across your facility.

To learn more about how our mezzanine lift system range can help you maximise efficiency in your workplace, explore our FAQs or Mezzanine Goods Lift service page. Alternatively, try our configurator to find the best solution for your needs.