Pallet rack systems often become damaged for a variety of reasons and can go unchecked for months or even years. If they are not properly inspected regularly, you run the risk of damaging your inventory, or, even worse, injuring your employees.
It’s a good idea to periodically inspect your pallet rack system through a third-party rack inspection specialist, as well as to conduct frequent visual inspections so that defects can be caught immediately before they cause serious injury or damage.
Today’s blog will discuss the importance of pallet rack inspections. The following checklist will help you pinpoint potential issues you may discover in your inspections.
Warehouse Environment
Is there adequate enough lighting?
Adequate lighting will help forklift operators see rack uprights along with other obstacles that may be in their way.
Are aisles kept clean and free of clutter?
Vehicle operators will be able to navigate their way through your inventory easier if traffic areas are free of obstacles. They will also be able to maintain a safe distance between rack structures and forklifts.
Are your racks protected?
Rack protectors are a low-cost solution that can extend the safety and life of your rack system and include column protectors that can deflect impact at high-risk areas or strengthen rack uprights, aisle-end guarding, and guard rails.
Pallet Rack Condition
Are your racks level and plumb?
Forklift collisions can greatly impact pallet racks that aren’t level. Uneven surfaces can also affect load distribution. Collisions typically occur with reconfigured racks or settled foundations. Make sure your racks are appropriately plumbed and shimmed.
Are your rack components corroded or rusted?
If your rack components are rusted or corroded, there are several potential issues that could be the root cause, including collisions (scraped paint) or rust that has progressed to the point where your system’s capacity has become weakened.
Are your racks over capacity?
In addition to forklift damage and dislodged beams, overloading is another cause of rack failure. When changes are made to a profile or rack load without checking capacities, racks will eventually collapse. A rack system’s capacity ratings are dependent on beam spacing. When equally loaded, beams have a rated capacity per pair.
Are the load ratings for your racks posted?
If load ratings aren’t posted, it can be difficult to assess rack capacity. According to OSHA, load ratings must be accessible so you can determine the maximum uniformly distributed load or maximum permissible unit load per level, along with the maximum total load per bay and the average unit load.
Pallet Rack Uprights
Are your uprights damaged or bent?
Inspect your pallet rack systems horizontal braces for broken welds, twisting, or bending. Are there any paint scrapes that could indicate a possible collision? Minor damage can also reduce upright capacity. Damaged uprights should be repaired or replaced right away.
Place a straight edge along the surface of a concave side of a damaged rack to measure the gap. Keep the straight edge centered as completely as possible on the damaged section’s length, then measure the gap between the straight edge and the upright. If there is an obvious bend in the upright of more than a couple of millimeters, the uprights will need to be repaired or replaced entirely.
Inspect your footplates.
Are your footplates lagged to the floor properly? Are there shim stacks squarely nested underneath the footplates? Are the anchors properly fastening the footplate into the concrete? Have they been dislodged or damaged?
Do you have column protectors installed?
The best way to prevent rack damage from occurring is to prevent it from happening. You can avoid significant damage to your system with well-placed aisle-end protection and guard rails to safeguard your employees and your equipment.
If you already have column protectors installed and discover any damage to them, further inspection is required. For greater visibility, these items are often painted safety yellow.
Inspect your bracing.
Are there any braces missing from your rack system? Check it thoroughly for bending or other serious damage.
Pallet Rack Assembly
Check your components.
Are there any improper repairs or incorrectly assembled or incompatible components? Are any components improperly aligned or missing?
Inspect your system to make sure there are no missing components or improperly nested or aligned parts. See if there are any loose components including safety bars, bolts, anchors, safety pins and clips, spacers, shims, and baseplates.
Check your load restraints and safety equipment.
Is there any safety netting or pallet stops adjacent to your service aisles? Do the tunnel bays have overhead guarding?
Pallet Rack Beams
Are the beams attached to the uprights properly?
Are they tightly seated into the uprights? Have there been any recent impacts to the area? Are there other signs of damage such as broken welds? Are the bolts or safety clips still tightly secured?
Inspect the surface of your beams.
Do the beams have evidence of an impact such as distortion or dents? Check the flanges and beam face.
Are there any damaged or missing beam attachment pins, or safety pins, bolts, or clips?
You will generally find connector hardware aside from the keyhole or teardrop to ensure that the racks are safe and fit together securely. Other racks may utilize multiple methods. Inspect your racks to make sure they are undamaged and securely fastened.
Look for deflection.
Beneath each load, beams will naturally deflect. There is a certain amount of deflection that is acceptable, but once the beams are unloaded it should disappear. The beams will need to be replaced if they have been deformed due to impacts or overloading. Beams cannot bow more than 1/180th of the entire length of the beam (this is half an inch for a 96” beam).
Usage
Clearance
If there are any loads encroaching the flue space between rows or are stacked too close to other building features like a sprinkler system, you likely have a fire hazard.
Pallets
Check to see if there are any damaged, double-stacked, or overhanging pallets. Are they the right size for the racks you are using?
Are you using any load restraints and safety equipment?
Do tunnel bays have overhead guarding? Do you have any safety netting or pallet stops adjacent to safety aisles?
