Knowledge — written by the people doing the work.
Buyer guides, code-compliance breakdowns, and engineering notes from the Ontario P.Eng., shop foreman, and install crew at Span Line. Each article tied to a real decision a buyer faces; no thought-leadership, no SEO filler.
Four categories.
Buyer guides
How to spec, what to ask for, how to compare options before signing.
Browse →Code compliance
OBC 2024, NBCC §4.1.5, CSA structural standards — explained for non-engineers.
Browse →Engineering
Notes from the design and install side — what we look for, why it matters.
Browse →Project stories
Specific projects, written up with the actual specs and the actual problems.
Browse →Latest knowledge.
Rooftop steel with no roof penetrations: how ballasted systems work
Why specs say "no fasteners through the roof assembly", and how the ballast is actually engineered.
Crossing between two roof levels: crossover stairs and platforms
One-way vs two-way crossovers, why stock units rarely fit a roof, and how the load reaches the building.
Egress stair requirements in Ontario: width, dimensions, exterior stairs
Required width from occupant load, the rise/run and landing bands, and when an exterior exit stair wins.
Custom steel catwalk systems: welded steel vs Unistrut
Strut channel or structural steel, floor-supported vs suspended, and the six numbers we need to quote.
Galvanized vs painted steel stairs: which finish for outdoor use
Sacrificial zinc vs barrier coating in freeze-thaw and road salt — cost, lifespan, and where each fails.
Typical mezzanine floor loadings: how to pick a PSF rating
60 to 250 psf by use, what a rating actually covers, and the dead and point loads people forget.
HVAC and equipment platforms: rooftop and mechanical access steel
Operating weight, roof load paths and dunnage, service clearances, vibration, and picking the access.
Ship's ladder dimensions and angles: the spec guide
The 50–70° pitch band, tread and width dimensions, and how it compares to stairs and fixed ladders.
Food-grade mezzanines: designing for wash-down and sanitation
Stainless vs coated steel, sloped drainable surfaces, and sealed connections that stay clean.
Roof access: stairs vs. ladders, and what the code allows
Stair, ship's ladder, or a caged ladder to a hatch — how access frequency and code decide.
Fixed cage ladders: requirements and dimensions in Ontario
When a fixed ladder needs a cage, the typical dimensions, and cage vs fall-arrest in 2026.
Conveyor support structures and crossovers
Load, deflection, guarding, and installing steel over a live line without stopping it.
Work platform vs mezzanine: what's the difference?
One adds a floor, the other serves a machine — and the building code treats them differently.
What is a switchback staircase?
The half-turn stair, the 16-riser rule behind it, and when it beats a straight run.
Industrial catwalk design standards: width, load, guards
Walkway width, live load, 42-inch guards, and toe boards — the references that belong on the drawing.
How to spec a mezzanine before you ask for quotes
The five questions to answer before any fabricator can quote a real number.
Structural mezzanine vs rack-supported platform — when each wins
Engineered structure vs rack-as-frame. Cost, code, and durability tradeoffs.
OBC 2024 stair changes: what shifted from OBC 2017
Egress width, riser/run, and guard updates that affect existing-building retrofits.
Mezzanine decking options: bar-grate vs B-deck + concrete vs plate
Why pick mezzanines use bar-grate and storage mezzanines use composite deck.
When do I need stamped drawings on a mezzanine project?
Permit-bound projects, the P.Eng. requirement, and what counts as a stamp.
Fall arrest vs guardrails: when each is the right answer
OSHA 2018 cage-vs-PFAS shift, and where Ontario OHSA still recognizes cages.
Grip-strut vs bar-grate: choosing the right industrial tread
Snow shed, tool drop, traction, and durability across the two most common treads.
Shutdown-coordinated install: how to land on the window without drift
Pre-install verification, rigging plan, and the three things that move install timelines.
Warehouse floor-space optimization: cubic vs square footage
When a mezzanine beats a building expansion, and the math behind the decision.
Mezzanine permits in Ontario: what triggers a permit, what doesn't
Building permit thresholds, the architectural-vs-engineering split, and inspection sequence.
Mezzanine lead times: where the 6 to 8 weeks actually goes
Engineering, fabrication, finish, and install time broken down by week.
Picking a steel fabricator: what to ask before you sign
CWB certification, P.Eng. on staff, install discipline — the questions that matter.