The real cost of unprotected racks
When it comes to warehouse safety topics and maintenance, ensuring the protection of valuable pallet racks that support the entire logistical framework is a top priority. The cost of damage to a warehouse can reach astronomical figures, ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Neglecting vital repairs and leaving safety hazards unaddressed can even invite formidable penalties, resulting in further losses in the form of hefty fines imposed by regulatory bodies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Which reinforces the importance of rack protection products.
In this article, we delve into the importance of incorporating rack protection products into every warehouse’s infrastructure starting with detailed steps for assessing a newly built warehouse and established warehouses. Later we will look at the advantages of using Mac Rak protection products as a part of your plan. By looking into the benefits of these safeguards, we shed light on how they not only protect your business assets but also ensure compliance with stringent safety standards set forth by regulatory authorities.
See why incorporating rack protection products in your warehouse can save you money and stress.
Rack protection products in compliance with industry standards
ANSI MH16.1-2021 standards state that “Collisions of forklift trucks or other moving equipment with front columns are the single most important source of structural distress of storage racks.” Racking systems need to have adequate protection against impacts and damage. The ANSI MH16/1-2021 standards recommend “The first way is the provision for protective devices that will prevent trucks from hitting the exposed columns.”
Assessment questions for your warehouse rack protection needs
The first crucial step lies in assessing your warehouse and then creating the most appropriate protection plan for your specific warehouse setup. A thoughtful and methodical inspection assessment will ensure that the chosen protection products align precisely with your warehouse’s needs, maximizing their effectiveness and value. Here are key considerations to guide your assessment process:
1. Traffic Flow Analysis: Undertake a comprehensive walk through of your warehouse and meticulously observe the areas with the most traffic. Your warehouse management software might give you insights as well into aisles that have higher traffic than others. These most used zones are particularly susceptible to accidental collisions with forklifts and other machinery. Prioritizing protection in these high traffic regions can significantly reduce the risk of costly damage and potential safety hazards.
2. Pick-and-Place Usage: Identify the racks that experience the most frequent pick-and-place activities. These racks are more prone to daily wear and tear due to constant handling, necessitating protection to maintain their structural integrity and prolong their lifespan. Again, your warehouse management software may give you insight into bays that have higher traffic than others. Focus on protection plans for these high traffic bays.
3. Rack System Type: Consider the specific type of rack system prevalent in your warehouse, whether it be drive-in racks, pallet flow racks, push-back racks, selective racks, or VNA (Very Narrow Aisle) racks. Different rack systems demand unique protection solutions to cater to their distinctive design and usage patterns. For instance, drive-in racks may require protection at the entry points to safeguard against forklift impacts during loading and unloading. VNA racks need non-protruding guards to save precious aisle space while maximizing protection.
4. Prioritize Areas with Past Damage: Identify any previously occurring incidents of damage to your rack system. Areas that have experienced impacts before are clear indicators of vulnerability and warrant heightened protection. Addressing these weak points proactively can prevent recurring damages and mitigate potential risks. Consider using a Mac Rak repair kit with integrated protection components, to both repair and protect your racks at the same time.
5. Inventory Risk and Weight Consideration: Assess the risk associated with the inventory stored on each rack. Heavier materials pose increased stress on the racks, necessitating additional protection to ensure their durability and ability to support the load. Moreover, costly or volatile materials should be safeguarded to avoid financial losses and potential hazards.
6. Height of Racks: Height plays a critical role in rack protection considerations. Taller racks bring heightened collision fears, as any mishap can lead to cascading damage. Installing protection measures for the lower parts of tall racks can help reduce the severity of impacts and minimize damage propagation.
7. Current rack design: Look at the current rack build that exists in your warehouse. Often electrical conduits or sprinkler fire suppression systems are in proximity to your racks. Consider adding rack protection in these locations. Damage to racks may result in damage to these nearby systems, which is costly and creates additional hazards to personnel, inventory, and the warehouse.
Conducting a comprehensive inspection of your warehouse’s specific needs and vulnerabilities is a fundamental step in selecting the right rack protection products. By customizing protection solutions based on traffic patterns, usage frequency, rack type, historical damage, inventory characteristics, and rack height, you can ensure that your warehouse remains secure, efficient, and optimally equipped to preserve both valuable assets and the safety of your workforce. Mac Rak’s professionals can assist you in this stage to assess any needs. Do not hesitate to schedule an inspection today.
Pallet Rack Protection Considerations for New or Existing Warehouses
Whether you are in the process of constructing a new warehouse or evaluating protective measures for an existing one, the significance of rack protection products cannot be overstated. It is imperative to consider rack protection as an integral component of your warehouse infrastructure. Here are key considerations for both new and existing warehouses:
For New Warehouses:
Building a new warehouse is a significant capital investment. By incorporating rack protection products from the beginning, you make a cost-efficient investment in safeguarding your brand new racks. Prevention is always better than cure, and starting with protective measures will help minimize potential repair and replacement expenses down the line. New OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) racking systems often come with basic steel pallet rack uprights that lack additional protection. By proactively installing guards and protectors during the initial setup, you ensure the preservation of these new racks, extending their lifespan and reducing the need for costly repairs and replacements in the future.
Prioritizing rack protection from the outset establishes a strong safety culture within the warehouse. By demonstrating a commitment to protecting both assets and employees, you foster a workplace environment that values the well-being of its workforce, leading to increased productivity and employee safety.
Integrating rack protection products during the construction phase ensures a smooth and streamlined installation process. Working closely with the racking system suppliers, you can opt for tailored solutions that perfectly align with the warehouse’s layout and design, creating a cohesive protective infrastructure.
For Existing Warehouses:
If your warehouse has been in operation for some time without the benefit of protective measures, it’s crucial to conduct a thorough assessment of vulnerable areas. Identifying zones with a history of damage or high traffic flow can guide you in strategically implementing rack protection products where they are most needed.
For existing warehouses, introducing rack protection products is an opportunity to incrementally enhance the safety and longevity of your rack system. Prioritize areas with the greatest need and implement protection solutions step-by-step, considering the budget and immediate requirements. Installing rack protection in existing warehouses helps demonstrate compliance with safety regulations and industry standards. Additionally, it reduces the potential for legal liability in case of accidents or injuries, as you can demonstrate that adequate measures were taken to prevent such incidents. Column guards protect “rack uprights and structural rack columns from possible damage due to a collision with a lift truck or a load transported by a vehicle” (MHI 1).
Warehouses evolve with inventory, equipment, and traffic patterns changes. By adding protection products, you can adapt to these evolving needs, ensuring that your rack system remains resilient and responsive to new operational demands.
Whether you are constructing a new warehouse or managing an existing one, investing in rack protection products is a proactive strategy that yields substantial benefits. From saving on costly repairs in the future to fostering a culture of safety, incorporating protective measures ensures the resilience of your racking systems and strengthens your warehouse’s overall operational efficiency. Embrace the ethos of early investment and protective foresight, and your warehouse will stand tall as a model of asset preservation and employee well-being.
Available for Download
Download your free Mac Rak product booklet now. Great for use on PC or to print out.
Advantages of Mac Rak
Uncompromising Protection for Your Warehouse
When it comes to safeguarding your warehouse assets and ensuring the utmost safety for your workforce, Mac Rak stands as an industry leader pallet rack repair company, offering a range of engineered rack protection products that outshine the competition. With a commitment to excellence and innovation, Mac Rak brings forth a series of advantages that set them apart from the rest.
1. Engineering: All Mac Rak products are engineered to the highest industry standards to provide structural protection that exceeds and enhances your current structure. Many pallet rack protectors on the market look like guards but have never been engineered to withstand impact. Accept no substitutes, and insist on engineered rack protection products.
2. Thicker Steel Construction: Mac Rak’s rack protection products are built with thicker steel compared to typical versions that use minimal-grade steel or even plastic. This sturdier construction provides enhanced durability and superior resistance to impacts, making them capable of withstanding the rigors of heavy warehouse usage and offering long-lasting protection for your valuable rack systems.
3. Structural Steel Integrity: Mac Rak utilizes high quality structural steel to manufacture their protection products. This ensures maximum load-bearing capacity and structural integrity, delivering robust protection against potential collisions and impacts from industrial equipment.
4. Additional Pallet Rack Anchor Points: The design philosophy of Mac Rak emphasizes safety and reliability. Their protection products are engineered with additional anchor points to ensure secure attachment to the floor, preventing any risk of dislodgment or compromised protection during critical moments and transferring force to the concrete, not the racking. These additional anchor points transfer the impact force to the concrete flooring rather than to the racking column. Rack protection products that are merely bolted to the columns transfer the impact energy to the racking column.
5. Larger Anchors for Enhanced Stability: Understanding the significance of a solid foundation, Mac Rak incorporates more prominent anchors to provide increased stability and anchoring strength. These larger anchors bolster the resistance of their protection products, ensuring they stay firmly in place, even under the most demanding conditions, and direct any impact force received into the ground instead of onto your rack.
6. USA Domestic Steel Sourcing: Mac Rak takes pride in sourcing materials locally from within the USA. By using domestic steel, they maintain stringent quality control standards and support the local economy, assuring customers of consistently high quality products. Foreign steel can use lower grade chemical elements that don’t meet U.S. standards.
7. USA Welded and Manufactured: Every Mac Rak protection product is welded and manufactured in the USA, adhering to the highest industry standards. This commitment to domestic production ensures superior craftsmanship, precision, and quality in every product they deliver.
8. Superior Design Over Plastic Alternatives: Mac Rak’s rack protection products are meticulously designed to outperform most products on the market as well as plastic pallet rack guards. Their steel-based solutions offer unmatched strength, impact resistance, and longevity, providing a substantial upgrade in protection compared to plastic options.
9. Exceeding Current Design Specifications: Mac Rak’s engineering skill shines through in their commitment to exceeding current design specifications. By surpassing industry standards, their protection products provide a new level of assurance, giving warehouse operators the confidence that their racks and inventory are optimally protected.
10. Color Options and Powder Coating: Typically Mac Rak guard products come in safety yellow, but they can be customized to meet your design needs. All Mac Rak guards are powder-coated for a long-lasting resilient finish.
By choosing Mac Rak as your rack protection provider you ensure that your warehouse investments and workforce are safeguarded with the utmost care, supporting the longevity and efficiency of your operations. Mac Rak will be ready when you need to repair pallet racks, and to support you in proactively protecting racks against damage.
Overview of Mac Rak Rack Protection Products
The guide below gives you a quick overview of our products and which racking system they are optimally used for. If you have any further questions as to which rack protection product is right for your application please contact us at Mac Rak and an expert will assist you right away.
Column Rack Protectors
End-of-Aisle Guards
Conclusion
Choosing thick steel rack protection products from Mac Rak over thinner steel or plastic options provides superior strength, durability, structural integrity, and added security for your warehouse. By investing from the start in the highest quality protection for your racks, you ensure the long-term safety and reliability of your storage system. Don’t compromise on the protection of your valuable inventory—opt for thick steel rack guard protectors to safeguard your warehouse and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with robust and dependable rack protection.
So whether you’re starting to build a warehouse from scratch, adding on to your warehouse, or assessing your current warehouse, it is never the wrong time to add rack protection products from Mac Rak. It will give you some peace of mind knowing your racks are protected from forklift impact and will save you time and money in the long run. Get started today with Mac Rak and find the guard products you need.
Available for Download
Download your free User Guide for Inspection of Damaged Storage Rack Systems booklet now. Great for use on PC or to print out.