Modern Building Services

22 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES JANUARY 2022 FEATURE WORKING BUILDINGS D istribution and logistics are dynamic sectors that’s forecast to be worth over $325 billion by the end of 2024. In the UK alone, one leading commercial property group* reports that investment in UK industrial and logistics totalled a record £6bn in H1 2021, more than double the £2.7bn recorded in the same period of 2020 and up 54% on the previous record period in 2018. It also forecasts that the UK will require an extra 92 million sq. ft. of warehousing space over the next three years. The demand for online grocery sales alone will account for 7.1 million sq. ft. of this additional space. So, what does all this demand mean for warehouses now and in the future? One thing for certain is that continuing best practice around health and safety in industrial environments that are becoming ever busier will be crucial. People and property need to be protected and architects and others responsible for these designs, need to understand how they can facilitate better, safer andmore effective workplaces for their clients. Under UK law, employers must observe a duty of care to their workforce: they must identify the risks each person faces at work and plan accordingly. Specification A key part of best practice involving specification for newwarehouses, or even improving or expanding existing ones, centres around the efficiency and sustainability of the property - clients are ultimately looking for a premises that runs as safely and efficiently as possible. The Health and Safety Executive’s HSG76 advises on a number of areas that need to be taken into account when planning the layout of a site so that ‘…pedestrians and vehicles can circulate safely. Where vehicles and pedestrians use the same traffic route, there should be adequate separation between them’. This involves the installation of clear signage and floor markings, which are crucial to the safe and efficient movement of people, vehicles and machinery around the industrial workspace. HSG76 also recommends combining this clearly discernible signage with guardrails and pedestrian handrails used to create clear segregation and traffic routes. Architects are increasingly specifying industrial protection equipment for warehouses and distribution centres. Paul Roehricht of Brandsafe provides guidance on best practice. A robust approach to industrial protection system specification WORKING BUILDINGS MAINTENANCE, OPERATION & REFURBISHMENT