Pallet gates and mezzanine edge safety: what you need to know
The safest way to load a mezzanine is through an up-and-over or rotating pallet gate, because one barrier always stays closed between the people on the deck and the open edge while the forklift loads. The rest of the edge needs 1100mm guarding with a mid-rail or mesh and a kick plate.
Why are loading points dangerous?
Falls from height remain one of the main causes of serious injury at work, and a mezzanine loading point is an open edge by design. With a lift-out bar or a swing gate, the edge is open whenever goods are loaded, and someone has to remember to close it.
How does an up-and-over gate work?
It has two linked barriers. When the outer barrier lifts to let the forklift place a pallet, the inner barrier drops between the pallet and the people on the deck. When the inner one lifts so staff can take the pallet, the outer one closes the edge. The edge is never open to both at once.
What should the rest of the edge have?
Guarding at 1100mm with a mid-rail or mesh infill and a kick plate. Mesh is worth having wherever cartons are stacked near the edge. Check that guarding has not been removed for loading and never replaced, which is a common finding on inspections.
What should I check on an existing mezzanine?
Look for lift-out bars or chains at loading points, gaps in handrails, missing kick plates, damaged gates, and whether a load notice is fitted. Upgrading lift-out bars to pallet gates is usually a quick job.
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More questions
Are lift-out bars legal?
They are not banned, but they rely on people putting them back, so they rarely match the protection of an up-and-over gate. Your risk assessment should consider safer options.
Can pallet gates be made for long loads?
Yes. Gates can be made wider and deeper for long or oversized loads.
How high should mezzanine edge guarding be?
1100mm at the edges of floors in factories and warehouses, according to Approved Document K.
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