Storage Racks: Types, Uses, And Benefits

What is Storage Racks

Storage racks (also known as racking systems) are structures designed to hold items and materials. These structures are typically made up of two or more upright frames that act as vertical structures, one or more load beams that act as horizontal structures, and decking, which can be bars, panels, meshes or not be decking at all.

What are the Factors to Consider When Designing Storage Racks?

When designing storage racks there are many things to consider including:

Size and Type of Pallets

When designing a pallet racking system, remember to account for the pallets weight and dimensions, and whether the pallets are 40″ x 48″ – the standard size of most pallets for storage rack systems.

The pallets weight and dimensions will directly affect the rack depth and height of the uprights. The pallets and products on the pallets attributes could stress what racking system would be best to use depending on conditions based on these examples:

• Need for special environmental conditions.
• Fragility (stacking capacity could be impacted).
• Need for dates, expiration, fresh dates (differentials in SKUs).

Number of Pallets and SKUs

The amount of SKUs and number of pallets per SKU in a warehouse will greatly influence what type of pallet racking system to use. Selective pallet racking systems are ideal for facilities with one pallet per SKU since the system allows for higher salvaging of pallet locations and easy access.

High density systems such as drive-in and push-back pallet rack systems are ideal for facilities with multiple pallets per SKU. For FIFO-focused dispositions with multiple pallets per SKU, pallet flow racking is likely the best solution.

Warehouse Environment

The costs related to racking systems will vary based on the environmental requirements of stored products. Products can be stored in a range of environmental conditions, including:

• Cold conditions (freezers or coolers)
• Temperature-controlled environments
• General ambient temperature (no climate control)

The climate in the warehouse impacts product integrity mostly for perishables. It’s critical that foods are stored in cold conditions to maintain low temperatures, however there are controlled conditions that are important for things like pharmaceuticals and cigars to maintain product quality.

If items can be stored in an un-conditioned (ambient) temperature, it often allows the racking investment to be lower, while racking items requiring cold will usually mean adding costs to your racking expense due to:

• Installation time, as workers will have only a limited amount of time in the cold once they start work
• Expenses related to the freezer and refrigerator space being used so they must be planned as efficiently as possible
• The FDA requirements for food means remembering to allow for the minimum of 12 inches from the ground level for all food pallets

Building Structure

When racking systems being contemplated are add-ons to existing facilities or new construction, it will affect the racking instal costs, duration of installation, and installed space availability. The building structure factors include:

• Column placement- make sure that support columns are hidden by racking two rows back-to-back
• Ceiling height- will define the maximum height of uprights and levels of beams
• Orientation and number of (dock) doors
• Usable space

Materials Handling Equipment in Your Facility

The type of materials handling equipment and their dimensions (forklifts, lift trucks, order pickers, etc.) will dictate both the width of the aisles and ultimately the number of rows in your racking.

A standard counterbalance forklift usually requires 12 ft of aisle space, while a man up order picker may work in a narrower space. In a warehouse layout, it is recommended to have minimal aisle space can maximize your storage potential.

What are the Considerations in Selecting Storage Racks

Some important considerations in selecting the storage racks are:

Storage Requirements

Make an assessment of your current product inventory in your company, and be able to categorize the products, based upon their weight, density, how frequently they are delivered, and how long the products last.

This assessment will help in calculating which types of racks or shelving will work best for your operations. For example, drive in racks would be good for bulk storage but may not be very effective with selectivity when it comes to items. Selective pallet racks would be more effective for a higher quantity of products with lower volume and variety. After identifying the feasible solution, you can refine your selection further based on selectivity and density.

Cost of Pallet Racks

Every company has fiscal awareness and limitations in every department including in your warehouses and the need to focus on pallet rack pricing as part of your planning. Cost will be based minimum on the storage, design and installation elements.

Alternatives are available with low cost, low quality racks, but quality should be the priority. Competent managers identify stakes of medium or greater quality, competitively priced racks. They have proven that the costs have been lower in the long run because they have racks that are usable and do not require replacement.

Rack Flexibility

As your business evolves, so will your storage requirements. Products change, or new products are introduced that will change your requirements. The rack system should have the flexibility to support those changes in volume and sorting.

Look carefully at storage designs that allow for both major and minor changes to your storage approach. Often the common rack systems identified like cantilever and selective will provide that flexibility.

Durability and Longevity

Failure of pallet racks can result in major accidents in a warehousing operation, and may lead to serious personal injuries and/or the loss of products.

Therefore, it is extremely important to select pallet racks that are built to last, capable of withstanding some degree of stress and damage, and that won’t collapse due to the burden of its racking system or other contributing factors.

Storage systems need to be resilient across periods of long uses, storage systems must deliver performance across long period of time, and it would not be advisable to purchase any storage system unless the weight capacity of each shelf and the loads were known to avoid shelf collapse.

Types of Storage Rack

There are a lot of options and variety of warehouse storage rack available and each type of storage rack solves space optimization issues, increases the efficiency of material handling, and improves inventory management within logistics, e-commerce fulfillment centers, manufacturing plants, and warehouse and distribution centers.

Examining storage racks and understanding appropriate uses can help help organizations choose solutions for storage that best functions within an industry or organizational space, enabling improved productivity and flexibility for a range of operations. The different types of storage racks include the following:

#1. Conventional Pallet Rack

Conventional pallet racks commonly referred to as selective pallet racking, is generally the most prominent racking solution that you will find in warehousing and distribution centers worldwide.

A conventional pallet rack represents a form of racking that is economical, direct-access racks to every pallet, suitable for SKU management and picking orders, and represent the most familiar style of pallet racks.

Conventional pallet racks provide large storage capacity, are easy to install and adjust, and require less equipment and capital expenses, which contributes to checking out in for large, not-for-profit, small company logistics operations and large scale logistic operations.

Conventional pallet racks provide basic and easy, on demand selective access for product, as well as stock rotation is easy and practical within a FIFO (first-in, first-out) based inventory management process, as well as simple to use and organized in order to maintain workflow in a warehouse.

Conventional pallet racks can be configured to fit any space, store products of different types, size and weight, and accept and support various weight capacities on the same rack.

Every end frame of a pallet rack is made up of two uprights, horizontal and diagonal bracings, footplates, bolts and nuts, and anchor bolts. The depth of the frame is determined by the size of the pallet; therefore, a frame with a depth of 1100mm is typically made using a Europallet, which is 1200mm deep.

The uprights can be tailored to different loading specifications due to the variety of sections and thicknesses available. The uprights have identical symmetrical hexagonal slots for beam height adjustment at 75mm or 76.2mm intervals and they can be installed either way up.

Footplates are installed on the bottom of the uprights. Footplates sit on the floor and support the frames (though there are other types of footplates available according to different capacities of load and with different models of uprights).

The footplates are bolted to the floor with one or two anchor bolts. The anchor bolts are specifically employed to fasten the feet to the floor so that the rack frame is anchored firmly to the slab.

The footplates will differ according to the force they are to be subjected to and slab properties. In many cases, each beam will have one or two safety pins (optional: spring safety pins) to ensure that they do not dislodge during use.

These will give some added protection where the sides of the rack base might be contacted. Safety pins are generally fitted to the ends of the frames or in the passages between them where impacts are more likely (the sides of the frames are protected only against light impacts).

Safety pins assist either end of the rack, providing a measure of shielding from light impacts likely at floor level thereby causing minimal localized damage the vertical elements.

The best practice recommendations include compliance with load limits, oversight of product inspections, and accurately calculating the rack capacity, in order to achieve proper rack integrity and worker safety.

#2. Teardrop Pallet Racking

Teardrop pallet racking can also be reference as rivet pallet racking, or teardrop racking systems. The term refers to the design of the rack, which is a teardrop slot that allows for quick and no-tool assembly.

The teardrop rack relies on rivets rather than hooks, allowing for easier and more reliable reconfiguration as inventory levels change. Components of a teardrop racking system include uprights, beams, H bracing, D bracing, nuts and bolts.

Because of the simplicity of design, teardrop racks are highly durable and stable in high traffic situations (usually within warehouses).

Teardrop racks are known for ease of use and compatibility across multiple brands, which can provide the right fit for new furniture along with an expandable system, without losing the current warehouse storage system. Teardrop pallet racks are used in many storage environments including:

• Narrow Aisle Racking
• Drive-in Racking
• Double Deep Racking
• Carton Flow Racking
• Shuttle Pallet Racking

All of the previous types of racking equipment provide flexibility and the ability of the systems to grow at the same time. Teardrop racks provide modularity that allows for compatibility with bulk storage, carpet storage, drum storage, tire storage, cable reel storage, racking-supported mezzanines, and more industies.

Rivet structures have high shear resistance, resulting in minimal stretching and cracking during the manufacturing beam connector. The load on the upright holes in the rivet beam connector is downward vertical.

The rivet material is shaped into hook and punched for the stamped beam connector, and designed to satisfy standard temperature ratings.

The load weight capacity must be evaluated so load weight in cold storage; bolt connections between beam connectors and the upright holes have tension created by the bolt attachment of the stamp with the load.

The two beam connectors on a beam are of the same nature, therefore the beam’s orientation can change vertically to the upright position or be positioned to the upside-down position vertically without affecting the weld position; it only needs to be turned around 180 degrees.

The back of the connector could be used for either bottom beam or upper beam requirements. Due to the types of materials, stamped beam connectors are hung in only one position.

Therefore, the customer that requires both a bottom beam and an upper beam will limit there to at least two types of beams, which make installation more complex and more difficult for a customer who operates in a cold storage environment.

Rivet beam connectors can be made of just about any material on the basis of requirements without being limited by the level of workmanship. In a cold storage environment, various materials can be used that are low-temperature resistant.

The thickness of the material used to make structural rivet beam connectors can be adapted to suit the load weight capacity requirements.

However, the strength of the material can limit the use of stamped beam connectors, as they are formed by stretching the material to form the hook shape with a punch. Stamped beam connectors should have reasonably strong tensile properties for where the rivet is to be fastened. For example, SPHC material less than 3.5 millimeters thick.

#3. Multi-Tier Pallet Racks

Multi-tiers pallet racks are good for maintaining easy access to parts, components and other items that are stored on a tall lattice rack with many levels of storage that can be accessed via a set of stairs.

Multi-tier pallet racks are extremely useful when maximizing vertical storage potential where we have limited floor space. Multi-tier pallet racks can take advantage of wasted building height to increase storage capacity, without creating change to the fundamental structure of the facility.

Multi-tier pallet racks are a high-density storage system, applicable to dense inventory stocking, small parts storage, industrial packing areas, and order-picking type environments that require direct access to individual Stock Keeping Units (SKUs).

Each level of a multi-tier pallet rack is accessed via stairs, which are contractor-specified to the design the multi-tier pallet rack was initially intended to support.

In addition to having a multi-tier design, the design of any multi-tier has variation based on its intended use. Each multi-tier rack can be a continuation to a mezzanine that has been added in support of additional office and work space to be used in conjunction with the existing structure, or simply be a collection of shelving units.

Their design is subject to the desires and requirements of the user. Storage rack manufacturers can work with their customer to design forms of multi-tier pallet racks that match the organization of the customer.

In a custom-designed fashion, multi-tier racks can efficiently accommodate pick bins, conveyor systems, and automated storage retrieval systems (ASRS) to support scalable and modern-day warehouse practices and operations.

#4. Drive-In Racks

Drive-in racks, as the name indicates, are built for storing bulk quantities of like products, and are well designed to hold substantial efforts of individual palletized SKUs.

Drive-in racks, a high density storage method, is sometimes called deep-lane racking solution, and can provide high levels of spatial efficiency. Drive-in racks maximize volumetric storage, like block stacking, and they provide forklifts that can directly enter into lanes for placement and retrieval of pallets.

Drive-in racks are built with several rows of racks making internal lanes that have rails to support pallets and allows for Last-In/First-Out (LIFO) or First-In/First-Out (FIFO) inventories depending on the method of configuration.

Forklift trucks access these inner aisles with the loads raised higher than the level of their placements. There are supporting rails on both sides of each loading aisle so that pallets can be placed in stacks using different locations.

Drive-in racking systems are made-up of extremely high-end materials and are capable of holding fully loaded pallets; they are typically found in cold storage warehouses, food processing plants, or high turnover products.

Drive-in storage racks are a successful warehouse racking system and are a good way to maximize storage space. It allows the warehouse to have a foot-print that is more efficient and generally they allow weight loads from 500 kg to 1500 kg per pallet.

Adjustable rails make each aisle more efficient and allows for ease of assembly. The drive-in rack systems use FILO (First-In, Last-Out) or FIFO (First-In, First-Out) types of load management systems and are often used for large quantities of products with the same SKU and where selectivity is not important. T

hey are a low-cost, high-density storage option for frozen food, beverage, and bulk storage warehouses.

The number of SKU’s that a drive-in racking system can be safely stored within it is the same number of loading aisles. The storage space depth and height of the aisles will dictate how many pallets you can store.

Each loading aisle within the system should contain a single SKU, if possible to reduce handling of additional pallets. Aisle depth is based on the number of pallets you have for each SKU, as well as available space and how long pallets will be stored.

Drive-in rack frames and usable slots for beams and support are every 75 mm apart.The overall frame depth is based on the measurements of the storage aisles and height, measurements and weights of the stored pallets.

Storage racking can be single or double arm. The single arm is mounted left or right of the racks and the double arm is mounted in the middle. For beam attachments, raw steel is tested by a third-party quality and safety analysis facility.

The racks will typically have a three hooker, to support heavy loads and allow the beam load to travel vertically down the front face of the upright. Each beam connector has five safety pins for added safety, to prevent the beam from inadvertently becoming unattached while being used.

In drive-in racks, the support rail is stamped, and lengths can be adjusted to fit specific needs. Support rails are manufactured without the use of connectors to ensure the load is distributed evenly.

The general advantages to drive-in racks is there strength under heavy loads, and ability to place and center pallet loads consistently because of the rail profiles. Furthermore, top beams and top bracings support the strength and integrity of the storage support system.

#5. Pallet Shuttle Racks

The Pallet Shuttle Rack System is a compact, semi-automatic storage module, that consists of a shuttle with electric motors, driven by moving on rails depending on which storage lane the pallet is to be stored.

The shuttle system removes the use of a fork lift to enter the deep storage areas.The automated shelving framework lifts overall efficiency and throughput in the warehouse by grouping the goods by channel (total equal channel counts) and allows for remarkable space optimization and fast pallet workflow.

It improves the depth space utilization, decreases the risk of forklift incidents and racking damage, reduces operator movement, and adds a level of modernization and flexibility to warehouse operations.

The shuttle rack method is especially suited for agencies with significant amounts of pallets per SKU and short loading and unloading cycles – mainly food, beverage, and cold storage where temperature management is critical.

A Pallet Shuttle Rack System is comprised of a support racking, a shuttle rail, and a shuttle cart. The cart is typically electric motor driven, lies on rails and is controlled by remote. A forklift moves the cart to the appropriate channel.

The shuttle rack alleviates space utilization and operational efficiencies by alleviating a forklift from the aisles and racking.

Pallet Shuttle racks provide great flexibility and can be designed to accept several different products from channel to channel. The system has the potential to improve productivity by improving the flow in and out phase of the channel.

Pallet Shuttle racks have low costs of ownership through less operating costs, maintenance, and incident costs. These racks offer significant value in cold storage and will perform as intended through lowered temperatures and simple racking solutions that minimize stick time resulting from maximum storage options.

Once combined with warehouse management software, inventory tracking (barcoding/RFID), pallet shuttle racks will provide more visibility for real-time picking and replenishment along with additional improvement to inventory accuracy.

#6. Double Deep Racks

Double deep pallet racks can accommodate two pallets deep in a single entry version and in a double entry system would accommodate 4 pallets deep (2 SKUs shipped). As an option, double deep pallet racks may help facilitate shipping valuable large single SKU orders.

By utilizing fewer aisles, double deep racking maximizes stored units (and storage density). If your inventory of SKUs warrants several pallets per SKU and has moderate selectivity, double deep racking could fit your needs; however, the limited access is limited to the front pallets.

Most people would require specialized lift equipment that is fitted with double depth telescopic forks or deep reach trucks.

The structural design of a double deep pallet rack is identical to a conventional selective pallet rack; there are different designs but the components remain the same.

Moving from selective racking to double deep improves storage density as the racking ratio of aisles to rack changes to provide more pallet storage versus aisle and retrieve. With proper rotation, there will likely be about 50% of pallets available for dangers.

In the design, there is likely to be at least 90% of space utilized in storage capacity. On the bottom beam there is enough room for the reach truck to get completely under the bottom beam since it is off the ground.

This storage approach is particularly advantageous for managing SKUs with many pallets. Double deep racking is often an option in manufacturing warehouses, retail distribution centers, and where companies are trying to maximize density while maintaining access and accuracy of picking.

#7. Very Narrow Aisle Racks

The Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) rack system, as its name suggests, maximizes both floor space and vertical height to gain the maximum storage density.

The VNA rack system is specifically for using very narrow aisles (1,500-2,000mm) and can optimize both square footage and vertical volume to provide an increase in warehouse storage capacity.

The key feature is that direct access to each pallet is maintained through the use of specialized articulated forklifts or turret trucks, which enable safe and effective operations in the VNA rack systems.

The VNA rack system is designed for use in high volume environments where inventory accuracy and streamlined order picking and transaction speeds are critical operational goals.

These types of environments might include e-commerce fulfillment centers or third-party logistics (3PL) warehouses.

Forklifts used in a VNA system have masts that can move left or right as required, they can have elevating operator cabins, which also facilitate manual order picking.

However, very flat floors, perfectly aligned rack systems, consistent pallet sizes, and accurate stock locating systems must be maintained with all the pieces often working with formal warehouse management software or automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

As well, design interactions between all the system components must be considered for a successful implementation and proper aisles will have floor guides.

The very narrow aisle racks save space by having, even more, narrow aisles, to increase storage density while allowing direct access to each stored pallet. The free-roaming trucks on the floor allow fabricating with a multi-aisle touch.

Direct service to much of the floor space is only accomplished at high speed through specialized equipment and the use of safe and careful material handling is monitored throughout the operation to course and avoid damaged and ensure safe operations.

A strong, very level floor is critical to deal with the weight of large loads. A VNA layout is an important part of the use of floor space and warehouse automation systems maximizing cubic capacity.

#8. Longspan Shelving

Longspan shelving is designed for the manual storage of medium and small products, boxes and pick bins. This adaptable racking system can accommodate a wide range of unit loads as it consists of racks, so it is usable by everything from cartons and totes to irregular shaped items, while allowing access to everything, at the same time.

Similar to this, the fundamental form of longspan shelving can easily attach different options for customization; dividers, deck, fabric. Longspan shelving remains a popular basic for backrooms, storerooms, light-duty warehouses, retail storage, and pick modules where adaptive and inexpensive shelving systems are required.

Longspan shelving is easily erected, and because of a boltless assembly and fully-adjustable modular shelf heights, it provides a flexible option for changing storage applications and is facilitatory to any current material handling strategy.

#9. Carton Flow Racks

Carton Flow Rack Systems maximize efficiency in case picking operations through dense cubic storage for cartons and small unit loads. Given a grade, carton flow rack integrates gravity-fed wheels or rollers to allow lightweight unit loads to flow freely from the back of the rack to the front of the rack.

The addition of the gravity factor speeds case fulfillment timelines, increases volumes while improving accuracy.

This is another option used in an assortment of applications and is alternatively known as flow-through racks or gravity flow racks, is style of first-in/first-out (FIFO) inventory management system and allows dynamic replenishment using distributed product inventory into an assortment of warehouse, distribution centre, and assembly line applications which require faster turnover of stock or split-case pick.

Similar to carton flow racks, the pallet flow rack system, with its conveyor wheel shelving, allows back-loaded pallets to flow by gravity towards the front or pick face for either automated or manually picking.

Thus, this system is particularly designed for high-volume storage of perishable products, items that have high turnover, or where FIFO control is critical.

The push-back rack system also features wheels within the rack structure, batch storing palletized items by pushing them up a gently sloped ramp, maximizing density while allowing multiple-pallet-deep storage.

Gravity flow rack technologies minimize picking error, enhance the efficiency of restocking, and support high-frequency throughput operations, where the bottom line is space and labor-efficiency.

Applications and Benefits of Storage Racks

Rack systems are used in nearly every industry where it is imperative to create storage environments for products or materials that are organized. These include but are not limited to:

• Aerospace
• Appliances
• Automotive
• Beverages
• Chemicals
• Consumer products
• Construction
• E-commerce
• Food
• Hardware
• Hospitals
• Manufacturing
• Processing of materials
• Paper
• Pharmaceutical
• Plastics
• Distribution and warehousing for retailers

Benefits of Storage Racks

• Rack systems increase cube or usable volume of a structure, because they improve the use of volume in a facility.
• The procedural flow – A rack system can hold components or WIP, as part of an assembly or manufacturing process.       
• Rack systems store objects until they are later processed or picked.           
• The storage density is considerably higher than a standard fixed shelf, conserving valuable space.   
• Suited to smaller amounts of slow-turning inventory.          
• Floor space is saved with about an 80 percent ground utilization.  
• Direct access to each item, regardless of FIFO.         
• The storage density of a unit can be increased to just about double that of fixed pallet racking.   
• The structure is uncomplicated and the system easy to use.
• Great for inventory items of an unusual shape. For example, if you need to stock timber, rolled carpeting, bar stock, metal tubing or pipe, or sheets of plasterboard, a cantilever racking system is a terrific answer. The type of materials in inventory turn to be irregularly shaped and unsuitable for conventional racking systems.           
• Inventory merchandise is stored off the warehouse floor. Whenever you choose to utilize the floor of the warehouse to
• house inventory merchandise, you increase your risk of a collision from a forklift truck which will cause damage. There is also a higher likelihood of dirt and dust accumulating on these items. Pushed back from the floor, cantilever racks keep the items clear of dirt and dust.  
• The footprint is small. Maximal use of available floor space is a considerable objective in the construction of modern warehouses. Therefore a priority is to minimize the footprint of any storage solution to maximize the amount of space utilized for storage in the warehouse.
• Cantilever racks have a smaller footprint than floor stacking, which means they take up less valuable floor area.
• It is easy to set up and modify the configuration. Cantilever racks have hair pin keepers which allow you to easily and quickly modify the system to meet your specific needs. You have fewer limitations on how high or low you place the arms, since there are no shelves.
• There are no vertical obstructions. With cantilever arms, you can stack materials as high as you want without vertical obstructions. This also increases visibility under overhead light systems and provides easier access for fire suppression systems.
• Cantilever racking increases labor efficiency. Cantilever racking promotes worker efficiency as it reduces time spent retrieving and storing items. This saves money and reduces time in storage location.
• This technology gives workers further access to inventory, leading to faster and safer identification and retrieval of products. Cantilever racks are built tough, cantilever rack arms are structural steel channel bolts between frames for strength and stability. Heavy duty and extra heavy-duty uprights are compatible with sets of braces.

Disadvantages of Storage Racks

• The overall design of the system is a little more complicated, takes more care, an incurs slightly higher manufacturing costs.
• There will be more electromechanical devices and maintenance is more difficult. The existing ground must also be destroyed in order to install the track.
• Trackless mobile shelves do not eliminate the surface below, yet there is a higher price. They are more expensive than track mobile storage.
• A higher price, because the racking system will be built or customized to meet the specific demands of your warehouse, cantilever racking requires a larger investment of capital upfront than stack on the floor; in other words, you will need to be certain that there is enough room between cantilever racking for practice to access the aisle and maneuver forward and backward with a forklift truck. Ultimately, whether adopting a cantilever system costs you more or less over the long-term, depends on whether it protects your products and increases employee productivity. Stack on the floor may be disorganized in your warehouse, and you may not realize the potential development of your space.
• Cantilever racks create more overall warehouse capacity than to stack on the floor; however, they will never be an option for palletized products or small items. Consider new or used drive-in/drive-thru or selective pallet racking, for example, if the need is classified palletized product. If you were to add decking to your racking on the goods receipt or receiving area’s back to create a cantilever shelf, it could also accommodate various other things such as furniture atop the shelf as well.

Systems of Inspection Maintenance

Your rack should be inspected routinely, but they should also always be maintained. They may be robust, and built to carry considerable loads, but they are still subject to potential collapse.

It is imperative to ensure your product is not at risk of damage, and it is additionally imperative to control the risks to the safety of your operators and to ensure they do not collate.

Maintenance is vital for pallet racks in warehouses. According to the Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI), maintenance may appear simple to the outside observer, however, the operators know full well that it is not a simple task.

Even though the stacked pallets may appear simple resting on the beams and columns, any added bending load could start to compromise the whole framework.

This is why it is imperative that you maintain and inspect your pallet racks on a regular basis. It is necessary to maintain and inspect them correctly and professionally to ensure the operator and structure are both safe.

This article will outline the importance of your pallet rack inspection and maintenance and provide you with the guidance you require to perform the inspections and maintenance properly.

Inspection of Storage Racks

Pallet rack inspection is an important aspect to protect material as well as men and women, both of which have an intended lifespan, as well as to meet the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.

Warehouse safety includes, among other things, ventilation, aisle widths that allow safe movement, debris-free floors, clean production, and no slick surfaces.

So, the industrial warehouse must be inspected regularly to maintain acceptable working conditions as well as to protect the safety of the operator.

Pallet rack inspection consists of two steps:

1. Rack Structure and Condition: This inspection will include all specifications as outlined in the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). The SEMA approved rack inspector (SARI) will identify crushed or sheared frames, bent beams and columns, broken or damaged anchors or footplates, and all aspects to identify damage to the frames. This check of the warehouse rack provides a basis for the future viability of a production facility.
2. 2.Inspection for Prevention and Protection: Observing for lift truck collisions, shelf overloads, and sanitization is all part of the prevention and protection warehouse rack inspection. The inspection assesses the aisle area to avoid lift truck accidents while also looking at the racks for levels of loading and weight distribution. The cleaner racks are also inspected to ensure no dust, oil, rusts, or contamination of any kind exist.

Maintenance of Storage Racks

Walters (2016) indicated that maintenance of pallet racks is vital for extending their life; pallet racks can be consistently placed under uneven and excessive loads where the potential can lead to damage of some sort.

To prevent or rectify any damage, it is necessary to follow RMI guidelines for assessing and or the remediating of broken racks. Racks that require repairs must be performed by a qualified individual as according to the RMI codes using equipment that is appropriate for the modification to ensure future safe, and successful use of the racks.

Categorically, the first step in warehousing rack maintenance should be an inspection. When they are inspected and repairs are made then the warehouse rack system can continue to operate normally.

In developing a strategy for an ongoing maintenance program, as noted with, an overloading scenario where the effect of excessive stress on system is never desirable, since they can be restocked or other commodities added to it.

Besides reducing the stress at the joints for future scenarios, pallets should always be stacked evenly; upright stacking may actually distribute some of the beam bending stress better than the horizontal stacking.

Always change broken base plates and bolts to ensure long-term use of the pallet racks. It is also important to keep aisles free of debris and speed of lifts to a minimum to reduce the level of accidents. Regular cleaning, rust proofing and disinfecting is also very important to sustain the racking system.