As a racking supplier this video is the stuff of nightmares. Having been in the business for over twenty years I have seen the result of rack collapses although thankfully very few on this scale.
Rack collapses have been divided by some into “good” and “bad” rack collapses. The video below qualifies as a “bad” collapse. A “good “collapse is where only one bay of racking comes down with pallets, but it doesn’t spread like the proverbial dominoes as it did in the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJc4akBOWKw
9 ways to stop your warehouse racking from suffering a similar fate
- Buy your racking from a reputable supplier. As there are no enforceable rack standards in South Africa your choice of supplier becomes even more important.
- Make sure the racking is correctly installed. Again, make sure you or the rack supplier subcontracts to a reputable installer.
- Do not restrict access aisle widths. I know narrow aisles may result in an additional run of racking and thus more pallet spaces, but it will inevitably mean more rack damage from forklift/reach truck impacts, increasing the potential for a “bad” collapse.
- If the access aisles in a racked warehouse are designed for a reach truck, under no circumstances allow a counterbalance forklift to put away a few pallets.
- Conduct weekly checks using a trained employee to identify, isolate and offload any racking that is damaged. Properly fix the damaged rack immediately. Barpro can supply rack testing tools at a nominal cost. At least once a year use a qualified rack inspector for an “external” check.
- Make sure the pallets loaded into the racking are correctly sized and not overweight. There should be boards on each rack giving this information.
- Really train your forklift and reach truck drivers as they are the only thing between you and a “bad” rack collapse. Don’t use trainers who are cheap. Go to town with eye, perception and reaction tests. Remember every driver will develop bad habits so use regular refresher courses to identify and eliminate them.
- Train your warehousing supervisory staff to pick up bad driving practices when they happen. If they are not picked up then eventually you will have a “bad” collapse. This is critical in preventing rack collapses but isn’t done in South Africa……….
- Always discipline drivers who drive badly.
And when you are walking around your warehouse specifically look for unreported rack damage. When you find it treat it with the seriousness it deserves.
This is not a Storax mobile racking system and because of the Storax side member the driver would not have been able to hit the rack frame.