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Pallet Racking Safety Guide
Purpose
This Guidance Note provides advice on the safe operation and maintenance of static pallet racking in warehouse and manufacturing areas, and gives practical guidance on detecting unsafe racking. The advice in this Guidance Note forms part of the current state of knowledge regarding static pallet racking.
Its intended audience is those persons in charge of racking and those who work around racking; e.g. warehouse managers; operations managers; general managers; maintenance managers; forklift operators; store persons; and health and safety representatives. The racking owner or user has a duty of care to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that racking maintenance and operation are safe for employees and others.
Background
This Guidance Note is based upon information from manufacturers, observations of WorkSafe Inspectors and the requirements of Australian Standard AS 4084 – 1993: Steel Storage Racking. The importance of racking safety was recently highlighted when racking at a workplace collapsed onto a worker who was stacking goods.
Application
This Guidance Note is applicable to all static pallet racking. Additional safety requirements may be required for cantilever, drive-in, double-deep, pallet-live, push-back or other specialised racking. The advice is of a general nature and applicable in conjunction with of the requirements of relevant Australian Standards. It is not designed to replace Australian Standards on racking. If in doubt the racking manufacturer or installer, or a consultant with experience in racking design and construction, should be contacted for specific operational and maintenance requirements.
Operation and Maintenance of Pallet Racking
1. Racking design and Materials Handling Equipment
Storage racking for products on pallets should be designed specifically for the size, shape and weight of the products being stored. The racking design should be compatible with the pallets and the materials handling equipment in use within the workplace. Aisle width should be matched to the turning circle of the forklift or other materials handling equipment used to put-away, replenish or pick.
Steel storage racking should be designed and installed in accordance with AS 4084.
Storage racking should be designed and installed in accordance with AS 4084. The selection of the final racking design should be made on the basis of safety and operational factors that take into account safe working load criteria. Details of the racking design provided by a manufacturer or supplier should allow the purchaser or user to compare like designs from other suppliers. In the case of modifications, design criteria should be provided to allow direct comparison with existing racking design. Racking selection should not be based solely on cost.
2. Safe Working Loads
Regular inspection of racking should be conducted to check its integrity, identify maintenance requirements and to stop racking being overloaded.
Do not exceed the Safe Working Limit (SWL) for the unit load or the safe working total load per bay for the racking.
There should be information for workers using the racking to assist in making them aware of its SWL; e.g. having one or more signs in conspicuous locations, such as at the end of all aisles, which contain the following information:
a. racking manufacturer’s name and trademark
b. safe working unit load
c. safe working unit load for each shelf beam level
d. safe working total unit load for each bay.
An example of a SWL sign is shown in Figure 1. There should be some means of determining the weight of each unit load being placed into racking.
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Figure 1: Typical racking SWL sign |
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| Note: Safe Working Load in this case is based upon a unit load of 1200kg on a standard pallet. Where a large load is only supported by two points, refer to supplier to determine whether the racking is capable of supporting that load. |
3. Altering the racking design or components
Any alterations to the racking should be scrutinised by a competent person and should take into account the effects on the SWL. Operating procedures, signs and drawings should be amended accordingly.
Physical alterations to uprights, bracings, beams or components, such as welding on additional cleats or bearers, should not be made.
Replacement of uprights, bracings, beams, clips or other components should be with compatible parts. If not practicable, an engineering report should be obtained confirming the integrity and SWL of the racking with these alternative replacement parts.
4. Single Bay Racking
Racking is mostly installed in double rows back to back but in some instances single rows are installed. Where this occurs and there is access to both the front and back of the racking, rear protection should ensure that loads cannot fall out of the back of the racking.
5. Operating instructions
Procedures need to be in place within the workplace to ensure that operations are conducted safely with regard to the racking design, the load and capability of lifting equipment.
Figure 2 shows a typical sign that can be used to remind managers and employees of workplace procedures for the safe use of racking.
Operating instructions need to be provided which include but are not limited to:
a. the correct application and use of the equipment
b. the safe working loads to be adhered to
c. prohibitions on unauthorised alterations
d. the requirement to report any damage incurred due to impact so that its effect can be assessed (see also Inspection of Pallet Racking below).
6. Goods on Pallet to be stored in racking.
Goods stored on pallets destined for storage are termed Unit Loads. The design of the pallet should take into account the nature of the goods in the unit load. A change in the pallet design should not be permitted unless the:
a. racking design is suitable to support the weight of the unit load, and
b. pallet design keys into the racking and so prevents the unit load from being dislodged.
An assessment of any change to the pallet design should be conducted by a competent person to prevent storage problems arising, such as:
- changing from timber pallets to post pallets meaning that the legs do not key into racking
- using pallets larger than allowed for in double pallet racking, as they can overlap pallets behind or push them off their supports
- using pallets smaller than allowed for in the racking, as they can drop through
- using skid pallets in racking without timber decks, as they can drop through.
(Note: US and Japanese pallets often differ in size and may not fit Australian racking. See Further information below for references to Australian Standards covering pallet sizes and design.)
Boxes, cartons and other such items stored on pallets should not overhang the pallet. Unit loads on upper levels containing boxes, cartons and other loose loads should be effectively prevented from falling by wrapping, strapping or by some other means, such as barriers.
The racking and/or the system of work should be altered to control these storage problems.
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Figure 2: Example of Supplier’s Operating Instruction sign
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7. Collision protection
Bottom portions of those frames that are exposed to possible collisions by forklifts or other moving equipment should be protected (see also Section 1.6.2 of AS4084).
8. Damage report
Employees should be instructed to report any damage, however minor, to the supervisor so that its effect on safety can be immediately assessed.
9. Hazardous situations
All hazardous situations which exist in relation to the operation or maintenance of the racking should immediately be reported to management. Expert advice should be immediately obtained from the manufacturer or a suitably qualified engineer on what action is to be taken. In certain circumstances, for example the collapse of racking, WorkSafe Victoria must be notified (see Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, sections 37 & 38).
Inspection of Pallet Racking
Employers should carry out inspections following any report of damage and on a regular basis. Manufacturers, suppliers or suitably qualified consultants should be contacted to provide advice on inspection frequency and if any additional points relevant to the racking, should be included in the inspection.
Inspections: What to look for?
If any of the following is observed, Get it Fixed!
Beams
Are beams overloaded?
A large amount of beam deflection indicates overloading of the racking. Where two beams connect at an upright, the beam connectors should remain reasonably parallel. If racking is overloaded or has occurred previously, the beam connectors will form a `V’. This is a quick and easy guide.
Are beams damaged?
Check for obvious signs of beams being hit by a pallet or forklift. Damaged beams should be replaced.
Are beam connectors or safety clips missing?
Examine beams for damage and replace missing clips immediately. If the racking is too high to see if clips are missing, consider replacing the clips with bolts. If clips are regularly being dislodged, contact the manufacturer or installer to determine why they are being dislodged and implement corrective action.
Has a beam popped out of its upright?
Check that beams have not popped out of the upright and are suspended on one end connector only.
Are welds damaged?
If a beam has been hit and may only show minor damage, the welds should be checked by a competent person for cracking. |
 Figure 3: Typical Upright Sections and Method Of Measurement
Note: This diagram has been reproduced from Figure 7 of AS 4084 – 1993: Steel storage racking. WorkSafe Victoria acknowledges Standards Australia permission to reproduce this diagram. |
Safe working limits
Are rack load signs posted?
Check that the bays conform to the SWL signs provided by the designer / installer, and that the racks have not been altered.
Uprights and footplates
Are uprights damaged?
If an upright shows significant damage (see Figure 3), or is twisted or contains splits or cracks, then replace it or splice a new section in. If the upright is damaged and is to be replaced, the footplate should also be replaced as it will also have sustained damage.
Are splices in good condition?
Check the condition of any splices. They should be free from damage or cracks and be above the first beam level; i.e. not close to the ground where they take most of the weight.
Out of Plumb Racking
Is the racking vertical?
Out of plumb racking is usually due to incorrect installation. Contact the manufacturer or installer.
Braces
Are racking braces damaged?
Replace bent horizontal or diagonal braces. For bracing, the member deviation from a 1 m long straight edge in either plane should not exceed 10 mm.
Floor fixing
Are floor fixings installed?
Check that floor fixings are installed and are not damaged. Replace as required. If the floor fixing has been damaged, it is likely that the footplate will have also received damage and may need replacing. One bolt is normal in each footplate, although back to back or double deep racking will commonly have bolts in the perimeter footplates only. Two or three bolts close together in a footplate may result in weaker fixing of the footplate to the floor.
NOTE: To reduce the damage caused by pallets moved by forklift hitting the uprights, footplates and bracing, some workplaces have arranged for the suppliers and installers to redesign existing racking and provide a new SWL so that beams can be installed at knee height in the bottom bay. This can also assist with manual order picking activities as it raises the height of the items to be picked.
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