To Prevent Disaster, Inspect Racks Regularly

In any busy warehouse, dock, or distribution center, the one piece of equipment that typically takes the most abuse is the modest rack. Most businesses depend on their racking systems to reliable hold their materials until they are ready to be shipped and/or moved.

But racks do a great job protecting materials from becoming damaged or destroyed by forklifts, pickers, and other threats, they often do so at the expense of their own integrity. All day long, racking shelves, beams, braces, and other parts can be subject to collisions, dents, vibrations from passing vehicles, and other dangers.

Over time, a lot of little issues can build up to bigger problems. And if a rack should fail, it can be disastrous — not only for the materials they hold but also for the personnel on the ground.

Schedule Regular Inspections

The solution is to make inspecting your racking systems a part of your regular routine.

Racks should be inspected according to a pre-determined schedule. But not all racks need to be inspected with the same frequency. Racks that are in the busiest aisles with the most traffic should be inspected more frequently because they have the biggest risk of being impacted by vehicles and other common dangers.

Similarly, racks in transfer aisles are also more prone to damage. Top priority also should be given to inspecting racks that contain high-value materials because if something goes wrong, the business has more to lose.

What to Look For

During rack inspections, look for obvious signs of damage, including bent or broken shelves or supports, base plate and anchors that have torn loose, or corners that are indented.

Bring a plumb line and check to make sure columns still make a 90-degree angle where they meet the floor. Check the areas where beams connect and lock to columns for damage to tabs, studs, and bolts. Take materials off the shelves so you can see the wire decks and cross bars.

Repair any damaged areas before placing materials back onto the racks. It’s often a good idea to have spares available of the most used parts for racking systems. That way, if there is a problem it can be fixed on the spot, rather than keeping that area out of service until parts can be shipped.

Racks are something most businesses take for granted. But because they are in the line of fire every day, they require more attention.