7 Steps to Pallet Rack Maintenance & Warehouse Safety

Pallet Rack Maintenance Tips – Start the New Year Right

As a dominant fixture in your facility, protecting your pallet racking from system failure should be paramount in your warehouse safety plans. Unaddressed rack damage can lead to at least underutilized capacity and, at worst, worker injuries, equipment damage, and inventory loss… but a Regular Maintenance Plan can help you avoid operational disruption and costly expenditures.

Regular inspection of your pallet racking system is the best way to find, evaluate, and monitor rack damage and system concerns. Typically, you are looking for the following:

Pallet Rack Risks 

• Accidental forklift strikes
• Overloading
• Broken or missing components
• Damaged decking

Planned Pallet Rack Maintenance

If you approach pallet rack maintenance as a standard operating procedure, you will likely find any concerns before they become problematic. Additionally, showing an active interest in warehouse safety compels workers to use racking and equipment correctly, and it empowers them to say something if they notice damage or areas of concern. So, your first step in good pallet rack maintenance is to make it known that you have a plan and aim to enforce it.

1. Make a plan – establish a routine inspection process, a clear communication channel for addressing any issues found, and assign reliable staff to enforce the initiative. Depending on the level of warehouse activity, it may be most appropriate to conduct quarterly or monthly inspections, but at minimum, an annual inspection is recommended.
2. Train workers – Instruct on rack components and safe rack system use,i.e., loading, unloading (OSHA-certified equipment operators), capacity limitations, flue space requirements, and aisle traffic rules, if any.
3. Inspect rack columns — carefully look at the front and rear columns for equipment strike damage –bends, twisting, and tears must be addressed.
4. Inspect rack beams – ensure beams are seated and secured to the uprights. Roll-formed systems often require safety clips to lock in beam connections. Check for damage to the beam face, as well as bowing, bending, or twisting resulting from overloading stresses.
5. Baseplates, anchors & shims – check baseplates for missing, loose, or broken anchor bolts. Each baseplate must have at least one secured anchor bolt. If shims are present, ensure they are snugly fit under the baseplate.
6. Bracing – horizontal and vertical struts brace your uprights and, ultimately, the rack system. Inspect for broken welds throughout the upright height and pay close attention to the lower section for forklift strike damage, such as bent, broken, or missing struts.
7. Accessories – 
   1. Row spacers – if your rows of rack are back to back, they should be connected by row spacers. These spacers provide stability and help maintain the flue space between the rack rows as required by NFPA fire code guidelines.
   2. Decking – wire or composite decking can get broken, bent, or cracked, resulting in an uneven or porous rack surface. Replace any compromised decking to prevent inventory from falling.

Pallet Rack Safety Products

An ounce of prevention… we all know the old adage, but in this case, the cost of column protection or some guardrails can save your operation from significant losses. Rack safety products are easy to order and install on new or used pallet rack systems. Here are a few popular products to consider to enhance your pallet rack maintenance goals.

Pallet Rack Safety Products

• Column guards – available for racking, building, and drain pipes –secure fit
• End of aisle guards – steel guards that run along the bottom of the upright at the end of the rack row. The guard wraps around the column and then extends back the full upright length.
• Safety gates & guardrails – there are several gate and guardrail options to meet all your rack safety needs — for example, aisle gates restrict pedestrian access to areas when forklifts are in operation. Check out our product options or contact WOI for a customized solution.

Professional Pallet Rack Installation

An excellent start to pallet rack safety is reliable, dependable installation. Look only as far as the experience professionals from WOI for your warehouse installation, dismantle, and relocation projects. Our team tackles over 300 projects annually, and we abide by strict safety guidelines to ensure a timely, dependable project and safe work environment. Our team takes care of 

permitting, electrical & utility contracting, and fire mitigation requirements as part of our full-service support. Call WOI to learn more or schedule your next pallet rack installation.

WOI Safe Installations:

• Industry Experienced Professionals
• OSHA Trained & Certified
• Certified Drug-Free Workplace
• Licensed General Contractor
• Job Safety Analysis
• Forklift, Scissor Lift, and Aerial Lift Operator Trained

Where to Turn for Turn-Key Service

Whether you have an existing rack system or are looking for something new, we can help ensure a safe and cost-effective solution. The WOI team members contribute over 180 years of combined material handling and warehousing expertise to help solve our customers’ challenges. And that’s not all. When you work with WOI, you get a team dedicated to delivering 100% Customer Satisfaction. Take a look at the WOI Total Satisfaction Experience™ (TSE) guarantees. 

WOI Total Satisfaction Experience:

1.     We will listen to your needs
2.     Execute your project with particular attention to your unique application
3.     Stick to project timelines
4.     Ensure a safe environment
5.     Pay close attention to the detail of the finished product

A strong focus of our Total Satisfaction Experience involves project installation. Our team follows strict protocols and ensures the finished product fully meets customer expectations.

Call WOI today for a free consultation and schedule a site inspection —dial (833) 336-7005 or email info@warehouseoptimizers.com. 

WOI proudly serves customers throughout the Southeast, including KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, ALABAMA, AND FLORIDA.