rack collapse Archives - Barpro Storage SA (Pty) Ltd

Rack Safety Inspections

Complimentary Products, General Interest, Maintenance, Mobile Racking, Other Products, pallet rack collapse, Safety, Tips, Uncategorized / admin

In the last issue we talked about the sometimes disastrous, but fortunately uncommon, instance of rack collapse, and here we continue the discussion with further comment about the importance of damage inspections. We pointed out that a properly designed rack will only collapse if it is damaged or abused. It is an unfortunate fact of life that pallet racking in cold stores and warehouses is often subject to damage, usually by handling equipment, and this is true even with the best training and attitude on the part of operators. Modern racking is designed with built-in safety factors, and is usually able to sustain a certain amount of damage without seriously compromising its performance. However, it must be understood that racking is invariably made from the lightest possible steel sections in order to maintain price competitiveness. Accordingly it is vital that racking is regularly and systematically checked for damage, that this damage is formally reported and recorded, and that remedial action is effected immediately. The actual inspection can usually be tasked to a designated supervisor, but the responsibility rests with everyone from the Managing Director downwards. The inspector needs to be specifically trained for the job so that he has a clear understanding of what constitutes damage, the level of severity of such damage, and to what extent this presents danger to the overall integrity of the system. Pallet beams and frame uprights are the components most frequently damaged by forklifts, and these are the vital load-bearing elements of the system. Dents, twists, and deflections have clearly defined and measurable limits of acceptability, and the inspector has to systematically check for these damages, and to know how to measure and grade them for severity. ENQUIRE NOW The actual measuring of deflections, twisting, etc. can assist by means of a Rack Inspection tool, which is available from Barpro at our Cape Town or Johannesburg offices. Damage grading is generally divided into colour-coded categories, whereby red is serious and requiring immediate remedial action (meaning, apart from anything else, completely unloading the affected rack without delay); orange is less serious and requires action, but without the same urgency; green covers issues that do not need urgent action but have to be noted, and monitored at next inspection. Recording the damage is by means of a check-list in chart format where each component is identified (beam, frame, connector, etc) according to exact location (rack number, bay number, level) to enable remedial action and ongoing control. These records should be centrally filed for immediate senior management access, and stored as history for future reference. How often should racking safety inspections be carried out? The simple answer is “as often as possible. In practice of course, one has to be realistic. The ideal situation is whereby each and every person working within the facility accepts that part of his job is to be aware of the potentials for danger and to report daily to his manager or supervisor anything that might be of consequence. This will include not only visible damage, but things like missing beam safety clips, poorly stacked pallet loads, careless or bad practices, etc. Once this ‘culture of awareness’ is firmly in place, it should be possible for the actual inspector to limit himself to a weekly walk-about visual check, and a formal inspection perhaps only monthly. Read more: Not all pallets can be safely stored on pallet racking Read more: Pallet Racking Beam Safety Clips Read more: Changing Load Parameters in Mobile Pallet Racking

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Pallet Racking Safety

Pallet Racking Safety- Pallet racking, whether mobile or conventionally fixed, supports heavy loads at considerable heights, and the result of accidents can be catastrophic. At the very least costly hardware and product damage, not to mention lost time – at the worst personnel can get hurt or even killed. For these reasons it is vital to adopt and maintain safe practices at all times. The first rule of rack safety is correct usage. Always ensure that the rack is being used for its intended purpose. Clear signage should always indicate vital information about loading capacities, load dimensions, etc. and these must never be exceeded. No alterations to the racking should ever be made without approval from the original supplier. The second rule is simply summed up as operator training. Handling equipment drivers who are not adequately trained, and made fully aware of the potential dangers of carelessness. One aspect that does require attention is the policing and management of forklift drivers. This can only be achieved by managers and supervisors walking around in the stores on a daily basis, and “pulling drivers over” for minor infringements. This will help to prevent major ones at a later date. The picture above illustrates the sort of thing that happens all too often. In a battle between rack and forklift, the rack will always lose – and this typifies the usual result. This total collapse is fairly extreme; but more insidious – and often not taken sufficient notice of – are frequent on-going minor collisions between forklift and rack. The rack sustains minor damage, often to beams, more usually to the lower sections of the upright, that gradually weakens the structural integrity of the rack. This gradual weakening of the structure can lead to sudden and unprovoked collapse with inevitable results. Which leads us to the third – and possibly most important – rule for rack safety: Regular inspection, and reporting of damages Damage inspections need to become an integral part of daily management in any racked warehouse or store. All personnel need to be aware and involved, with ultimate responsibility delegated to a manager, or at least senior supervisor – this person in turn reporting regularly to top general management. Noticeable damage to uprights or beams is the obvious problem, but some of the additional points to be looked for are excessively bent beams, missing beam locks, unstable loads, damaged pallets, bad house-keeping, and careless attitudes. Inspection of all racks should be conducted routinely and systematically at least monthly, whereby any and all damage is noted, recorded, and reported to the responsible authority. If any doubt exists regarding the seriousness of the situation, then expert opinion needs to be sought – either from the rack supplier or a professional inspector. New racking (second-hand is a no-go) from a reputable supplier has invariably been carefully designed by qualified engineers to perform the functions required of it – but although safety factors are always built into the design, gross misuse is not anticipated and cannot be factored in. Ultimately rack safety is your responsibility. Read more – Rack Safety Inspections Read more – Pallet Racking Beam Safety Clips