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Top 3 most dangerous pallet racking damages that you can check for right now

Check out these high-risk areas of your pallet racking yourself to see if your racking needs urgent repair.

End frames

Warehouses need to utilise as much space as possible and many will try to use the space at the end of the row to store or hold pallets but this can lead to damage to the end frames. As multiple pallets pile up and out, the forklift movement pushes them further into the frame and can lead to warped bracing or dented posts that create severe structural damage.

Damage to the end frames can be fixed easily and may be able to be repaired in place but may require a full emptying of the bay and loss of productivity. To prevent this, avoid placing pallets next to the end frames where possible. Install end frame protectors and check often for bent or cracked steel on the posts and bracing.


Bottom bracing

The bottom horizontal and first diagonal bracing is commonly damaged from pallets not being placed straight in the bay. Less care is taken on the ground level as this is ‘easy’ for the operator. Pallets that are put in and taken out of the bay that are on an angle typically make contact with the horizontal and/or the first diagonal and bend them.

The fix is the same as with the end frame – you may be able to repair in place, or you may need to unload the bays either side of the frame. If you’ve found this type of damage you may need to install post protectors or in-frame protectors – this will ensure the pallet is pushed away from the frame upon entry and exit.

Your beam is probably the part of the racking system that is most likely to kill someone.


Safety clips

Safety clips, safety clips, safety clips! Safety clips are a small, usually silver-coloured pin that stops the beam from coming free of the slot. You may have a nut and bolt, a powder coated pin or a new-style flat clip. Your beam is probably the part of the racking system that is most likely to kill someone. A beam with a missing clip is like a game of Russian roulette – all it takes is a large pallet below to go up 1cm too much and the beam above can become dislodged and the operator below may not be aware of what has occurred until they start removing the pallet. The level above the pallet being removed may become unstable so your stock along with the beam may come crashing to the ground.

Have a look at every beam in your warehouse and make sure each has two clips or fastenings on each beam. Safety clips are cheap to buy and easy to install so if you need some but aren’t sure what type, snap a photo of your posts and beams next to a tape measure, email it through to in**@ma***************.nz and we’ll let you know what brand of racking you have.

Too busy to check this all out yourself? We offer pallet racking audits and inspections for any type of racking with no obligations from $400 + GST. Check out in detail what we do HERE, or contact us using the form below and we’ll come out at your convenience for a full safety check.