7 Effective Ways to Protect Pallet Racking from Damage

During the normal operation of a warehouse during the workday, pallet racking may be subject to damage due to collisions with access equipment such as forklifts. In fact, occasional accidental collisions during normal work operations are unavoidable. However, if not repaired or replaced in a timely manner, the damage sustained can lead to a major accident.

Perhaps the most useful measure to save on pallet rack repair and replacement costs is to take steps to prevent them from being damaged in the first place.

Using the right pallet racking accessories, staff training, and other measures can help protect your pallet racking from mechanical impact damage.

Learn more about how to prevent damage to pallet racking to avoid costly and potentially dangerous damage to your racking system.

Foam Filled Post Guards

Foam-filled pallet rack guards are either bolted to the front of each vertical and are a steel half-box with foam padding that helps withstand the impact if a collision occurs. Alternatively, they can be a form of foam cushioning that wraps around the verticals to again withstand the impact of any accident.

Steel Floor Mounted Post Guards

Steel floor mounted post guards provide protection for the posts and columns in a pallet racking system. They are bolted to the floor in front of each post and can withstand any impact from working warehouse machinery, protecting the pallet racking behind them vertically.

Warehouse safety bollards

The use of brightly colored bollards in strategic locations will help protect warehouse structures. Located next to walls, offices or loading dock doors, they can help prevent impacts from slanting eyes or even head-on collisions.

Rack end protection barriers

To protect the ends of pallet racking, installing rack end barriers in front of vulnerable areas can help prevent more serious damage in the event of an accident. In the event of a collision, dents may be the greatest loss in preventing a catastrophic accident from occurring.

Warehouse Lighting

Increasing lighting levels may seem obvious, but it may be the cheapest way to prevent damage to your warehouse from mechanical collisions. The better your warehouse operators can see, the better they will perform. Switching to LED lighting may be a brighter, cheaper way to light your warehouse, and may even increase productivity.

Train your staff

Training is key to preventing any accidents or damage to your warehouse, and here are some of the topics you should cover when providing training to your employees to prevent damage to your pallet racking.

● Have your employees attend a racking safety awareness training course that will ensure your warehouse operators understand the basics of pallet racking and its maintenance.

● Unreported damage is dangerous. Encourage anyone who damages pallet racking to report it immediately to avoid disciplinary action that would increase the chances of employees notifying management if they make a mistake.

● Brief employees on the maximum weight load of all pallet racking they will be using.

● You can purchase shelf weight load notices to remind them.

● Ensure that proper forklift training is provided to those who need it.

●Provide your employees with relevant PPE (personal protective equipment) while working.

● Maximum speed limits should be set and enforced in the warehouse.

● Implement proper rack loading and unloading procedures.

Don’t overload your shelves

Overloading pallet racking is the leading cause of rack failure and collapse, but it is one of the most preventable. The capacity of your shelving depends on many factors and if you are unsure of the weight limits of your shelving, we can calculate them for you.

Keep your racking weight load informed where possible and consider these limits when changing racking loads. If you think your pallet racking is overloaded, we recommend an inspection, although it may appear to be in good condition causing unseen damage to the structure.

Talk to an Expert

Faulty and damaged pallet racking is not a problem to be ignored; collapsing racking can lead not only to lost revenue but also to serious accidents and employee injuries.

If you are concerned about the condition of your pallet racking, or would like to schedule an appointment for a racking inspection, please contact our team of experts at [email protected].