Protect Your Pallet Racking From Heavy Loads
When storing pallets, it’s essential to consider your racking system and how much weight your pallet storage can take. The timber may be softwood or a mixture of hardwoods such as fir or pine. They are often untreated or coated with a thin layer of resin or varnish. The weight of the pallet usually varies from 10 to 30 kg depending on the type of goods it is used for. When you have heavy loads in your warehouse, you must ensure that they don’t overload and damage your racking system. Here are some tips on how to protect pallet racking from heavy loads:
Ensure the pallet racking is suitable for your goods
When protecting your racking from heavy loads, the first thing to do is to ensure that you’re using suitable pallet racking for the goods being stored. You need to consider factors such as the goods’ weight, density, and fragility. The weight of the goods should not exceed the maximum capacity of the racking system. This is often stated in the product information for each type of racking.
If you’re unsure about what racking to use and how much weight can be put on each section, you can speak to the supplier of your racking system. They should be able to give you some advice based on your goods. You can also ask them to do a free capacity load assessment for your warehouse. This will help you to identify any areas in your warehouse that are overloaded and may need more robust racking.
Double-check the weight of your pallets
Before you store your pallets, you should double-check the weight of your pallets. You can do this by placing it on your scales and pressing the “tare” button to remove the weight of the pallet’s container. This will give you a rough idea of the weight of each pallet. If you want a more accurate measurement, you can also invest in a digital pallet scale.
Use anti-collapse mesh in vulnerable environments
Anti-collaspe mesh is a racking accessory which helps to prevent product loss and more importantly any potential risk to persons operating in the warehouse.
Offset from the back of the racking Anti Collapse Mesh (ACM) will help stop a pallet being accidentally pushed too far back and potentially falling from great heights onto the warehouse floor.
Add an extra layer of protection with a support bar.
A support bar is a great way to protect your racking system from heavy loads. A sturdiness bar is a long, sturdy piece of steel which hooks over the front and back support beams. The length of the support bar will correspond to the dept of your racking system. Support bars are ideal where you may have slightly sagging pallets and you want an extra level or security or safety. They are also used to support chipboard decking boards, should your racking system be fitted with them.
Summing up
If you’re storing pallet loads, you can do a few things to protect your racking system. Ensure the racking is suitable for your goods, check the weight of your pallets, and ensure pallets are of sound condition. Finally, you can add an extra layer of protection with a support bar. Now that you know how to protect your pallet racking from heavy loads, it’s time to start storing those pallets. The best thing about pallet racking is that it can be used for various applications. You can use it for storing pallets, crates, or other containers.