What Is Pallet Rack Repair & How Can It Benefit Your Operation

Pallet rack repair is a necessary option when racks show a lack of structural integrity. This can happen when upright posts have been hit, even at slow speeds by a forklift or other equipment. When they haven’t incurred enough damage to require replacement, repair is a safe and viable option. Whether your operation is a warehouse, a manufacturing facility, a retail storage facility, a distribution center, food and beverage operation, automotive, or a records storage business, pallet rack issues can be critically problematic. Problems are easy to overlook whether you’re in a large industrial building or are a smaller business with only a few employees. Safety costs can be proportionally large regardless of how focused you and your employees are. Unsafe and unstable racks that have been damaged can mean huge costs in terms of safety risk and devastating losses due to product damage or even worse, injury to personnel . Even products on nearby racks can be affected by rack ‘crashes’ and can result in a domino effect. Aside from initial damage, clean-up is a fiasco requiring manpower and replacement of racks as well as products. A common problem is when lower portions of posts are exposed to damage by moving equipment. Even a somewhat mild hit can result in extensive damage over the long-term. Once the columns or posts are no longer completely straight, their ability to continually hold heavy loads is compromised. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.11" custom_margin="0px||0px|" custom_padding="0px||0px|"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Pallet Rack Repair Protects Against Future Failures Or Collapses" _builder_version="3.11"]

Pallet Rack Repair Protects Against Future Failures Or Collapses

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label="Collapsed Racking Image" _builder_version="3.11" src="images/blog/2018/08/Collapsed-Rack.jpg" align="center" /][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.11" custom_margin="0px||0px|" custom_padding="0px||0px|"] Pallet rack repair kits provide the necessary parts to fix sections of a column. Installation can be provided as a service by a trained specialist. It’s a service where you may or may not need to remove product on the rack or in the general vicinity. In most cases you don’t need to. Initial steps in the repair process:

• The damaged area is measured.
• The column above the damaged area is supported using specialized equipment.
• The damaged area is removed.
• The installation kit is put in place.

Rack repair can easily be put off when management gets busy. It’s assumed it will be time consuming or that it’ll require significant employee hours to assist in the process. It can be a lot of pressure for warehouse managers to maintain workflow. This can push pallet rack repair to a lower priority. In many cases there is no need to stop productivity. A repair process can add a new post while your crew works around it. It’s an efficient process done by trained and skilled technicians. Pallet racks are repaired where they stand with engineered pallet repair systems. A lifting jack supports and stabilizes the rack while the damaged portion is removed and replaced. A heavier, steel upright is inserted in a timely and efficient way. A trained technician should be used for this process to eliminate the possibility for error. The kits are pre-engineered or custom designed repair kits for all types of pallet rack systems. Since the repair kits are designed to fix low-level rack damage, usually no welding is required. Bolt-on-pallet repair kits are common. They can be adapted to many specifications and are a cost-efficient way of maintaining the integrity of your rack system. If welded pallet rack repair options are needed, our trained personnel can take care of those particular repair needs. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version="3.11" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Benefits of pallet rack repair" _builder_version="3.11" custom_margin="||0px|" custom_padding="5px||0px|"]

Benefits Of Pallet Rack Repair

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label="Before & After Image" _builder_version="3.11" src="images/blog/2018/08/before-and-after.jpg" align="center" /][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.11" custom_margin="||0px|" custom_padding="5px||0px|"] You’ll lower safety related costs. The potential for safety issues is huge in terms of insurance, lost productivity, product loss and worker injury. Consequences can be much greater than simply an uneven rack. Pallet racks have been known to collapse and cause shifts in goods distribution. This can result in people getting hurt and equipment getting damaged. Even customer retention can be affected when these types of incidents occur, interrupting workflow. Ensure your budget is under control by putting safety measures in place now. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="Pallet Rack Repair Versus Replacement" _builder_version="3.11" custom_padding="5px||0px|" custom_margin="||0px|"]

Pallet Rack Repair Versus Replacement

Sometimes replacement is necessary. But when it isn’t, there are advantages to merely repairing. Pallet rack repair gives you a strong, stable, and reliable option you can depend on. It’s a smart option, not just a less expensive one.

Benefits:

• Less workforce hours to unload and reload products
• Same kit can be used on similar damages
• More cost effective than replacing whole sections
• Maintain current workflow
• Results in a reliable structure

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How To Know When Your Pallet Racking Is In Need Of Repair

A scheduled maintenance program is in your operation’s best interests. Learn what to look for and have a system in place to report any damage that needs attention/repair. Do regular inspections of beams and racks. Don’t wait for something to look ‘off’ or for the pallet racking to begin tilting. Be thorough when looking for potential problems. Questionable racks may require you to unload a rack immediately to prevent further damage. [/et_pb_text][et_pb_image admin_label="Bent Beam Image" _builder_version="3.11" src="images/blog/2018/08/Damaged-Beam.jpg" align="center" /][et_pb_text admin_label="Various things to look for" _builder_version="3.11" custom_margin="||0px|" custom_padding="||0px|"] Various things to look for:

• Rust or corrosion
• Bent or damaged uprights and beams
• Disjointed attachments
• Overloaded or uneven distribution of goods (may indicate an upcoming problem)
• Slanted or misaligned beams and racks

More severe damage may require rack replacement:

• Situations with significant damage of the rack
• Many areas of damage to one rack, including at various heights
• Faulty racks with mismatched parts

You can get a trained technician to come out and assess damage for you. He can give you options on repair and show you what to look for. The severity of damage is what needs to be assessed. You may notice dents, twists, buckles, or splits. It’s good to do pallet rack repair on any damage, but particularly when you see issues more than half an inch deep on the rack. Enlist the help of an experienced professional to survey your site using specific safety standards and guidelines. A full report will be given and you’ll be able to visually assess every situation we bring to your attention. Sometimes pallet racks can become damaged for reasons other than forklift error. If racks are overloaded, other equipment has been used incorrectly, a rack is of lesser quality and isn’t made to last, or there are racks with mixed manufacturer component combinations, there may be problems. Rack repair kits comply with safety and manufacturing standards and offer the highest protection against impact.

Rack Repair Kit Features:

• Can be bolted or welded
• Integrated impact protection
• Reinforced post sections
• Seismic footplates are standard
• Can be configured with most beam types
• Impact and twist resistance with optional footplate
• Manufactured with heavy duty steel to maintain structural integrity
• Standard or color match paint.

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How To Maintain Your Current And Newly Repaired Racks

• Develop a system for proper racking. Train employees on proper racking by capacity and style.
• Invest in rack protection. Use rack guards and column protectors to protect your pallet racking systems. Make sure employees are properly trained and follow forklift safety and speed limits.
• Maintain rack visibility with clear aisles and proper stacking. Make sure lighting is optimal and use mirrors where it makes sense to do so.
• Encourage the use of incident reports. Maintain an open environment where communication is encouraged. If employees don’t acknowledge that they’ve hit a rack, it’s hard to know when to take repair action.
• Discover and implement loading tolerances for specific racks. Train drivers to load and balance goods properly. Do regular inspections so this habit is reinforced.
• Maintain clean and clear aisles for visibility. Give forklift drivers ample room for maneuvering between racks. Make sure employees aren’t allowed to leave random boxes or other clutter in aisles. If forklift drivers have to drive anywhere but in the center of the aisle, there could be problems.

[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label="With the proper systems in place..." _builder_version="3.11" custom_margin="0px|||" custom_padding="0px|||"] With the proper systems in place pallet rack repair can become an occasional necessity. Every operation’s pallet racks incur damage at some point. It’s just a question of when. Have peace of mind knowing that by employing regular inspections, expensive replacements can be avoided with repair. We’re here to help when you need to reinforce the structural integrity of the racks in your business. Contact us today for a FREE pallet rack repair survey to see if your pallet racks need repair. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]