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Do's and Don'ts of Pallet Rack Damage
Do you have Pallet Rack damage? There are many questions that you may have such as:
- Should I repair or replace?
- How often should the racking be inspected?
- What should be inspected?
If you researched these questions (go ahead and Google) you'll find many differing opinions. So, how do you find a trustworthy answer? Seek wise council! Some trustworthy resources are:
- Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI)
- American National Standard Institute (ANSI)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
What should be inspected in a rack system?
You may be wondering what you need to look for. A few things I recommend looking at is:
1. Rack damage
2. Rack degradation (ex. corrosion)
3. Plumbed, anchored, and straight
4. Capacity of system vs weight on the system.
The OSHA states in section 5 (a)(1) that employers are required to provide their employees with a place of employment that is free from recognizable hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious harm to employees. If the racking system is damaged or being misused, would that not fall into the category of a recognizable hazard? ANSI states that the Racking System Operator is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the storage system. This is essentially saying that a systematic, intentional procedure must be in place to assure the racking system is safe to work within.
Rack Damage
There is a lot of talk about using a straight edge and measuring how "out" an upright is – a gap of less than 1 inch is commonly called "OK" – however, the definition states that the gap should not be greater than a ½ inch. This leads me to ask, "What is the capacity of an upright that has been hit and is a ½ inch out of straight versus original condition?" I have never heard or witnessed an engineer backing any of these claims. The bottom line is if it's not in original condition or damaged, it should be repaired or replaced.
The RMI breaks down different characteristics that need more emphasis on inspections such as high traffic areas, transfer aisles, and narrow aisles. They go on to state that an inspection must take place at least once a year. This means that a rack could remain hazardous for 364 days before addressed. However, I believe that if a rack Is damaged, it should be reported immediately!
It is often stated that employees won't self-report a damaged rack. The ultimate goal must be to "change your culture." An operator must be willing to report damage. If racking is damaged and it isn't addressed until an internal or outside inspector finds the damage, the operators are at risk of a serious injury. Flip the dialogue – and maybe offer a bonus for reporting damage!
Rack Degradation
The most commonly seen degradation is in corrosive environments. Racking gets corroded due to chemicals and/or water. You might be wondering, "if it looks bad, is it still okay?" A professional structural engineer should look at the situation and determine how much degradation has taken place and may need to perform a load test if needed. There is no way of knowing just by looking at the components.
Plumbed, anchored and straight
This can be determined by outside counsel or a trained internal person as there are guidelines to be followed during installation. For example, the uprights are to be installed plumb with a tolerance of the height of racking divided by 240. An example would be how a 20-foot upright can be out of plumb 1" or less while still being considered within installation tolerances. All racking must be anchored and installed within manufacturer's stated guidelines.
Capacity of the system
While beam level capacity is relatively easy, the capacity of the system can be tricky and outside counsel may be needed. All manufacturers publish charts and they are generally a strong guideline – especially if the manufacturer is known. This makes the confidence of capacity via charts high. However, if the gauge of steel in the beam is not known, the lightest capacity stated for the height of the beam must be used. Beam capacity is determined by deflection. To determine allowable deflection, you divide the length of the beam by 180. For example, a 12-foot long beam will deflect .8 of an inch, and still be within tolerance. When the beam level is unloaded it should spring back to level. Upright capacity must be calculated with knowledge of upright design, gauge of steel, bracing etc. Of utmost importance is beam level spacing. The greatest spacing between the floor and first beam level or beam level to beam level determines a great deal when calculating the capacity of the upright.
In my opinion, Rack Damage is a continuous inspection that all personnel should be empowered to report. I hesitate to give a time frame on inspecting for damage. If I recommend every 30 days, then a damaged rack could go undetected for 29 days which is unacceptable. This is why we must change the culture of reporting damage. Rack degradation, rack installation, and load capacity inspections should be scheduled based on the environment you are working in and certainly never less than once a year.
Note: Any racking adjustments, beam level changes or any change in the way the racks are used must be looked at carefully before implementing. Outside counsel in these situations is always recommended.
If you want to learn more, check out the Storage Rack Safety Poster , Rack Damage User Guide 1, or Rack Damage User Guide 2.
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