Safety

Top pallet racking faults – Maintenance & Safety Henceforth our newsletter will feature racking faults discovered by Barpro’s Rack Inspector on his travels throughout Southern Africa. The aim is to promote greater awareness and safety amongst our subscribers. This month we are highlighting the consequences of improper maintenance of racking structures. FAULT A rack inspection was conducted within a freezer store recently and our Inspector came across a frame that was cut. It could either have been cut during or after installation. There was still a load on top of the rack. CONSEQUENCES This type of action may shorten the longevity of the racking superstructure or even worse cause a rack collapse. It illustrates the importance of having a firm grasp on the racking system in use.  This enables you to identify the necessary remedial action. This should include a rack safety training course (such as the one we offer) which will teach all operators from the forklift drivers through to management and maintenance about the safety of the structure. Your staff will then be equipped to safely utilise racking systems. RECOMMENDATION This issue poses a substantial risk and warrants immediate intervention. In these circumstances the racks must be offloaded immediately and demarcated to prevent any further damage to the racking structures. It is important that everyone from the forklift operators, warehouse staff and management are taught about the maintenance and safety of the racking structure. Such training is of the utmost importance as it reduces the risk of serious injury or loss of life and prevents operations from being compromised. For more information on Rack safety training and inspections please contact Barpro’s Rack Inspector.