Capacity of a system is affected by the load size, beamspacing, site conditions, slab, seismic zone, manufacturing techniques, welding techniques, steel chemistry, product design, and other factors. All of these factors are taken into account when RMI (Rack Manufactures Institute)-compliant systems are built and installed by reputable manufacturers and suppliers.

The factors that are used to design and approve the system are memorialized in the final system installation drawings, calculations and load capacity plaques. Any changes to the system (e.g. reconfiguration,relocation, or repair) may affect the capacity of the system and must bereviewed by a qualified pallet rack design professional to ensure that the planned changes will result in a safe system.

The safety of that system must be a primary consideration for all cold storage operators because the racks are an integral part of a safe active working environment and must be documented and maintained with the same level of care as any other piece of operating equipment such as fork trucks and doors.

Failure to follow proper industry practices may put employees in danger of serious injury from loads failing due to a rack failure.

Top 5 rack safety issues

1. Overloaded Rack (undersized rack system/re configuration)

Any changes made to a rack system without appropriate engineering supervision  and approval drawings verifying the load bearing capacity of the system may inadvertently overload the rack structure, putting the operator at potential risk.

In many cases, a cold storage operator, will have a maintenance team or outside crew reconfigure or move the rack without updated configuration drawings and an engineer’s review of the changes. While it might seem intuitively “obvious” that the rack can be changed, if an engineering review is not performed, it is, at best, a guess that the rack will meet appropriate requirements.

2.Damaged Rack

“It has not fallen down yet”. How many times have you walked past a a damaged rack system and said this, hopping or assuming that the rack structure is stable and your employees are not at risk.

Any damage to a rack system will reduce the capacity of the system. There is no standard for what is an acceptable level of damage that will ensure that the rack structure will remain safe. The simple solutionis to repair the damage promptly when identified, under the supervision of aqualified rack system engineer. Deferring damage repair due to budget constraints often results in additional damage and an ultimate quagmire ontrying to decide where to start. If in doubt, bring in a professional to review the system.

3. Unsupervised Rack Repair

Since rack systems are highly engineered and designed assuming new/undamaged components, well-meaning repairs can often create larger problems than they fix. In many cases, the repair work will actually further reduce the load capacity of the system. As well as place the liability for the repair work on the owner rather than on a qualified professional. It is imperative that any repair or replacement work be performed by qualified professionals working to the RMI design codes. Another area to watch is inappropriate application of rack repair kits. It is very important that the rack repair supplier evaluate all loads being applied to the kit to ensure that the repair solution meets RMI codes. It is not satisfactory to say that it is stronger than the existing column. The repair must be evaluated as a system, not just a component. Looking just at the component, the repair supplier could unwittingly repair a system that is already overloaded and unsafe even damaged.

4. Mix and Match Reconfigurations

RMI member companies test and certify their beam and frame connections as a system. While one manufacturer’s product may look similar to another’s it does not mean that they will work together properly. If product from two different suppliers is to be combined, be sure that proper approval is provided either from either manufacturers or a qualified engineer. Improper mixing of beams and frames can result in collapse of a structure.

5.Misapplication(pallet and product)

Rack systems are designed for specific pallet and load combinations. Changes to the pallet from what was documented in the original design documents can cause serious safety problems, especially with drive in, pushback and pallet flow systems.

For example a drive in system that was designed for a standard CHEP pallet, may not work with a light duty shipping pallet. The shipping pallet may fit in the rack, and hold the loads up for a while, but if not properly engineered, the pallet could collapse and injure an operator. Be sure to have any changes to pallets or load application approved by your supplier.

Your racking system is a highly engineered structure holding hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of pounds of products in the air. Every time one of your team members enters the facility, their safety is the owner’s responsibility.

If good practices as outlined in the RMI and building codes are followed you can be assured that you will have a safe and functional rack system.

[ΠΗΓΗ:COLD FACTS MAGAZINE]