The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has special safety guidelines for systems-engineered
metal buildings, which are made with cold-formed steel in different configurations than those used for
traditional steel-framed buildings or light-gauge steel framing systems. This results in large, open interior
spaces suitable for airplane hangars, warehouses, and distribution centers. Why might such buildings need
special safety guidelines?
They are at an increased risk of fire because they are usually used for industrial applications.
They are at an increased risk of collapse because they have fewer interior structural supports
They use a heavier form of cold-formed steel, which makes the structural components less stable
They are less common than other steel structures, which means few contractors know how to build them correctly