Factory Floor Condition Requirements That Affect Machine Moving

During these site visits we will assess any factory floor conditions that may affect the safe operation of the heavy machinery moving project. These will include the ground conditions of both the machinery loading and unloading areas and also the ground over which the machine will travel to the installation location within the factory. If it is an internal factory move we will assess the internal transport route.

The floor condition aspects we will review include:

Flooring construction materials

HSE guidelines state that floors and traffic routes should be constructed and designed to withstand the use to which they may be subjected, such as physical damage from lift trucks and wheeled equipment or corrosion from chemical substances. However, the purchase of a new machine, particularly a heavy machine, could be something that was not previously considered, particularly if the building is one you are moving into that might previously have been used for other activities that required smaller machinery.

Weight bearing capacity

Primarily, we will want to understand the weight bearing capacity of the floor surface to ensure it can withstand the weight distribution of the machine during transportation. We also want to ensure the surface will enable the machine to be securely bolted and mounted into position. Particularly in respect of any vibration impacts once it is operational.

Levels and gradients

We will review if there are any gradients or differing floor heights that need to be considered. When a heavy machine is being transported, even a slight gradient can affect the weight distribution and balancing of the machine on the equipment that is being used to move it.

Floor covering and protection

Many factory floors will have specialist coatings and surfaces to prevent wear and tear and reduce accidents caused by slips, trips or falls. We will ensure that these are protected during the project by using specialist floor coverings.

Machine Pits

We will ensure that machine pits that need to be left open are securely fenced or covered until we are ready to lift the machine into position. This helps to avoid the risk of people accidentally falling into them.

Can we help on your next heavy machinery moving project?

Factory floor conditions and traffic routes play an important part in managing risk during a heavy machinery moving project. We have the ability to adapt our methodology to any situation, so if we can help on your next heavy machinery moving project please get in touch.