Pallet racking systems, for the most part, are pretty self-sufficient. Once you’ve set them up the way you want, you should be able to get right down to using them.
Every once in a while, however, you should take the time to re-evaluate your system to maximum efficiency and to make sure they’re in full compliance with safety standards. After all, your pallet racking system is the backbone of productivity in your warehouse. They need to be properly set up, maintained, and organized to ensure your warehouse is operating at full capacity.
To streamline your warehouse storage solutions for the coming year, you may want to consider updating your current pallet racking system using this guideline.
Changing Safety Standards
When was the last time you performed a full pallet rack safety inspection? If it’s been longer than six months or a year, then there’s no time like the present to do another one.
Pallet racking systems bear the brunt of your business’s load and therefore, they need to be in perfect working order at all times. The only way to make sure that your pallet racking system is perfectly safe is to read up on all of the latest safety regulations in your area. Performing a routine inspection or pre-health and safety review once every six months will also help you stay on top of things.
Minor damages like a few scratches on the façade or peeling paint are acceptable as these are just signs of wear and tear, but don’t impact the structural integrity or usability of the system. Missing and broken-down parts, on the other hand, need to be addressed immediately.
Racking System Problems
Routine pallet racking system inspections can save you a lot of time, money, and stress in the long run. Business ownership comes with a lot of liability. Risk assessment is a necessary component of maintaining high safety standards for your warehouse employees and visitors.
Make sure to correct any issues that are discovered during routine safety checks and inspections. These include dents, missing bolts or screws, or any broken or missing components. Warehouse pallet rack damages are assessed using a three-part rubric:
- Level 1 damages are classified by the colour green. These are low priority, minor damages that don’t need to be fixed right away. But you should keep an eye on them during future inspections.
- Level 2 damages are classified by the colour yellow. These are medium priority damages that should be addressed within the next six to 12 months to make sure they don’t get worse.
- Level 3 damages are classified by the colour red. These are the most urgent types of damages that demonstrate your pallet racking system could be in violation of several health and safety regulations and need to be addressed immediately. You may have to suspend the use of the pallet rack in the meantime.
All levels of damages should be aptly reported and noted during the inspection process, so that warehouse managers are aware of them and can address them appropriately.
Future Growth and Warehouse Capabilities
Industrial storage packing is a complex beast that requires a great deal of planning and fortitude.
Consider your business’s future growth. The new year is the perfect time to assess the storage and space capacities of your existing warehouse and pallet racking system. If your current system simply doesn’t fit into your future growth plans, then it’s time to make some adjustments.
Whether you’re planning on expanding your warehouse by adding more products or hiring more employees, you need to make sure that your pallet racking system can handle the load.
Beam Deflection in the Racking System
Slight beam deflection is perfectly normal when you’re storing heavy inventory on a pallet racking system. However, steel beams should bounce back to a level position immediately after the product is removed. If the beam is still bent even after the product is removed, then this is a sign of damage or weakness in the beam.
The beam either needs to be replaced or reinforced with a stronger support system underneath. Alternatively, you may need to purchase a new racking system that can support the weight of heavier products or rearrange the weight distribution on your current racking system.
Room for Expansion
If you’ve run out floor space and aren’t planning on purchasing a new warehouse location any time soon, then the only direction to go is up. Increasing your inventory volume is a good sign of a healthy business, but it also means you need more space to store new products—unless, of course, you have a fairly fast turnover rate.
To create more storage space, you might have to get a little creative. Vertical expansion in warehouses with high ceilings is a common trend that a lot of facility managers are considering. As long as you have the proper structure for it and the right material handling equipment to reach higher levels of shelving safely, then there’s no reason why you can’t add extra bays on top of your existing pallet racking system.
Corrosion Problems
Corrosion and peeling paint on the surface of your warehouse racking components is a symptom of a much deeper problem: structural weakness and damages. Rusted steel beams are usually too fragile to continue carrying the weight of even the lightest inventory and pose the risk of collapsing at any given moment.
Unfortunately, the only solution for this problem is to replace the damaged portion of the pallet racking system.
Inventory and Location Changes
There’s no one-size-fits-all warehouse storage solution available. Over time, your inventory needs will change. You might increase or decrease the amount of inventory in your warehouse or move to a different warehouse altogether. As a result, your storage capacity will be impacted.
Flexible and customizable modular warehouse storage solutions allow you to alter the height of pallet bays and rearrange the structure to accommodate different types of packaging and achieve even weight distribution throughout. Updating your pallet racking system based on your foreseeable growth is a good idea.
Professional Warehouse Racking Solutions in Toronto
Canadian Rack Technologies Inc. is one of the premier providers of high-quality new and used pallet racks in Toronto. All of our storage racks in Toronto undergo scrupulous pre-health and safety reviews prior to installation. We also perform thorough warehouse, distribution center, and manufacturing facility audits, so that we can recommend the most suitable warehouse racking solutions to our clients based on our engineering expertise. Contact us today for a free estimate!
About: Kevin Ausman
Kevin Ausman is the founder of Canadian Rack Technologies. He has over 30 years of experience in providing safe and efficient turn-key storage solutions and he specializes in pallet racking, pick systems, industrial shelving, mezzanines, cantilever racks, and more. Kevin is dedicated to providing great customer service, listening to client’s needs, and supplying the best products available.