Page 22 - Logistics News - July August 2023

INDUSTRIAL FLOORS

Achieving excellence in industrial floors:

Lessons learned, dos and don’ts

By Gary Benatar, Chairman of Relog, www.relog.co.za

We delve into the requirements for a flawless industrial floor and share insights into achieving
the best results.

hrough years of experience in developing top-tier of the floor is integral to the safety, efficiency and
logistics and supply chain facilities, it’s become functionality of the workspace.
T evident that what seems like a simple flat
concrete surface can often let us down. In our previous Understanding floor tolerances and levels
article on industrial floors, we tackled one of the most To achieve an impeccable industrial floor, it’s essential
pressing issues – floor joints –and explored solutions to understand floor tolerances and levels:
like the HCJ Co-Sinus Connect joints, which effectively 1. Flatness: Flatness relates to the evenness of a floor
eliminate historical problems associated with them. surface in a horizontal plane. In simpler terms, it gauges
However, achieving a perfect industrial floor involves how smooth or uneven a floor appears. Irregularities in
more than just addressing joint concerns. flatness can result in equipment mobility challenges,
inefficient material handling and safety hazards.
The requirements for a perfect floor 2. Levelness: Levelness pertains to the overall slope
A perfect industrial floor must meet several critical or tilt of the floor. A level floor ensures that liquids,
criteria: materials and machinery do not unintentionally move
• Load-bearing capacity: It should be capable of due to gravity.
supporting both static loads (from racks and
equipment within distribution centres or warehouses) Industry standards and codes
and dynamic loads (created by moving machinery) In the United Kingdom, the Concrete Society’s Technical
without risk of failure. Report 34 – Concrete Industrial Ground Floors (TR34)
• Level tolerances: The floor should adhere to the level stands as a widely recognised and comprehensive
tolerances required for the specific operation it serves. document for industrial concrete floors. It offers
• Longevity: These qualities must be maintained guidelines and recommendations covering various
throughout the floor’s operational life, ensuring it aspects:
stands the test of time. • Floor classes: TR34 categorises floors based on
expected usage, from lightly loaded to heavily loaded
Precision and compliance in industrial areas, each with specific tolerance requirements.
construction • Tolerance categories: TR34 defines specific tolerance
In the realm of industrial construction and design, categories for flatness (FM1, FM2, FM3) and levelness
precision and adherence to established standards are (FL1, FL2, FL3).
paramount. Whether you’re constructing a warehouse, • Measurement methods: The document outlines
manufacturing facility or distribution centre, the quality precise methods for measuring flatness and levelness,

20 JULY/A U GU S T 2023 www .l o g ist i csn e w s .c o .z a