Pallet Racking Maintenance – The Complete FAQ Guide
The pallet racking system is used in a wide range of industries. It brings together numerous advantages. Not only is it cost-effective, but it also helps industries to save storage space as well as increase their efficiency.
But pallet racking also requires regular maintenance. Correct maintenance can extend the life of a shelf, even more than ten years.
Organization
How to place the pallet racking is a very important issue. The right placement of the pallet racking allows for more space to be used.
And the aisles will also be more spacious. This also prevents accidents during the loading and unloading of goods and provides some protection for pallet racking.
Loading
The forklift truck is a helper when accessing goods on the racking. That’s why we need to drive forklifts in and out of the racks when accessing goods.
Inevitably, in the process, the racks will be bumped. This is why it is important to pay attention to the distance between the forklift truck and the racking and to provide regular training for forklift drivers.
Reinforcement
There are various protective measures that can be taken for racking.
Firstly, when installing racking, make sure that the columns are fixed to the floor and that the floor is level. Secondly, we can install shelf and post guards to protect the racking.
Proper protection is one way to maximize the life of your racking.
Cleaning
Regular cleaning of the pallet racking is also vital.
Especially in the chemical industry, if corrosive chemical products are stored, the racking system must be cleaned regularly. Otherwise, it will cause corrosion to the pallet racking and thus affect the age of use.
Even if you are storing non-corrosive products, regular cleaning is good for pallet racking.
Inspection
All items are subject to varying degrees of wear and tear in the course of use. This is particularly true of racking. That is why they need to be checked and maintained by professionals from time to time.
If you find something that needs to be repaired, make sure you deal with it promptly or contact us to get the right solution.
Failure to check regularly can result in irreparable damage or even accidents.
How to perform a pallet racking inspection
1. Inspection of pallet racking overloading damage:
○ Max sag L/200
○ For L=2700 mm -> d=13.5 mm
○ For L=3600 mm -> d=18 mm
2. Inspection of safety pins
○ Each hole must be provided, and if it is lost it needs to be fitted again immediately.
3. Inspection of damage on pallet racking columns and braces (basic level of inspection)
○ 10 mm for diagonal
○ 5 mm column side
○ 3 mm at column depth
According to the above ways to inspect pallet racking system and the result of the inspection, there are some risk levels and some measures can be taken:
GREEN RISK: This level of deformation is in a safe condition, but requires regular inspection and maintenance to avoid further deformation.
ORANGE RISK: At this point, the measured result is already more than the reference. The test result is greater than the parameter, but not twice the parameter. Then it is sufficient to replace the deformed part in good time. Otherwise, the part may become more deformed within 30 days.
RED RISK: The result is over twice as large as the reference. Damaged parts must be replaced immediately and checked again for safety. Otherwise, it could easily lead to a warehouse accident.