When it comes to your warehouse, safety should be a number one priority. You probably do what you can to ensure that you and your employees are following the rules and procedures. When it comes to pallet racking, make sure you are following the safety tips listed below.
1. Install the Racks on Level Ground
While the concrete flooring in your warehouse may look even, it might be a good idea to double check. The last thing you want is your pallet racks to tip over or items falling off the shelves because of uneven flooring.
It only takes a small amount of time to find even flooring in your space, but this can have a huge impact now and well into the future.
2. Protect the Uprights from Collisions
Your racking system is built to be tough and able to withstand a lot of abuse. However, if you have forklifts or other equipment in your warehouse, there’s a chance that they’ll run into the uprights on your system. By adding column protectors, you can reduce the risk of the uprights buckling and the entire shelving system failing.
It’s also a good idea to add end-of-aisle guards as well as floor markings and reflectors to your shelving system. These can further reduce the risk of forklifts and other equipment hitting the columns and causing damage.
3. Make Sure Racks Are Loaded Properly
To keep yourself and your employees safe, it’s vital that everyone knows how to properly load the racks. The loads should be placed squarely on the shelves so that they rest evenly across the load beams. This ensures that the weight is dispersed evenly and prevents the items from buckling and breaking the shelves.
Loading racks properly means giving your employees enough vertical and horizontal space. You may be tempted to load your warehouse with a lot of shelves to store as many products as possible, but this could lead to injuries and damage. For everyone’s safety, make sure there is enough space for equipment to move between the aisles and place items on the highest shelves.
4. Prevent Items from Falling off the Shelves
When it comes to loading racks properly and safely, it’s beneficial to prevent items from falling off the back of the shelves. You probably won’t have all of your pallet racks stacked against a wall, so adding heavy-duty wire mesh or netting to the back of the open shelves is beneficial. You might also consider having backstop beams so that skids can’t be shoved off the back of your rack.
5. Adhere to Weight Capacities
Another way to ensure that your employees are safe is to adhere to the weight capacity of your shelves. These should be clearly marked on all of the beams and uprights, and you should never exceed these weights. If your system was pre-owned and the markings are missing, then taking your own measurements or contacting the manufacturer to find the weight capacities is in your best interest.
It may be tempting to place as many products as possible on the shelves to make a larger profit by storing more items. However, if the shelving system collapses, this can cost you a lot in injury claims and paying for damaged items. Protect your employees and your business and adhere to the posted weight limits of your shelving system.
Pallet Racks and Safety
Adding pallet racks to your business is a great way to ensure you have the space to store a wide variety of products. They can also be cost effective. However, to ensure that you and your employees are safe, it’s important to have some safety protocols and processes in place.
Working with a company that installs pallet racks ensures that you get the system that works best for you. They’ll be able to find the storage solution that fits your needs and your budget. They can even meet you at your site and take measurements so that you get the best system for your space.
The right company will even be able to inspect your current system for damage or other issues and make any necessary repairs. This coupled with the safety tips listed above will ensure that your system is in good working order to keep your employees safe and your warehouse running smoothly.
Bio: Lisa Eclesworth is a notable and influential lifestyle writer. She is a mom of two and a successful homemaker. She loves to cook and create beautiful projects with her family. She writes informative and fun articles that her readers love and enjoy. You can directly connect with her on email – lisa@lisaeclesworth.com or visit her website www.lisaeclesworth.com
