Why should you get racking inspections done? The following are a few reasons why:
- To reduce the likelihood of racking accidents
- To protect the safety of workers
- To avoid getting an MOL (Ministry of Labour) Work Order for racking.
Here is a simple example of a racking situation to avoid: Single Bay of selective racking, consisting of two upright frames and several beam levels, in which the front column of one of the upright frames is severely damaged and several of the horizontal and diagonal braces are also severely damaged, and this single Bay of racking is loaded and unloaded by forklift. This situation is truly “an accident waiting to happen”.
Here is another example: Selective racking with several beam levels, in which the bracket of one of the front beams is dislodged from the upright frame and this beam level is still used as if all is well with the rack.
Both of the above racking situations are undesirable, considering that they could result in an MOL Work Order for racking, or worse, an accident.
Racking in a warehouse or manufacturing facility is typically subjected to dynamic forces such as forklift impact, which can affect the structural integrity of the rack. As such, it is best to have inspections done on an on-going basis.
On a weekly basis, for example, workers in the facility can perform basic inspection of some of the racking and report noticeable changes such as damaged rack components and missing safety pins.
More detailed rack inspections can be scheduled and performed by trained in-house personnel or by outside contractors who specialize in this type of service.
The frequency of scheduled racking inspections varies, depending on the nature of the warehouse or manufacturing operation. The number of forklifts operating around the racking and the general condition of the work environment influence the frequency of scheduled rack inspections.
There is much work involved in a detailed rack inspection, the purpose of which, generally, is to identify damage to rack components and safety hazards. Situations which are identified as very hazardous should be corrected immediately.
If there seems to be a high incidence of forklift impact in one or more areas of the storage racks, it might be a good idea to check the aisle widths.
For existing racking, it is not easy to change aisle widths; however, at the very least, knowing that the aisle width is less than adequate in some areas might signal that caution is needed by forklift operators when loading and unloading racking in those areas.
Next, consider items related to stability. There are a number of items to check, including beam deflection and installation of shims.
Check to see if there is any deflection in beams, when they are loaded. If there is noticeable deflection, verify whether or not the deflection exceeds the allowable deflection. If it does, it might mean that the loads placed on the beams exceed the rated load capacity.
For back-to-back rows of selective racking, check the row spacers. Are there any row spacers installed, and if so, have they been installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications?
For single rows of selective racking, check the height to depth ratio.
Anchoring of base plates is another item on the inspection checklist which relates to racking stability. For back-to-back pallet racking, ensure that there is at least one floor anchor per base plate and that anchors are tightened in accordance with the bolt manufacturer’s specifications.
While the scope of a rack inspection would not typically include analysis related to the capacity of the concrete floor to support the racking and loads placed upon it, it is advisable to check the condition of the floor slab near to base plates, in order to ensure that the concrete floor is free of cracks.
For uneven concrete floors, shims might have been used to level the racking. In this scenario, check that shims are equal in size to the base plates, that they are well-seated, and that they are secured to the base plates by means of floor anchors.
Next, consider the condition of rack components. Start with the upright frames. The reality is that, in warehouse and manufacturing operations where there are forklifts placing and removing pallet loads from racking, it is likely that there will be forklift impact.
Look for damage due to forklift impact; this damage usually occurs at the lower level of upright frames. Sometimes, noticeable damage occurs at the front column and damage varies from minor to very severe. Other damage due to forklift impact is related to horizontal and diagonal braces of upright frames.
In addition to damage due to forklift impact, there might be damage caused by corrosion.
An assessment can be made regarding corrective action to be taken. For situations where there is severe damage to upright frames, it is best to replace the frames.
Next, consider the load beams. When there is no load on beam levels, there should be no beam deflection. Also, check for damage due to impact, for example, dents in the beams and cracks in the welds.
While upright frames and beams are the basic components of selective racks, there are other components that need to be considered as well. These components include safety bars, wire mesh decks and, sometimes, plywood. With wire mesh decks, check for damage. With plywood, be sure that the rated load capacity reflects the way the plywood is supported and the direction of the face grain of the plywood.
Racking inspections help ensure that racking is well-maintained and that safety of workers is not compromised. They also help reduce the likelihood of getting an MOL (Ministry of Labour) Work Order for racking, which is a common occurrence in Ontario. Some of the work related to racking inspections can be performed by trained in-house personnel, and more detailed inspections can be conducted by an independent rack inspection company.
Jack Jagernauth, P.Eng. is a project engineer with Rack Inspections Ontario, an engineering company providing services related to racking safety, racking inspections and PSRs. He may be reached at 905-847-3640 or jack@rackinspectionsontario.ca, or through the company website: www.rackinspectionsontario.ca.