13 Jul Why are Steel Frame Buildings the Safest Option?

Safety should be the biggest concern for every property owner, as when it comes down to it, an unsafe building makes any potential benefits pointless to its inhabitants. Safety is, therefore, a consideration that needs to be taken into account throughout the construction process. This is important even when you’re choosing which materials you’re going to use to create the frame of the building.

Structural steel is an alloy that has many benefits, several of which positively affect the safety of any building that it’s used to create. It’s becoming increasingly popular to use structural steel to create building frames; you’ve probably driven past countless steel frame buildings without even realising!

Baker Steel Trading have years of experience in structural steel fabrication, so we understand exactly why our customers choose to use steel for their buildings – and the safety benefits provided by the alloy are often part of the reason.

But what are these safety benefits?

Safety Benefits of Steel Frame Buildings

If you’re still unsure why using a steel frame for your building is recommended, it helps to think of the frame as the skeleton of your property. Not often visible once construction has been completed, a building’s frame needs to be structurally sound to keep the rest of the property standing, so a reliable and robust material must be used to build the frame.

Older and more traditional buildings use timber frames; however, many in the construction industry now recognise the longevity of timber frames isn’t always up to scratch. Many building frames are now being created by structural steel fabricators such as Baker Steel Trading – but how exactly does structural steel help create a safer and more reliable building frame than timber?

Durability

Structural steel is a highly durable material, making it perfect for using to create building frames. It’s been used to develop commercial properties since the 1800s when people began realising that structural steel was significantly safer than alternative materials.

Some of the durability of structural steel comes from the various coatings applied to the alloy before construction. These coatings can provide resistance against corrosion, surface damage to the steel frames, and other issues that would negatively affect the safety of different building frames.

In particular, galvanised zinc coatings are incredibly effective at increasing the durability and, therefore, the safety of steel frame buildings. This offers barrier protection, isolating the structural steel from water and oxygen, meaning that the alloy cannot corrode. Galvanised structural steel is not entirely protected from cuts and scratches caused by general wear and tear; however, the zinc coating continues to prevent corrosion of the steel underneath, so it remains solid. All of the above means that you can rest assured that your steel frame building will remain durable for years to come.

Strength-to-Weight Ratio

Structural steel is known to have the best strength-to-weight ratio of any material used in construction. Not only does this make the construction process quicker for steel frame buildings, making it more efficient and therefore helping to save money, but it, more importantly, has excellent safety benefits both during construction and once completed.

Structural steel is so light compared to alternative building materials that the chances of injury to fabricators and engineers during construction are reduced. This also means that the steel is less likely to cause substantial damage if it accidentally collides with anything. Another excellent safety benefit of steel’s strength-to-weight ratio is that it can safely hold great deals of weight. This helps reduce the fears of damage to the building, which would risk the inhabitants and the public nearby.

Maintenance

The low-maintenance qualities of steel frame buildings make them the safest option for construction. As it’s easier to maintain structural steel, the alloy deteriorates at a slower rate than other building materials, meaning that the structural integrity of the building frame can be maintained for longer. This reduces the chance of permanent damage to the steel frame building, helping to keep the property safe for longer.

Wind Resistance

Many property owners choose to create a steel frame building to offer resistance to extreme weather conditions, as structural steel’s ductility means it can bend without breaking. This massively increases the building’s safety, as inhabitants don’t need to worry about being exposed to the elements. Steel frame buildings also have safety elements to protect against other storm-related weather conditions, such as lightning. When a steel frame building is struck by lightning, the heat and electricity will be dispersed into the ground, providing excellent protection in any weather condition.

Fabricators for Steel Frame Buildings

Baker Steel Trading are a team of qualified structural steel fabricators who have years of experience supplying, fabricating and installing structural steel across the South East of the UK. If you have any queries about steel frame buildings, our team of experts would be happy to discuss these with you further, so get in contact with us today.