In the material handling industry, safety should always be at the forefront in the mind of every business owner, particularly when it comes to the equipment that is utilized, like a pallet rack system. Pallet rack systems are the most common form of industrial shelving found in warehouses today, and having a safe pallet rack system is essential not only to ensure your goods are protected and stored properly but also for the welfare of your company’s employees who work around the storage system every day. It is imperative to conduct routine inspections to ensure your pallet racking remains safe, and it’s always best to have a qualified pallet rack expert conduct inspections so a thorough evaluation is performed. However, there are a few things that you can always keep an eye out for to make sure your pallet rack system remains safe.

Look Out for Physical Damage

Inspecting your pallet rack system for physical damage is perhaps the simplest thing to do. Even an untrained eye can notice things like dents and cracks that are forming. Most of the damage that occurs to pallet racking is caused by forklifts and other material handling equipment used for loading and unloading accidentally coming into contact with the system. Some troublesome situations that arise frequently include uprights and cross beams getting bent. However, there are other physical defects that you need to be focused on identifying, notably rust and corrosion, both of which could inevitably compromise the storage system’s structural integrity.

Confirm Connections Are Secure

As with any structure that has been built, ensuring the connections are properly secured is vital. Loose connections on your pallet racking could cause the system to fail, potentially leading to valuable inventory crashing to your facility’s floor. Checking to see if cross beams are securely fastened to the uprights with safety locks, if footplates are securely fastened to your facility’s floor, and if clips, bolts, and safety pins are in place throughout the system are a few of the more notable connection issues you’ll need to routinely check.

Make Sure Load Capacity Hasn’t Been Exceeded

Exceeding the load capacity on a pallet rack system is one thing that almost certainly will lead to structural failure, and, unfortunately, overloading is among the simplest mistakes that can be made. Knowing whether or not the load capacity has been exceeded is something that, in reality, can’t be done simply by glancing at the system. Nevertheless, the load capacity guidelines set forth by the pallet rack system’s manufacturer should be strictly followed in order to safely store your goods and to prevent your employees from suffering injuries caused by an overloaded system. The best rule of thumb is to have the max weight for your system – including the max weights per storage bay – posted in a place that is easily visible to everyone who works around the system, and to be mindful of the weights of each palletized load being stored.

Charlie O\’Brien is a professional writer specializing in the material handling industry. His writing focuses on new and used pallet rack, cantilever rack, and other industrial shelving, and his work has been featured on multiple material handling industry websites.

Charlie O\’Brien is a professional writer specializing in the material handling industry. His writing focuses on new and used pallet rack, cantilever rack, and other industrial shelving. His work has been featured on multiple material handling industry websites. http://www.aceshelf.com/

Author Bio: Charlie O\’Brien is a professional writer specializing in the material handling industry. His writing focuses on new and used pallet rack, cantilever rack, and other industrial shelving, and his work has been featured on multiple material handling industry websites.

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