Technical Definitions on Work Platforms

The Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990. A wide-ranging civil rights act prohibiting discrimination based on disability, including accessibility in public places.

American Institute of Architects, the leading professional membership association for licensed architects.

American Institute of Steel Construction, a not-for-profit technical institute and trade association that serves the structural steel design community and construction industry in the United States. Activities include: specification and code development, research, education, technical assistance, quality certification, standardization, and market development.

American Iron and Steel Institute, an alliance of North American steel producers that serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice.

Allowable vertical loading that can be put on soil before it fails. (Given in PSF – pounds per square foot)

A mechanical or chemical device used to attach a base plate to the concrete floor.

American National Standards Institute, which oversees the creation, promulgation and use of thousands of norms and guidelines, including safety standards for conveyors

American Society for Testing and Materials, an international standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services

American Welding Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the science and profession of welding by developing standards and specifications, maintaining a certification program, and philanthropic activities

Open grid assembly of metal bars in which the bearing bars (running in one direction) are spaced by rigid attachment to crossbars

A light steel truss composed of a bent bar welded between top and bottom chords.

The steel plate upon which the column tube sets.

The mezzanine’s column spacing in two directions.

Building Officials and Code Administrators, association which developed the BOCA building code, which has since been replaced with IBC code.

A unified set of rules to regulate and govern construction practices in a given locality.

A cold formed structural member formed into the shape of a “C”.

Elevated service platform or walkway constructed to permit access to equipment, controls or other devices not frequently used. Generally designed to support only itself and the weight of persons required for access to the aforementioned items.

The distance from the floor to the lowest framing member of the structure. This is applicable to a mezzanine or even the building itself.

The strength that the concrete slab obtains after 28 days. (Given in PSI – pounds per square inch)

Small mezzanine with stairs or ladders on either side used for safely directing pedestrian traffic over conveyor belts.

The weight of the mezzanine structure only. To include objects permanently attached to structure with the exceptions of sprinklers and lights.

Distance from the floor to the top of the mezzanine decking surface.

Type of metal stock with a regular pattern of raised diamonds or lines, used as flooring in industrial settings because the texture lowers the risk of slipping.

A stair that is located outside the confines of the mezzanine framing. The stair may either exit directly onto the mezzanine or may have a top platform.

Site visit by Wildeck staff to verify crucial building and equipment measurements.

A concrete pad for the purpose of distributing the concentrated column load over a larger area.

Engineered assembly of steel components that supports the mezzanine structure. In the case of Wildeck mezzanines, either bolted c-section, wide flange beam and c-section, wide flange beam, wide flange beam and bar joist, or truss girder and bar joist.

A framing member that spans from column to column.

2- or 3- rail system integrated with the mezzanine that provides guidance and prevents falls.

Horizontal distance covered by a stair system, not including the IBC-compliant 12″ handrail extension at the bottom of the stair.

A type of alloy steel with low carbon content which provides superior mechanical properties and resistance to corrosion than carbon steel.

A type of metal profile with a hollow tubular cross section, commonly used in welded steel frames where members experience loading in multiple directions.

International Building Code: a comprehensive model building code adopted and enforced by all states.

International Code Council; a membership association dedicated to building safety and fire prevention that develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including IBC code.

International Green Construction Code, currently in development by the ICC, a set of guidelines for environmentally sustainable buildings.

A stair that is located within the confines of the mezzanine framework on at least two sides. Requires an opening in the framing/deck.

A framing member that spans between two other framing members (girders).

Steel angle attached to roof deck to prevent objects from falling or rolling off of the mezzanine.

A stair on which treads and stringers are field assembled. Treads must be bolted to the stringers and guardrail/handrail assembly is required. Ideal for applications where lifting a one piece stair is not practical.

The area of a floor near the top or bottom step of a stair. An intermediate landing is a small platform that is built as part of the stair between main floor levels.

The load superimposed by the use and occupancy of the mezzanine, not to include the dead load. (Examples: rack, carts, desks, mobile objects.)

Material Handling Institute, the largest U.S. material handling & logistics association representing the leading providers of material handling & logistics solutions.

Another measure of the load carrying capacity of soil. (Given in PCF or PCI – pounds per cubic foot or inch)

National Association of Architectural Metal Manufacturers, trade association representing manufacturers of a wide range of metal products used chiefly in commercial and industrial building construction.

National Building Code of Canada: a comprehensive model building code generally accepted by most Canadian provinces. Each province has the discretion to adapt the code to its specific requirements.

National Fire Protection Association, an international nonprofit agency whose goal is to advocate fire protection through consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education

Occupational Safety and Health Administration: not a code but a set of rules establishing minimum safety standards for work areas.

Drawings and calculations that are reviewed and sealed by a licensed Professional Engineer in the state where the mezzanine is located.

A load concentrated over a small area.

An estimation of the weight a mezzanine could hold if completely uniformly loaded. Calculated by adding the live load and the dead load, and dividing by the square footage of the mezzanine. IBC code requires storage mezzanines to have a minimum rating of 125 psf.

The Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association (ProGMA) members are the Industry’s leading suppliers of fixed protective guarding products designed to protect personnel, equipment, and inventory in industrial facilities.

Moisture-resistant composite board used for mezzanine decking surfaces.

Vertical component of a stair step.

1.5″ deep, 20 gauge, wide rib steel that transfers a load from the deck surface to the framing system. Also called “B” deck. Depth and gauge may vary depending on load and span requirements.

Society of Automotive Engineers, a professional organization for mobility engineering professionals in the aerospace, automotive, and commercial vehicle industries

An access gate that provides protection from falling regardless of the position of the doors. An integral kick plate is provided to keep objects from falling off the mezzanine. All safety gates meet OSHA section 1910.23 load requirements.

A ladder is a vertical appliance usually consisting of two side rails joined at regular intervals by cross pieces called rungs on which a person may step. Cages may also be attached for additional safety.

Design procedure as detailed by the International Building Code (IBC). This procedure applies to all buildings and structures as a method to resist earthquakes. It is a compilation of data of many agencies including ASCE-7 and the USGS.

A fixed ladder of 75 degrees. Usually only permitted as a secondary means of egress in certain applications.

Storage Manufacturers Association, group of shelving, mezzanine, and modular storage suppliers within the MHI.

The distance between supporting columns of a mezzanine.

Vertical span covered by a stair system, measured from the floor to the top of the decking.

The structural framing member of a stair unit.

The horizontal component of the stair that is stepped on.

An open web structural member.

Uniform Building Code, first published in 1927 and replaced in 2000 by the IBC code.

A load that is assumed to be spread evenly across the surface area of a structure (most likely never occurs).

Wide flange beam structural member in the shape of an “I” or “H.”

One piece stair assembly. Treads are welded to the stringers. Requires assembly of the guardrail/handrail.