5 ways to prevent industrial racking failures in your plant (1)
1. 5 Ways to Prevent Industrial Racking Failures in your Plant
2. Consequences of Rack Failure
1. Serious injuries and fatalities
2. Damage to property and products
3. Expensive repairs
4. Disruption to business
3. Preventable?
Rack failures can be avoided in industrial facilities if managers ensure that racks
are code compliant, undergo regular inspections and are maintained and repaired
on a regular basis.
4. How?
1. Ensure that the rack engineered specifications are kept in the premise:
Employers should:
● Obtain the documentation from the manufacturer that indicates that the rack was designed and
installed in accordance with current applicable standards and manufacturer’s specifications,
OR
● Have a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review (PSR) by consulting engineering firms.
Ontario Health and Safety Act & Regulations 851 requires that a PSR needs to be conducted if the
required documentation from the manufacturer is not available.
5. ● Plan formal reporting procedures and inspections to enforce high
standards/maintenance and inspection.
An inspection protocol must be developed and carried out by competent workers and should look
for:
● Excessive deflection in the beams due to overloading
● Out of plumb, damaged, or corroded posts
● Damaged or missing horizontal and/or diagonal braces
● Sheared or missing anchors
● Damaged or permanently deflected beams, or incorrect beam engagement
6. Prioritize damage control
1. Owners should:
● Post load rating signage in visible locations on the racks and train workers to not overload
the racks. Be conservative when it comes to loads.
● All material handling equipment operators should be trained in accordance with CSA B335.
● Material handling practices should be designed to minimize impact loads on the racks.
7. Take racking seriously
Make sure that:
● Aisles are properly lit. It can make material placement easier and help reduce rack damage.
● Pallets are maintained in a good condition.
● Aisles are free of obstruction and hazards.
8. THANK YOU!
“Operating a safe storage facility, is not only a good safety practice, it’s the law. Adhering to the practices
indicated is this article may also improve the overall productivity of the facility.”
