How to prevent rack collapses and protect your workers and inventory.
Introduction
Warehouse racking is a common and efficient way of storing goods and materials in a warehouse. However, it also poses significant risks to the safety of workers, inventory and the warehouse itself. Rack collapses can cause serious injuries, fatalities, damage and loss of products, and operational disruptions. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there were 138 workers killed in work-related accidents in Great Britain in 2023/24. (https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm)
Rack collapses can be caused by several factors, such as overloading, improper installation, poor maintenance, damage, human error, or natural disasters. To prevent rack collapses and ensure warehouse racking safety, it is essential to take precautions and use safety systems that can reduce the likelihood and severity of accidents. Amongst the most effective and innovative safety systems available in the market is Rack Collapse Prevention’s safety systems that can protect and monitor warehouse racking from collapse and can be used individually and combined.
Risks of Warehouse Racking
Warehouse racking can pose several risks to the safety of workers, inventory and the warehouse itself, such as:
• Rack collapse: The most serious and catastrophic warehouse racking risk and can occur when the racking structure fails due to overloading, damage, or instability. Rack collapse can result in injuries or deaths of workers, damage or loss of inventory, and structural damage to the warehouse. Rack collapse can also trigger a domino effect, where one collapsed rack causes adjacent racks to collapse, multiplying the damage and danger.
• Rack damage: A common and frequent warehouse racking risk and can occur when racking components are hit, dented, bent, or broken by forklifts, pallets, or other objects. Rack damage can compromise the structural integrity and load capacity of the racking system, increasing the risk of rack collapse. Rack damage can also create hazards for workers, such as sharp edges, protruding parts, or falling objects.
• Rack instability: This is a potential and hidden warehouse racking risk and can occur when the racking system is not professionally installed, anchored, aligned, or braced. Rack instability can cause the racking system to sway, tilt, or collapse under load or external forces, such as wind or earthquakes. Rack instability can also affect the performance and efficiency of the warehouse operations, as it can make the racking system difficult to access, load, or unload.
Precautions for Warehouse Racking
To prevent or minimise the risks to warehouse racking, it is important to take precautions and follow best practices, such as:
• Rack design: The first and fundamental precaution, which involves choosing the right type, size, and configuration of racking system for warehouse needs and specifications. Rack design should consider load capacity, weight distribution, clearance, accessibility, and racking system stability, as well as the warehouse layout compatibility, equipment, and inventory.
• Rack installation: This is the second and essential precaution involving the assembly and installation of the racking system according to the manufacturer's instructions and standards. Rack installation should ensure that the racking components are securely fastened, anchored, aligned, and levelled, and that the racking system is properly spaced, supported, and braced.
• Rack inspection: The third and ongoing precaution for warehouse racking involves checking and monitoring the condition and performance of the racking system on a regular basis. Rack inspection should identify and report any signs of damage, wear, or deterioration of the racking components, as well as any changes or deviations in the racking structure, load, or alignment.
• Rack maintenance: The fourth and corrective precaution involves repairing or replacing any damaged or defective racking components as soon as possible. Rack maintenance should restore the structural integrity and load capacity of the racking system and prevent any further damage or deterioration. Rack maintenance should also involve cleaning and lubricating the racking components and updating the racking labels and records.
• Rack training: And finally the preventive precaution for warehouse racking, educating and instructing warehouse workers on the safe and proper use of the racking system. Rack training should cover the topics of rack loading, unloading, handling, and storage, as well as rack inspection, reporting, and emergency procedures. Rack training should also promote safety culture and responsibility among the warehouse workers.
Benefits of Installing Rack Collapse Prevention’s Safety Systems
Rack Collapse Prevention is a leading provider of warehouse racking safety systems, which can prevent rack collapses and protect workers and inventory and is installed in warehouses across the UK Europe, Ireland and internationally.
Delivering safety solutions that can be used individually or combined, depending on warehouse needs and preferences:
• Safety Cables: Our flexible and durable top-supporting safety system is suspended from the building's structure and attached to each leg. When a building's steel structure isn't suitable then a secondary steel structure is installed to form a support for the suspension cables and never impacts structure integrity.
Proved in major incidents to operate within roof structure load limits of warehouses built well within the last 15+ years, it eliminates the risk of rack collapse, worker injury, and product loss.
• Spy Rack: our warehouse pallet racking monitoring system detects racking impacts and sends notifications via a dedicated Smartphone App.
Spy Rack also records and saves impact events to locate weak areas and impact ‘hot zones’ and can work as a separate safety system or together with our ‘top supporting’ warehouse racking safety system.
The benefits of utilising Rack Collapse Prevention’s safety systems, individually and combined, are:
• Improved safety: Prevent rack collapses and protect workers and inventory from harm, creating a safer and healthier work environment.
• Reduced damage: Prevents the potential for extensive rack damage, helping to extend the lifespan and performance of racking systems.
• Enhanced compliance: Prevents rack violations and protects racking systems from non-conformity, meeting the legal and ethical standards and requirements of warehouse racking safety.
• Lowered costs: Prevents rack losses, reduces insurance premiums and saves money and resources in the long term.
Conclusion
Warehouse racking is a vital and valuable warehouse asset, but it also poses significant risks to the safety of workers, inventory and the warehouse itself. To prevent rack collapses and ensure warehouse racking safety it is essential to take precautions and use safety systems that can reduce the likelihood and severity of accidents.
As one of the most effective and innovative safety systems available in the market Rack Collapse Prevention offers safety solutions that can both protect and monitor warehouse racking.
By utilising Rack Collapse businesses can improve warehouse safety, efficiency, compliance, and the cost-effectiveness of warehouse racking, whilst offering the peace of mind and confidence that comes with it.