If your warehouse currently has pallet racking, can you guarantee that it’s safe? Your staff is your number one priority – if your racking is not compliant they could become injured.
People can become injured in warehouse racking collapses. If you are the person responsible for putting your workplace at risk, your company will not only lose credibility, but you could lose your position or worse, end up in jail due to a lawsuit. Compliance keeps people safe on the job.
These standards cover adjustable, static pallet racking that is composed of hot-rolled steel or cold-formed structural members12. It does not cover cantilever racking, mobile racking, drive-in racking, drive-through racking, or any other racking that is made of non-steel materials.
We see racking problems often. The safety issues we’ve found during our inspections include the following:
Increased Collapse Due to Unsafe Working Loads
Whenever safe workloads are not displayed, the racking system can overload itself and increase the risk of collapse.
Pallet Racks Not Bolted Down or Secured
If you have forklifts roaming around your facility, your racking system must be bolted down as any bumps could cause a fall to occur.
No Safety Locking Pins
Because warehouses store heavy items, racking structures could be knocked out of place which is why they must always be secured.
Safety Standards
There are many safety standards that are enforced to ensure that a facility’s racking is safe. Many types of warehouse rack are not suitable for use. It must be designed specifically for the weight, shape, and size of what you are storing. In addition, you need to know what the rated capacity is including the total rated capacity and maximum unit load for the bays.
Stein Service & Supply can help you find the right storage system for your facility’s needs and give you important safety details for your shelving such as:
• The maximum amount of distance between the adjacent beam levels
• The maximum amount of distance from the base plate to the first beam level
• Unit load limits for each bay
• Unit load limits for every pallet beam level
• General unit load limits
If you aren’t sure about any of the items mentioned in the above list, we can examine your racking system or update an existing system so that it will comply.
Warehouse Racking Inspections
Pallet racking systems aren’t something you can set up and forget about. Our experts are qualified to conduct inspections. Make sure that these inspections are performed once every 12 months so that your racking remains compliant with regulations.
Be on the lookout for the following:
• Load beams (warping, twisting, dents)
• Loose connections (uprights and beams)
• Damaged bracing footplates, uprights, or beams
• Misalignment or vertical leaning
• Overloading
Examples of pallet racking damage
If you think your warehouse racking system may be unsafe or you don’t understand the load limits, just contact an expert to get it inspected. It’s better to ask for help than to make assumptions about your racks. Any accidents that occur could force your facility to close and you will face numerous liabilities.
