Pallet racking can be a large investment for a business. Because of this, when buying, installing, and using pallet racking, it’s important that all of this is done correctly. If any mistakes are made, they can potentially be costly.
Thankfully pallet racking is relatively simple and, if you know what you’re doing and have the right help, they can be avoided. And if mistakes are avoided, a business can not only get the most out of their pallet racking, but also ensure that it remains sturdy and durable for years to come.
So, in order to avoid making potentially costly mistakes, let’s explore some of the ways a business can do the wrong thing when it comes to pallet racking.
Avoid Using The Wrong Kind Of Pallet Racking
With so many varieties of pallet racking available, it’s easy to get confused and decide to buy the wrong thing for your warehouse storage. If you’re budget conscious, selective pallet racking may look like a good affordable option for warehouse storage, but it may not be the optimal density for your space, costing more time and money in the long term. On the other side of this, a business too focused on optimising warehouse space may look at denser pallet racking options and lose the selectivity they need to run an optimal warehouse.
There’s a lot to consider here, and it pays to speak to an expert who can understand the storage needs of a specific business and present options in both pallet racking type as well as warehouse layout. In some cases, a variety of pallet racking types may also be a good option.
Make Sure Pallet Racking Is Professionally Installed
One of the benefits of many types of pallet racking is that it’s often modular in nature. Beams and uprights can fit together in different ways to create a variety of warehouse storage solutions for a business. This may make it seem like it’s easy to erect and install, but this can be a costly mistake for a business to make.
In all workplaces, safety needs to be of the highest importance, and a professional pallet racking installation will ensure that the pallet racking is safe and does not risk collapse.
Also important is that all pallet racking needs to be professionally certified with the Australian Standard AS4084:23. If pallet racking is professionally installed, the company that installed it will be able to certify it and, if a mistake is made during installation, that company can fix it. If a business chooses to erect their pallet racking themselves, it may not be able to get certified, costing more time and money to rectify.
Don’t Set Yourself For Failure (Number 1): Make Sure You Install Pallet Racking Protection
It may be tempting not to install pallet racking protection, but it’s setting yourself up for failure. Pallet racking protection does exactly what it sounds like: it protects pallet racking from damage.
One of the main ways pallet racking is damaged is due to collisions with forklifts; this happens even with the most experience forklift operators. Warehouses get busy and accidents like this happen. When pallet racking protection is installed, any damage is usually isolated to the protection itself, rather than the pallet racking. The protection can then be replaced or repaired for a much lower cost than repair or replacement of the pallet racking. And while the protection is being replaced, the pallet racking can usually keep operating because its integrity likely hasn’t been compromised.
Don’t Set Yourself Up For Failure (Number 2): Follow Load Guidelines On Your Pallet Racking
Another way to set yourself up for failure is to overload pallet racking. All pallet racking is designed and rated for specific maximum loads, and this should be specified by the manufacturer and posted on signage.
Overloading or improperly loading pallet racking can cause irreversible damage to the racking such as bending beams, warping, and twisting. This can not only be unsafe, but also can be costly to repair and even result in the pallet racking having to be unloaded until the repairs are made.
Be Prepared For Inspections And Get Ahead Of Repair Requirements
Pallet racking inspections are required to be conducted every 12 months. This is required to ensure that the pallet racking is safe to use and doesn’t have any damage that needs to be repaired. After inspection, any issues found need to be rectified before the racking can be certified again. If there is an issue or damage that’s big enough, pallet racking may need to be unloaded until after it’s been made safe again.
Because of this, it’s important to stay ahead of inspections and stay ahead of repair requirements.
Although pallet racking only needs to be formally inspected yearly, we always encourage clients to inspect their own pallet racking themselves and conduct repairs as needed. This way, a formal yearly pallet racking inspection becomes an easy job with little to no business downtime due to surprises.
Contact Us For Pallet Racking Advice
If you need new pallet racking or help with your existing pallet racking, feel free to get in touch with us. We can provide advice on what pallet racking to use, optimal warehouse layouts, and more.
