Pallet Rack Frames: Backbone of Your Racking System

Maintaining your pallet rack frames is the core of a good warehouse safety program. This article will equip you with an understanding, warehouse safety tips, and best practices to keep your warehouse safety high and keep your warehouse running efficiently. 

Racking Frames bear the weight and are the core stabilizers of your pallet racking system. Damage to your frames can degrade your pallet rack safety. The accumulation of damage could eventually lead to warehouse racking failure. Inspecting and repairing frames present unique challenges and details that require your attention. This article will give you the detail you need to effectively maintain your frames. 

What are Frames?

Defining Characteristics of Your Pallet Rack Frames

Frame uprights have several defining characteristics in their construction and engineering. 

1. Steel Type Used in Pallet Rack Frames

First, the uprights can be built from either structural steel or roll-formed steel. Structural steel is stronger, able to bear more weight, more resistant to impact damage and rust damage. Roll-formed steel is more pliable and can be formed into more intricate, precise shapes. It is not as strong as structural steel but can be more flexible and easier to shape into parts, and this attribute makes roll-formed steel the most common choice for racking systems. 

2. Pallet Rack Frame Punch Patterns Or Holes

The second defining characteristic of uprights is the punching patterns or holes. The punch pattern is the uniform pattern of holes on the front and side faces used to attach the horizontal beams to the frames. These punches have various names like teardrop f-punch, teardrop u-punch, unarco t-bolt, speed rack, unarco sturdi-built, keystone, paltier, and more. 

3. Pallet Rack Frame Footplate Size

Every frame is engineered with a specific footplate size. Sizes vary based on structural needs. One major factor that is considered is the seismic activity in your area. Seismic zones generally have larger footplates vs. non-seismic zones. 

4. Frame Coating or Paint

Finally, each upright component will be finished with a coating ranging in color and type. Types of finish are paint, powder coat, and galvanization. The latter two finishes are the most impervious to rust and corrosion, as they form a chemical bond with the steel. RAL is the system of colors used to specify powder coating colors. 

Proper Pallet Rack Frame Engineering

Your entire racking system must be engineered with the end in mind. How much weight do you need to store, and what volume of goods do you need to store? Engineering will determine all the variables needed for the components of your frames. The height, the strength, and the exact amount of horizontal beams will be specified by the engineer. OSHA and RMI standards both require that your warehouse should be operated within the original engineering specifications of the whole system. So maintenance is required to keep your system within these engineering specifications. Damage can diminish the system beyond functional engineering tolerance, putting you outside of the OSHA and RMI requirements. Let’s look in-depth at what a warehouse safety manager can do to keep your warehouse within these engineering specifications.

How can frames get damaged?

There are numerous ways a frame, or any component of a pallet racking system for that matter, can get damaged. However, here are some most prominent ones: 

Accidental Impacts

Impact from forklifts and other operating equipment are a primary cause of frame damage. Frames are not built to withstand such impacts. If the force exerted by the impact is greater than what the frame can handle, it is likely to get damaged. These impacts can come from the counter balanced end of lift vehicles which have more mass but a more blunt impact, usually resulting in frame upright deflection, large dent or twist in the steel. The outriggers of lift vehicles can also impact the frames causing more shearing impacts that cut through the steel or cause acute smaller, deeper dents. Pallets and products can also impact the frames while being loaded into the bays. Rear uprights can be damaged in this way be hidden. This can be particularly dangerous as the damage can go undetected. 

Improper Loads

Improper loading takes on two forms. The first is exceeding specified beam weights, and the second is uneven loading patterns. Each beam has a load weight that should be specified with a load capacity label. Exceeding this capacity will not only damage the beam but can damage the frame as well. As a pair of frames support the weight of the objects placed on the beams, the weight distribution should be neutral and balanced. If heavier objects are placed on only one side, the correlating frame will have to bear more pressure than its other counterpart, which would lead to balancing issues. This could ultimately result in frame damage. Twisting, buckling, loss of plumb, and breaking can occur from these types of improper loading. 

Low-quality Steel

Frames built out of lower-quality materials might fail structurally. If the frame was not made of US-certified steel (55,000 PSI min. yield roll formed steel or 36,000 PSI structural steel), it could contain imperfections that will make it more prone to damage and failure. All steel does not contain the same chemical compositions, and some manufactures will use inferior steel that looks to be strong, but the chemical composition does not meet the engineering standards for the racking system. This inferior steel is more prone to damage from an accidental impact and irregular loading, and even sudden stress failure. This is true of all fasteners used on your frames as well. Again, not all steel is the same. If you see prices that are below industry standards on steel parts, it has a high likelihood of containing inferior steel. To prevent this, buy from top quality manufacturers who can provide you with the documentation of US-certified steel for their products.   

Corrosion and Rust

Corrosion is the worst enemy of any metal component, especially if the component is not finished with corrosion-resistant, high-quality coatings. The other factor that affects corrosion is the humidity and chemicals present in the racking environment. Both of these factors will speed up the corrosion of metals used in your warehouse racking system. Highly resistant finishes are preferred, like powder coating and galvanizing, which chemically bond with the steel. Paint does not chemically bind to the steel and is easily removed. 

Corrosion also affects all steel fasteners used in beam connectors, splicing connectors, and anchor bolts. Insist on stainless steel or zinc plated fasteners that resist corrosion. 

Frame Punch Damage

It is also possible for the frame punch holes to become deformed or sheared. This is a subtle form of damage. If there has been a problem with a bay being irregularly loaded or receiving a severe impact, often the punch holes can be damaged and should not be reused. 

How can I inspect my frames for damage?

Every warehouse manager should be able to spot damage that requires an inspection and repair. Workers in your warehouse should be empowered and educated to spot damage as well, so that it can be addressed quickly. Warehouse managers and workers can use Mac Rak’s online pallet rack inspection tool as a convenient and preliminarily way to identify issues in your frames. Once identified, call a qualified inspector immediately and initiate the repair process. Keep in mind that informal identification of damage should never replace formal safety inspections. Safety inspections should be regularly scheduled to go over every inch of your racking system to find damage that might be hidden or damage which you are unaware of. RMI requirements state that a trained inspector should do all inspections.

Here are the frame-specific items that should be inspected and what level of damage should initiate a repair. Keep in mind that this list is not a complete pallet rack inspection but limited to the damage done to frames.

1. Severe Corrosion: This is where the corrosion has penetrated the steel. Pay special attention to the welds as these joints can rust faster than the rest of the frame and are usually in critical strength-providing locations. Pay attention to parts that have lost their surface coating. 
2. Strut Damage: Look for twisting, deformation, and shearing. Any deformation or shear larger than half an inch is in the range requiring repair. Less than that should also be referred to a professional Mac Rak inspector. 
3. Upright Damage: Again, look for twisting, buckling, deformation, and shearing. Any deformation or shear larger than half an inch is in the range requiring repair. Less than that should also be referred to a professional Mac Rak inspector. 
4. Fastener and Punch Hole Damage: Look for loose anchor bolts, strut connectors, beam connections. All of these fasteners contribute to strength. Examine punch holes for damage if beams have suffered damage. 
5. Frames out of Plumb: If the frame height is greater than ½ inch per 10 feet, then the frame should be corrected. 
6. Footplate Damage: corrosion, shearing, twisting, deflection, and fastener issues. 

Repairing Pallet Rack Frames

OSHA and RMI specify that damaged rack must be removed from service and unloaded until rack repairs are made or rack is replaced in the damaged areas. Damage compromises the safety of the warehouse system and endangers personnel which will result in an OSHA violation. In most cases, you shouldn’t attempt to repair a frame independently as they are important components of an integral racking system. RMI guidelines specify that repairs should be done by a trained professional, and supervised by a professional engineer who is familiar with the design and construction of the racking system. There are two major options for the repair of frames that we will cover here.

OEM Part Repair Method

First, you can replace uprights with exact OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts. OEM parts will keep you within engineering specifications. However, there is a downside to this type of repair. It requires unloading the bays on both sides of the damaged frame. Temporary storage for all pallets on these shelves must be found, consuming significant ground space or rack space in your warehouse. Next, the beams must be removed, and the frames disassembled. Then the frame must be reassembled with the new OEM part, the beam reinstalled. Finally, the bays can be reloaded with the pallets that were previously removed. This process can be more disruptive, time-consuming, and costly. Additionally, the replacement frame does not provide any future impact resistance and is more prone to sustain repeated damage, resulting in repeated frame replacement.

Mac Rak Engineered Upright Repair Kits

Repairing your frames with Mac Rak engineered frame repair kits is a superior option. Mac Rak repair kits can take a fraction of the time of the OEM parts repair and provide superior long-term protection to the frame. All Mac Rak repair kits are engineered specifically to meet or exceed your current racking system engineering. Our repair kits have several options that can upgrade your frames rather than merely repairing them.  Mac Rak has super heavy duty pallet rack repairs, heavy duty pallet rack repair kits, and standard duty pallet rack repair kits. They are available in vertical, cantilever, and slant options with either single or double leg versions.

Additionally, our repair and installation process is faster and more convenient. It doesn’t usually require massive offloading or disassembly of the frame. Mac Rak uses its own proprietary pallet rack jack that can lift your frame upright without complete offloading of your product. This allows technicians to safely remove and replace the damaged parts. Next, an engineered pallet rack upright repair kit from Mac Rak is installed with a bolt on rack repair to the existing frame. The frame jack is lowered and removed, and the frame is restored to function. This method has the following benefits. 

Watch this video to see a time and cost comparison of the Mac Rack Repair v. OEM Repair Method

1. Mac Rak can typically repair your frames in a quarter of the time, with minimal offloading. 
2. Mac Rak Engineered Pallet Rack Upright Repair Kits are significantly stronger than existing engineering specifications for future impact resistance. Kits can be made with additional steel and have more resistant coatings than the OEM parts. 
3. Built-in protectors options on Mac Rak kits can protect against future damage. 
4. Mac Rak footplate anchors are larger and provide new anchor point locations so damaged concrete holes don’t need to be reused. Most kits use robust 3/4″ x 7″ anchor bolts for superior shear resistance and tension.
5. Mac Rak can provide the right fit for the size of your repair. We have kits that fix just the bottom 12″ of an upright, a midsection of an upright, or the bottom several feet of an upright. All kits are fully customizable to your exact dimensions and needs. 
6. Mac Rak repair kits have options like punch style, roll-formed or structural steel, galvanization, powder coating, color, size, and built-in protectors to exceed current engineering and performance. 
7. Mac Rak repair kits work with all brands, types, and punch styles of racking. 
8. It is significantly less expensive than OEM replacement when all parts, labor, and warehouse disruption are calculated.

If you want to read a detailed insight into choosing the right pallet rack repair parts, check out this article. 

Pallet Racking Frame Protectors

Another best practice to keep your warehouse safe and efficient is installing pallet rack guards on your frame uprights. These guards come in three different styles. 

End of Aisle Guards from Mac Rak are massive structural steel guards. End of Aisle Guards protects the upright and the whole side of the frame that is exposed to traffic in the aisles. End of aisle guards protect the frame in the highest traffic locations and are a great investment in safety and efficiency. 

Upright Column Guards  Mac Rak guards are made of structural steel for maximum protection and impact resistance. Each guard has its own independent floor anchor bolts. The anchors transfer the impact to the ground and not to the frame. The frame is saved from impact completely. In addition, these individual column guards come in differing heights and have options for multiple anchor points for even more impact resistance. 

End of Aisle Guards from Mac Rak are massive structural steel guards. End of Aisle Guards protects the upright and the whole side of the frame that is exposed to traffic in the aisles. End of aisle guards protect the frame in the highest traffic locations and are a great investment in safety and efficiency. 

ANSI standards for pallet racking systems

American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has developed and released specific rules and regulations for the usage of industrial systems and components. When it comes to pallet racking systems, ANSI has set out ANSI MH16.1, which relates to the repair and inspection of your racking frames. The standards state the following:

• “The racking system operator is responsible for maintenance and repair of the storage systems,” i.e., the person operating a pallet racking system is entirely responsible for maintaining its integrity.
• “Upon visible damage, the pertinent portions of the rack shall be unloaded immediately and removed from service by the user until the damaged portion is repaired or replaced,” i.e., when you notice a portion of your racking system is damaged and needs a repair, you need to unload it immediately. You’re not allowed to use that specific portion of the system for loading until you get it repaired. 

Key Takeaways

Frames are important components of any pallet racking system. They are the vertical structures that transfer the weight of the load to the ground. They also maintain the structural integrity of the system and protect it against accidental strikes. 

Frames can get damaged due to several factors, including accidental impacts, low-quality materials, corrosion, and irregular loads. If a frame gets damaged, you should get it repaired immediately. 

Some types of damage can be visible to you, but others won’t. Regularly get your system professionally inspected for damage or after impacts and strikes. You can schedule a regular inspection from Mac Rak with this form online. 

Mac Rak produces state-of-the-art, customized repair parts and pallet rack guards for your specific racking system. Mac Rak can professionally inspect for damage and install the necessary repair parts to fix it; with minimal disruption to warehouse operations.