In the event of a pallet racking system collapse, it causes hundreds and thousands of pounds worth of loss and damage to stock, grinding the business to a full stop and potentially causing serious injury to staff and anybody present when the incident occurs.
In the majority of cases, pallet-racking incidents of this nature are fully preventable. It tends to happen due to a combination of bad practices, poor quality or maintenance of the system or improper training being given to staff.
As mentioned, it is preventable from ever happening for the most part. The risks and causes – and the measures implemented to prevent it from happening – are worth looking into now before it is too late.
As well as the most serious aspect – the risk to life – pallet racking collapse poses many other risks to businesses and operatives.
As well as severe injury caused by a collapse, the only instance that could be worse is a death caused by the incident. That is one of the worst scenarios to play out because of negligence with your industrial storage racks. Secondary but no less serious is the fines that you will incur. Under PUWER (Provision of Work Equipment Regulations), a failure to keep working equipment in safe and working order will result in large fines and potential prosecution from HSE.
Stock will almost certainly be a complete write-off as a result of a racking collapse, leaving your reputation with your client tarnished. In addition to the time taken to clear the debris and start a full clean-up operation, HSE may launch an investigation into the collapse which could halt operations further – resulting in customer orders not being fulfilled and contracts lost because of the negative impact caused by your negligence.
Collision from forklift operators is one of the most common causes of pallet racking collapse. It happens when improper training with the drivers is obvious. Everyone has seen the famous video of a careless forklift operator causing an entire bay to crumble to the ground from clipping the racking when carrying a wide pallet through.
When a racking system is overloaded beyond its limit, there is a very good chance that a collapse is imminent. Additionally, overloading racking systems are more prone to structural damage and collapse caused by collisions when they get struck.
Even with the best safety measures in place, a racking system can collapse as a result of negligence by your staff. Cutting back on safety training can be very costly. Every staff member should know when to report a collision or something that looks like it has been compromised.
If you are responsible for the maintenance of your pallet racking within your business, you need to ensure it is well-maintained and compliant. Contact the team at Monarch Shelving today to ensure that your warehouse storage equipment is perfectly protected for your business operations.
General pallet-racking projects can be pretty grand in scope, but they are nothing compared to larger racking projects that are a sight to behold. Naturally, with a much larger scope, there comes a much larger level of planning, detail and care that has to be taken on board to protect the longevity of such an investment.
Whilst many warehouse owners would believe that such a grand structure would be too much in the way of cost, it creates more avenues for additional storage – meaning you have more potential to stock for additional clients or bump up your rates due to the available capacity.
If you are planning a larger scale for warehouse storage equipment or industrial storage racks requirement, take a step back and evaluate the financial investment as well as the opportunities presented by going to a larger scale on your project.
Your supplier for the pallet racking should be able to answer the essential queries around such a system. The main answer should come in the form of whether you will need the larger scale model presently, or will need it in the near future. No company wants to design and install a pallet racking system that does not get you a decent return on your investment.
The designer will be able to determine all risks and design challenges within your specific structure to ensure that the premises can withstand the scope of the project, including considerations for roof lighting and ventilation and aisle space for operation.
A qualified designer and installer for pallet racking will work closely to provide the very best solution. This will include recommending against the system if it is deemed impractical for your needs.
A racking specialist may very well recommend commercial shelving in place of a larger-scale racking installation – especially if your stock has inconsistent loads throughout the year. It may make more sense to shift smaller stock to a separate area decked with shelving that suits it than having everything occupy the racking bays.
On the other hand, if stock is majorly consistent throughout all seasons, larger racking systems can access the maximum ceiling height to benefit from the greater amounts of stock flow all year.
The best way to determine the exact needs of your warehouse layout is to talk with experts in pallet racking and commercial shelving. You may require one or the other or a combination of both. The only way to get an accurate fulfilment of your needs is by consulting an expert at Monarch Shelving.
Call our dedicated team today to evaluate your warehouse needs and solutions.
Owning a smaller warehouse can present a lot of logistical challenges that affect your ideal operational layout. Many smaller warehouse businesses suffer from disorganisation because of the limits imposed on them with smaller space for larger stock loads. The answer to many smaller warehouse operations is not within the space you have, but in the way that your storage is utilised. The way to attain this solution is with pallet racking. So what are the benefits of pallet racking?
Industrial storage racks are unique and ideal for a vast array of markets – from retail storage to manufacturing facilities. These solutions are designed for the storage of higher volumes and higher density of bulk inventory.
The benefits of a well-designed, reinforced and securely fitted racking system prove to be one of the most invaluable assets to your business. To do that, it comes in many different forms that apply to each type of business sector. Adjustable pallet racking is a typical system with wide-aisle access for quick and simple work with individual packages. Drive-in pallet racking is designed for increased storage capacity and efficiency, ideal for bulk storage.
Narrow aisle pallet racking allows for maximised use of space with increased efficiency and minimised rack damage – whilst mobile pallet racking has a movable base that allows you to utilise dead space in the warehouse and increase capacity by 80% in most cases. Additionally, there is live storage racking which is ideal for stock rotation and use in limited space.
Utilising your space is the major factor that businesses have in mind when pallet racking is considered. It makes economic sense to use every square inch of your warehouse, enabling you to meet higher customer demand and increase your overall profits.
Instead of the unnecessary expense of space renovation or relocation to a larger warehouse, pallet racking provides use of that unused vertical space that can truly benefit your business. This helps you to both clear up your warehouse storage area as well as make room for increased demand.
If you don’t have an optimised storage system, access to your stored pallets will be a challenge throughout its use. Pallet racking is specifically designed to make your workplace operations easier and make your process more smooth.
Each system needs to be easily accessible by forklift so that items can be moved, lowered and accessed without any incident. The business is more productive when items can be easily located and your turnaround is much quicker as a result.
Even with a smaller warehouse in operation, you stand to double your potential with pallet racking and assorted warehouse storage equipment options. Contact the team at Monarch Shelving today for all warehouse storage.
There is nothing worse than an impending disaster within your warehouse or distribution centre due to an unsafe racking system. It can be extremely costly in life and business operations when something like a pallet racking system is no longer considered safe for use.
What exactly causes such a reliable system to become such a danger to every part of the business? Furthermore, how can it be prevented?
Let us take a look at some of the common causes associated with pallet racking failure and strategise around ensuring the safety and proper management of your system.
Warehouse storage equipment is essential to operations for businesses storing large quantities of materials. When it is not maintained, it becomes a hazard.
Employees who have inadequate training on using and maintaining industrial storage racks are more likely to be the reason why they ultimately fail and cause catastrophe. The human element must be fully trained and aware of the risks before allowing them anywhere near or around pallet racks.
If you do not regularly inspect and maintain your warehouse racking, the damage and dangers to those around them become much more serious. Racking can become unsafe when signs of wear and tear are ignored, and repairs are pushed off to a later date.
The weight of the load on your pallets is also a key contributor to failure – mainly down to ignoring the required weight and overloading them.
The best way to avoid this is by installing a pallet rack safety system, designed to keep your racks upright and table, even when they are fully loaded – and not exceeding the industry standard weight limits of your designed system.
It is also imperative that you immediately replace any missing or damaged safety clips, keeping your system stable and preventing any beams from becoming dislodged during use. Improper fitting or replacement parts will eventually result in complications that can be devastating.
Moving parts of a pallet racking system can wear out over time, especially when exposed to the environment or chemical products. Rust from these specific exposures can lead to rust which results in costly repair – and even costlier injury to staff and damage to stock.
When a racking system has had an improper installation, it is a ticking timebomb. That is why it is imperative you only use professionals for securing your pallet racking system the first time.
Contact the team at Monarch Shelving today to ensure your business is fully protected again an unsafe racking system.
A pallet rack system is essential for any warehouse seeking to bolster its storage space and keep the organisation in line. Pallet racking is a solution that improves the efficiency of any inventory, no matter how big or small the size of the warehouse.
Space is one of the key worries for warehouses, especially when that space is running out. Warehouses are expensive in both purchase and rent with many businesses feeling the pinch of being able to extend their growth to a second site.
This means that every business needs to be fully utilising their available space in the meantime. pallet racking systems are the most effective solution for this, designing and planning the installation to be specific for the business needs and growth. Without choosing the correct design for your warehouse, storage of goods will become more expensive and complicated, becoming harder to organise accessibility without the right system.
Pallet racking saves considerable space and maximises the use of the existing property.
Product safety should always be a top priority. In using the correct industrial storage racks, you have fantastic safety provided for all products stored as well as the employees working within the area.
Pallet racking is constructed from high-quality materials that ensure a dependable and secure level of storage no matter what type of business you have. All employees must know all safety factors, helping to minimize and prevent injury. All pallet racking can be accessed easily, but ensuring that all employees understand how to use the system keeps them safe and the business running smoothly.
Finding the most convenient and efficient method of storage can be a time-consuming affair, and you have so many other elements that need your attention as a business owner.
If your warehouse is constantly stacked or has a lot of space available, storing your items efficiently is much easier with a high-quality system. Pallet racking improves efficiency and the overall efficiency of the rest of your business. With storing made easier, accessibility is quicker and you open up new potential for storage.
With no specialist equipment needed to store items, forklifts can be used to load and unload materials, without causing any delays or issues with your warehouse operations.
A pallet rack system is a smart business choice that provides storage space for you to grow your business in all seasons and in sales rush periods. Contact the team at Monarch Shelving today for all your commercial storage needs.
A pallet rack collapse is a huge threat to your business, which is why the installation of your system has to be done by an experienced and professional team with all of the qualifications and accreditations to ensure it is done properly.
A racking collapse costs hundreds and thousands of pounds in damage to stock, potentially causing serious harm to warehouse workers and visitors near the system and bringing a close to your business, either temporary or permanent.
The good news is that this is a fairly uncommon occurrence, but it is something that you always need to be aware of. A pallet racking collapse is preventable and only happens when the materials, installation and training around them are at fault – as well as it being unmaintained.
The biggest cause of warehouse storage equipment collapse comes down to overloading your pallets. This should always be avoided as it not only damages the pallet, causing the timber to fracture and collapse the runners, but also contribute to overload on the beams and frames.
Stick to and know your manufacturer’s recommendations on weight loads for your system, and always opt for new pallet racking over second-hand racking, ensuring that any hidden dangers are not just simply sprayed over such as rust and oxidation. If you do not buy new, you will be unaware if the structure has had constant overloading previously.
Display load notices at all times so that staff and forklift drivers are always aware of weight limits to your system. Different types of stock require different types of pallet racking, so make sure that you are using the right pallet racking system for the intended stock.
Forklift incidents are by far the most frequent cause of a pallet rack collapse, sometimes from a single clip of an upright causing an entire aisle to collapse.
Be sure that every driver has received proper training before being allowed to operate a forklift anywhere around your aisles and pallet racking system. Column guards and end-of-racking barriers should also be installed to reduce damages and collapse, as well as ensure that your warehouse pick system has adequate aisle space between racks and speed restrictions are in play for any vehicles around the racks.
Properly mark your floors to highlight potential accident spots and make sure that the forklift operator is using the correct forklift for the job, with aisles clear when operating.
For more safety tips around your industrial storage racks, contact the team at Monarch Shelving today.
Pallet rack safety backing is a measure to improve warehouse safety by preventing any falling items within the warehouse. Warehouse incidents caused by falling items make up a large percentage of the yearly workplace injuries and lost inventory percentages. Over 50,000 workplace injuries occur every year and the main instigator is falling objects from pallet racking and commercial shelving.
The main solution to bolster your warehouse against falling hazards is pallet rack safety backing.
Pallet rack safety backing is made of welded wire mesh panels or nets that attach to the back of your pallet racking system, enclosing the pallet rack bay or shelf level and preventing items from falling, or being pushed off of the racing.
Pallet-racking back guards protect against more than just personal injury. It also protects against lost inventory, pallet racking damage and forklift damage.
It is an added layer of overall pallet rack safety for the warehouse that can be reinforced for overhead storage levels. Any possibility of products falling from overhead is a risk that needs to be minimized in your business. Back-to-back pallet racking systems do not usually require safety backing, but stand-alone rows with open backs not against a wall are the primary culprits for falling stock.
Forklifts can very easily push pallets, boxes and other products too far and off the back of the shelf level.
Designated pedestrian walkways need to be free of hazards, especially falling objects and trip hazards. When working around potential risks, warehouses must have markings and caution signs around the area, and pallet rack netting present.
Some round or cylindrical products are prone to tipping and roll off of shelves, such as canisters or other odd-shaped items. Pallet rack backing or a wire partition needs to be in effect to prevent them from harming staff. High bay racking is nearly impossible to see when loading and unloading, where even the most skilled forklift operators risk bumping or knocking products due to lack of visibility.
Pallet racking back netting prevents damage and harm in these instances where difficult forklift angles can result in an incident.
The wire mesh backing is formed of panels made from sturdy wire mesh, framed and fitted for each specific bay of pallet racking. It is stronger, more durable and safe as a backing option than netting.
Pallet rack netting is similar but consists of plastic or nylon mesh rather than solid metal, able to span an entire row of pallet racking and trimmed according to the system dimensions.
For more information on pallet racking safety measures, contact the team at Monarch Shelving today.
Once you have purchased a pallet racking system from Monarch Shelving, checked the materials and had it delivered, pallet racking installation is the final part of the process. That does not mean it is an easy feat to accomplish once it has arrived.
Depending on the size of the project, certain materials may arrive after the initial components have been delivered. In the majority of cases, the client is excited to see everything arrive on time and ready to go with the installation.
The installation process is meticulously thought out before the materials arrive, with extra thought put into the externals of the building such as roller shutter doors, the yard space, turning circles, height restrictions and the road to the premises.
Can the unit even accept delivery of a 12m pallet racking bundle? And if it cannot, how will those materials be off-loaded and brought into the building? To minimise distance for transport once off-loaded, the materials should be off-loaded internally. Space for a 40ft articulated vehicle reversing into the unit needs access to both sides for easier offloading.
This space needs to be clear of materials, and plant equipment and spacious enough for a temporary construction zone safe from everyone. The installation manager will confer with the team for a suitable set-down zone so that everything can be accessed safely without obstruction.
The project manager will provide each team member with an installation pack containing a fully comprehensive method statement and risk assessment. Depending on the size of the project, several drawings will be included for a clear method of the build process.
Each installation team will have a preferred method to build, with careful thought and planning required to ensure the work takes place with an emphasis on safety. With the building process, a blueprint frame is constructed by installing base plates, horizontal, top horizontal and diagonal bracing and splice kits (when applicable) held together in the correct locations through the supplied fixings. This frame is technically completed but not removed from the jigging station.
The second frame has the upright positioned directly above the blueprint frame and bracing. This speeds up the installation of making frames as the measurements have been removed and are correct on the below frame. Due to the weight of the frames, mechanical lifting equipment is essential to raise frames and manoeuvre them to their standing place.
Ancillaries such as barriers, decking, post protection and labelling can be installed upon completion. Once this process is fully completed to plan, the racking will be inspected and signed over to the customer for use.
For more information on industrial storage racks, warehouse storage equipment, and pallet racking installation, contact the team at Monarch Shelving.
Pallet racking is a high solution for many businesses seeking to improve their storage spaces whilst keeping their products organised and safely stored. Many distribution centres utilise a warehouse pallet racking system to improve their efficiency in their business inventory – and it works for any size company.
For all warehouse situations, running out of space is a consistent worry. The option of buying or renting a second warehouse is expensive and requires utilising every square inch of space to make it worth the investment.
Pallet racking systems are the best and most effective way to achieve this, allowing you to design and plan the installation way so that the specifics of the space you have to use are maximised. Without choosing the right kind of pallet racking to meet your needs, storing various-sized products can prove to be more problematic and expensive.
All of these factors mean that pallet racking is saving a considerable amount of time and space, enabling you to maximize your property use.
Product safety is the top priority when it comes to suppliers and storage requirements. By using the right kind of warehouse storage equipment, you are secure in the safety of the products that you are contracted to store.
This also stretches to protecting your employee workforce by not having them working around inadequately stocked shelving or containment. Pallet racking is made from high-quality materials, making this system dependable and secure for the long haul.
All employees must follow all safety measures in place when it comes to pallet racking systems. Because all pallet racking can be accessed easily, it goes the extra mile to ensure that every employee knows how to use it properly, protecting themselves and every other work as a result.
With so many elements going into your business to focus on, finding a convenient and efficient storage method is integral to keeping operations running smoothly.
Pallet racking is about making storage easy in warehouses that are continuously stacked with products and inventory. This makes for convenience and the overall improvement throughout every aspect of your business. Not only can you stack high, but you also have enough manoeuvring room so that there are no delays when picking a stock.
Having easy access to stock and making adjustable room for new products means that you never will run dry on space for busy periods or have to reduce stock from suppliers.
Contact the team at Monarch Shelving today for the very best solution for a warehouse pallet racking system for your business.
The majority of warehouses and distribution centres organise their storage via the installation of pallet racks. This solution is designed to store pallets by optimising available space and adapting to the storage needs of each company.
Different types of pallet racking can be installed to get maximum efficiency in outlining their characteristics and differences.
Pallet racking is the system of grouping goods on pallets or other elements to form a unit load facilitating storage and transport in different supply chain phases.
Most of the racking is designed with heavy loads in consideration and plays a huge part in all logistic stages, from inside the warehouse handling to transportation stages. There are many types of pallets according to their dimensions or materials, but the vast majority comply with standard measurements for both industrial racking and forklifts.
The palleting of goods for subsequent storage on industrial racking has several advantages. The optimization of loading and unloading times is of huge benefit to a bustling business in everyday operation by being able to compact goods and make better use of the available space.
Utilising pallet racks provides greater levels of safety in the transportation of goods as well as adds greater flexibility in handling. Pallet racking also allows for easier stock and inventory control, as well as reducing handling, transport and storage costs overall.
There are different types of pallet racking systems a warehouse can choose from. Adjustable pallet racking is the most common and simplest of all racking systems, designed to mechanically store pallets using forklifts running parallel to the racking.
Adjustable is not a compact system, requiring a wider surface for installation. The big advantage of this system is that it is quick and direct access to all of the stored unit loads, on top of its versatility and adaptability.
Very Narrow Aisle racking provides better use of space in the warehouse where the width of the aisles is reduced to reduce the necessary floor space for installation, providing direct access to all pallets stored. This requires special narrow forklifts to move stock and operate around the warehouse.
Double-deep pallet racking is modified to increase storage capacity. Optimization is achieved by adding an extra position for holding pallets at the back of the racking so that they can be stored in 2 depths. The great advantage of double-deep pallet racking is greater storage capacity, however, it does provide loss of selectivity and direct access to each and all unit loads.
Choosing the right pallet racking system can be difficult, which is why it is advisable to consult with a specialist about your specific warehouse storage equipment needs.
Contact the team at Monarch Shelving today for more information.
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Unit F,Daltry Street, Oldham,
Lancashire, United KingdomOL1 4AB
Tel: 0161 627 3444 or 0161 622 0022
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