Since a Warehouse
is a strategic function and destination of a Supply
chain, its design also plays an extremely important
role.
The design aspect
of a ware house needs to address the following :
Building Attributes :
A Warehouses should:
- Be designed based on
current and future needs.
-
Facilitate
changes in business/agency growth, and
size/population of office and warehouse spaces
within the building. Warehouse space should be
easily adapted to new functions such as office (on
ground or upper levels), computer centers, or
light industrial/fabrication.
-
Accommodate
need for future loading docks, truck space, and
car parking spaces if space configuration changes
through effective site design.
-
Address
material handling technologies and business
practice, such as "just-in-time" storage, which
have fundamentally changed operation of warehouses
and distribution centers, and will continue to do
so.
-
Include roof
design with built-in extra structural capacity to
handle addition of future rooftop equipment.
-
Be designed
with fire protection capacity to accommodate
storage of materials with a greater fire hazard,
especially needed with high plastic product
content or packaging, and plastic shrink-wrapped
pallets.
-
Maximize
utilization of space while providing adequate
circulation paths for personnel and material
handling equipment such as forklift trucks.
-
Use higher
bays to take advantage of height allowances in the
space.
-
Optimize
layout and configuration for the warehouse
operation, including efficient circulation and
material handling and storage processes.
-
Relate
interior and exterior receiving and shipping
operations to the process flow of goods through
the warehouse.
-
Receiving
and shipping are best separated to avoid
congestion at the loading dock areas in the
building, and in the truck maneuvering areas.
-
Alternative
material handling methods will determine other
building aspects, such as aisle widths, lighting
design, need for mezzanine space, fire protection,
and egress design. Businesses will often use
different methods of storage handling
simultaneously for different products.
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Durable/Functional :
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-
Be planned
to accommodate loads of stored materials as well
as associated handling equipment.
-
Design of
warehouses is to be based on the dead and live
load requirements of the structure as it will be
built. Snow, wind, and seismic loads shall be
considered where they are applicable. Racking in
seismic areas must be built stronger and be better
braced.
-
Wind uplift
can cause great damage to roofs and metal roof
copings at the roof edge. Building codes recognize
that wind velocity is greater across open areas,
typical for warehouse zones.
-
Wind-driven
rain can easily penetrate the vast surface areas
of the warehouse walls. Design walls to permit any
infiltrating water to evaporate harmlessly without
collecting in the wall cavities or damaging stored
product.
-
Proper floor
types are an important consideration in the
design. General warehouse space should be floored
with a concrete slab to carry wheel loads and
withstand the abrasion generated by the continual
use of hard rubber and steel-wheeled forklift
trucks. Consider adding hardeners and dustproofers
to protect the concrete. Consider using epoxy
coating on concrete floors near battery charging
areas.
-
Floor
flatness and levelness requirements are critical,
especially for high ceilinged space and safe
operation of high-lifting equipment.
-
Adequate
space must be provided on-site for truck
maneuvering, truck storage if the business owns a
fleet, car parking for employees and future office
space/population expansion (which might be driven
by higher rent for center-city office space), and
landscaped areas.
-
Be designed
to ensure that no structural member will interfere
with the spacing of rail car doors or truck berths
at dock spaces. Dock heights on the truck side of
the terminal should be approximately 4'-4" above
the pavement, with appropriate ramps at each truck
berth to bring the height of the truck bed in line
with the dock height. Dock heights on the rail
side of the terminal should be approximately 3'-9"
above the top of the rail to ensure that the rail
car floor is even with the dock floor. Dock widths
and areas inside exterior doors leading to dock
space must be planned for maneuverability of
forklift trucks and other expected types of
material handling equipment.
-
Dock heights
on the truck side of the terminal should be
approximately 4'-40" above the pavement, with
appropriate ramps, scissor lifts, or dock levelers
at each truck berth to safely bring the height of
the truck bed in line with the dock height.
-
Tops of
doors should be high enough to accommodate full
height pallet handling from the highest trucks.
-
Dock heights
on the rail side of the terminal should be
approximately 3'-9" above the top of the rail to
ensure that the rail car floor is even with the
dock floor.
-
Dock widths
and areas inside exterior doors leading to dock
space must be planned for maneuverability of
forklift trucks and other expected types of
material handling equipment. Consider using a
non-slip finish on the concrete floor near loading
areas for safety.
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Energy-Efficient
:
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-
Be designed
with passive solar concepts, solar geometry, and
building load requirements in mind.
-
Possess
light colored roof to reflect a large percentage
of solar radiation, reducing HVAC loads, and
energy consumption. First cost is also reduced,
due to the smaller plant size required. When a
large roof area is anticipated, this effect can be
significant, especially for temperature controlled
warehouses. Greater heat reflection will increase
worker productivity in the summer.
-
Be planned
with interior dock space in colder climates to
reduce energy consumption and provide more
tolerable winter working conditions for dock
workers.
-
Use ceiling
mounted fans to reduce heat stratification and
provide air movement, thus increasing worker
comfort in both summer and winter. Mount fans
above highest forklift level for worker safety.
-
Consider
specifying white painted metal roof decking,
thereby increasing ceiling surface reflectivity,
lighting efficiency, and worker comfort without
any added energy cost.
-
Use
energy-efficient fixtures, systems, and
appliances, e.g., motion sensor instant-on
lighting systems, wherever feasible.
Safety/Security of Personnel and Material
-
Address the
traditional life-safety and health concerns common
to all buildings, including measures to prevent
occupational injuries and illnesses (work-related
musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD), trips, falls,
etc.), ensure electrical safety, and eliminate
exposure to hazardous materials. The following
operations have historically contributed to
significant numbers of warehouse injuries and are
considered to be the most hazardous: docks,
powered industrial trucks, conveyors, materials
storage, manual lifting/handling, roof ladders and
hatches, and charging stations. Other serious
operational safety problems include inadequate
fire safety provisions, improper blocking of exits
and egress paths, chemical exposure, improper use
of lockout procedures, lack of ergonomics, and
failure to wear personal protective equipment.
-
Incorporate
proper signage to clearly warn of hazards or to
direct personnel to take precaution. The specific
strategy for the warehouses signs must be
determined early in the facility design process.
-
Possess
non-slip surface treatments on floors subject to
wetting, such as outdoor docks, to eliminate slips
and falls to personnel.
-
Be designed
with fire sprinkler systems engineered to cover
the specific commodity classification in the
specific storage configuration for the planned
warehouse. The adequacy of the sprinkler system
must be evaluated when changes occur that can
increase the hazard classification, such as
introducing a new product line, using a different
packaging material, or changing from wood pallets
to plastic pallets.
-
Include
appropriate security systems incorporated into the
overall warehouse design.
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Health / Comfort
:
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Provide
proper ventilation under all circumstances.
-
Provide
local exhaust for restrooms, kitchens, janitor's
closets, copy rooms, battery-charging areas, etc.
-
Consider
installing CO2 sensors to provide real time
monitoring of air quality.
-
Integrate
daylighting with the electric lighting system.
-
Allow for
natural lighting where possible. Provide lighting
controls that turn off lights when sufficient
daylight exists. Consider dimming controls that
continuously adjust lighting levels to respond to
daylight conditions.
-
Consider the
different natural lighting designs for warehouses.
-
Minimize
HVAC system noise in occupied space.
-
Use
furnishings, chairs, and equipment that are
ergonomically designed and approved for that use.
-
Design
equipment and furnishings reflective of healthy
work practices in an effort to eliminate
repetitive motions as well as prevent strains and
sprains.
-
Strive to
create a 'sense of place' such that the warehouse
has a unique character that engenders a sense of
pride, purpose, and dedication for individual
workers and the workplace community.
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