Safety should always be a top priority at any company, but particularly at one that is in the material handling industry and utilizes a pallet racking system. The very construction of a pallet rack system leads to potential issues with safety, with systems that can reach from the ground floor level at a facility to the roof, with goods stored on multiple levels in between. Knowing that, you can understand why it is critical to abide by all of the recommended safety guidelines for pallet racking to ensure that people in the warehouse stay out of harm’s way – and to use common sense when it comes to knowing what you should and shouldn’t do around a pallet rack system. The key is to do your part to help maintain a safe work environment not only for yourself, but also for those who work around you each and every day.

Never Exceed Load Capacity

Regardless of the manufacturer, a pallet rack system will have specific load capacity guidelines that should always be strictly followed. By storing more weight in a storage bay of a pallet racking system than it is designed to handle, you seriously compromise the structural stability of the overall system. This could lead to potential injuries to workers around the systems, as well as cause severe damage to the system itself and the goods that are being stored in the bays. Always make sure that you are well aware of the load capacity guidelines and use extreme caution when loading pallets, making sure that you don’t inadvertently exceed capacity. And, if you ever notice that a portion of the pallet rack system has been overloaded, you should work to rectify the situation as quickly as possible.

Never Climb on Racking

A pallet rack system might look similar to things you used to scale as a kid, but it’s important to know that you should never climb or stand on pallet racking at any time. This includes not only climbing on the system during horseplay, but also going into the bays to retrieve single items. This is a common problem in some workplaces because some workers feel it saves time by avoiding the need to remove an entire pallet from a storage bay to retrieve one thing. It is extremely important to remember that ignoring this rule could inevitably lead to a serious injury not only to you, but to others as well.

Leave Pallet Rack Repairs to Qualified Professionals

While it may seem like an easy fix to make, the only repairs performed on pallet rack systems should be handled by qualified individuals who are properly trained. Having experienced professionals perform maintenance and repairs on the pallet racking ensure that the work will be performed correctly. On a similar note, if you ever notice damage to the pallet racking system, you should alert your company’s maintenance team as quickly as possible so that the problem can be addressed. Accidents in the material handling industry can happen, such as forklifts coming into contact with the pallet rack system. However, by not addressing the issue, it could lead to structural problems with the entire system in the future, and that would place people who work around the storage system each day in harm’s way.

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, and 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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