Did you know that pallet racks are the most common way of storing pallet loads in a warehouse? They are widely used in manufacturing, retail, and commercial industries all over the world. When used properly, pallet racks are an ideal solution for storage and they are safe especially with regular inspection and maintenance.

Here are some mistakes that personnel make the most and should have companywide training about how to avoid making these dangerous mistakes with pallet racks.

Overloaded racks

It can be difficult to figure out if your racks are overloaded as you walk by them multiple times a day. A sign that your pallet racking system is overloaded is if your beams show a large amount of deflection. If the deflection does not disappear when you unload the beams, then you should perform a professional inspection immediately.

Also, if you know your rack’s capacity up front, you’ll know the load you can put on your system and keep an eye on it. Check the manufacturer’s specifications to find out that information.

No climbing on pallet racks

A warehouse is a busy environment meeting deadlines, unloading trucks, loads pallets with products, etc. Time is money, meeting deadlines is important, keeping the customer and boss happy is key, and many more common business clichés come into play. Unfortunately, when we have pressure and our to do list is heavy, we take short cuts from time to time. In this case, a short cut can cause physical damage to employees and to the product.

There are tools to use to reach the products put on higher racks. It is crucial that these tools be used and there is never any climbing on pallet racks in the warehouse.

Improper Rack Loading

When a pallet system is developed at a company and installed in a warehouse, the load is analyzed with dimensions, shape, and size/density and how it is going to sit on the storage racks. For safe and effective warehouse storage, it is important to follow the rules for safety and correct rack loading.

Fall protection

Making your warehouse safe for your workers is paramount. It will help to improve the employee morale, longevity of your employees and management and owners will have peace of mind to know that the warehouse is a safe place to operate. It is highly recommended that you provide a fall safe support with pallets stored on beams to prevent possible accidents.

Rack damage

A warehouse is a busy place with lots of people doing their jobs in different locations at different times. Mistakes can happen easily. Damage occurs with loading and offloading improperly, forklift mis-movements, equipment issues, etc. Training on all of these is a key factor in reducing or eliminating rack damage. Also, having regular inspections and people being observant can prevent any future problems or catch a problem as it is happening. Bollards positioned in certain areas can redirect traffic in problem areas.

Rack ratios

The height-to-depth ratio is important to calculate and consider with a racking system with a professional rack engineer. The Rack Manufacturers’ Institute (RMI) defines the height-to-depth ratio for a rack row as “the ratio of the distance from the floor to the top beam level divided by the depth of the frame” — this ratio cannot exceed 6-to-1.

Versatile Industrial Maintenance Inc. (VIM) in Lawrenceville, GA does offer rack inspections and provides a full detailed report. Usually these are done for no charge if we do the repairs.

We are an independent fabricator, equipment installer of industrial maintenance expertise that specializes in custom warehouse rack repairs. We enjoy taking on challenges offered by the Warehousing industry. We offer custom solutions to storage, safety and ergonomic issues utilizing our resources and skills to provide custom access platforms, conveyor crossovers, and custom picking carts and more!

Versatile Industrial Maintenance Inc. was established in 2006 in Lawrenceville, GA and draws on over 40 years of manufacturing and facility maintenance experience with a high emphasis on regulatory and safety. VIM specializes in warehouse rack repairs. Contact us for a free consultation via email or call 404-516-0611