Racks are a critical piece of warehouse logistics and play a big role in overall warehouse efficiency and safety. But as with most equipment in a warehouse, damage and wear can quickly lead to serious safety risks. Taking the time to inspect your pallet racks and reporting all damage is key to keeping your warehouse a safe place to work!
Are pallet racks safe?
One of the most common reasons for rack failure is overloading. Each rack system is designed to support a certain load with a specific beam configuration and structure. The load capacity of a particular set of beams is determined by a number of factors including the height of the beam, the width of the base plate, and the amount of load on the deck. Loads that exceed these limits can cause the load-bearing joists to become misaligned and create gaps between rows of pallet rack safety. This can cause merchandise to fall from the shelves, increasing risk of damage and injury.
Another factor to consider is rack-to-frame and beam-to-frame connections. Rack manufacturers use different materials and manufacturing processes to make columns, bracing, and beams for their products. This means that a beam and frame from two different companies may not be compatible with each other and could easily come detached during forklift operation.
Look for dents, twists, and dings on your pallet rack uprights. These can indicate collisions and should be repaired immediately to prevent further damage and a potential collapse. Check for any significant bending of the columns, as well. Twisted columns can also affect the load capacity of a rack system, so any that are significantly twisted should be unloaded until a qualified representative has evaluated the effect on the structural integrity and approved its return to service.