Common Mistakes in Pallet Rack Installation

Common Mistakes in Pallet Rack Installation

Pallet rack installation is a complex process, making it open to dangerous and costly mistakes. Common mistakes are avoidable if the proper precautions are taken. This may take a little more time, but it is worth the safety of your employees, equipment, and inventory. Here are some common mistakes when installing pallet racking and how to avoid them.

pallet rack installation

Common Mistakes

These are common mistakes seen in pallet rack installation. These mistakes can lead to injury, structural failure, damaged equipment and inventory, improper usage of pallet racks, and more. It is important to be aware of these mistakes to help avoid them. Here is a short guide on how to install pallet racking.

Improper Assembly: This includes not tightening the bolts enough, using the incorrect parts, not aligning the racking properly, not anchoring the racking to the floor, installing on top of uneven floors, and more. These mistakes will all lead to pallet rack instability which compromises the structural integrity. This poses safety hazards and damages the racking.

Inadequate Training: When companies install pallet racking themselves, they are at risk of having the people installing the racking not be properly trained. This is incredibly important for the safety of employees during and after installation. There is also a greater risk of improper installation, leading to safety hazards and damage to the structure.

Lack of Safety Features: Failing to install safety features such as bars or netting poses a safety risk for your employees and inventory both during and after pallet rack installation. This also includes not allowing enough space for forklifts in the aisles to prevent accidents.

Not Including Seismic Considerations: In areas prone to earthquakes, it is necessary to consider your seismic calculations to prevent injury and structural failure. This does not apply to everyone, since not every pallet rack is installed in an earthquake-prone area. However, it is an incredibly important step that cannot be skipped.

How to Avoid Mistakes

The easiest and most efficient way to avoid all pallet rack installation mistakes is by hiring pallet rack professionals. They have all of the proper training, knowledge, and experience to avoid making mistakes when installing pallet racking.

Other ways to avoid mistakes is properly training your staff, strictly following the manufacturer’s instructions, consulting experts, and taking extra care while installing pallet racking.

If you are looking for professional pallet rack installers, we are here to help. Simply Rack is located near Austin, Texas, serving the local community and wider area. We offer new and used pallet racking, as well as services such as installation and relocation assistance. Contact us today to find out how we can help your business’s storage efficiency. 

How to Install a Cantilever System: Step-by-Step Guide

How to Erect a Cantilever System: Step-by-Step Guide for Safe and Effective Installation

Installation Made Easy: A Step-by-Step Guide for Erecting Your Cantilever System Safely and Efficiently

In this episode, we will be discussing the safe and effective installation of a cantilever system, using a step-by-step guide. You’ll learn how to build the column, base, and arm levels on the ground before standing them up with the use of forklifts. We’ll also cover the importance of installing the X-brace in the middle for stability and why it’s best to do it on the ground rather than in the air. Don’t miss out on this valuable information to ensure a successful and safe installation of your cantilever system.

What You'll Learn

  • How to build the columns, bases, and arm levels of a cantilever system on the ground
  • The importance of installing the X-Brace in the middle and starting with the two center horizontals for stability
  • Why it’s safer and easier to install the X-Brace on the ground rather than in the air

Listen to the audio version below!

Transcript for the audio/video

Tracy Jackson: When erecting the cantilever system, you’re going to build the trees on the ground. So you’re going to take your column, add your base, your arm levels, and get those completed for each column base arm assembly. Then you’ll use two forklifts to start the first set bay and stand them up and install the X-brace in the middle. If you’re adding units on from there, say attaching one unit to the next, you will just need one forklift to stand it and then have personnel to install the X-Brace. It’s much easier to do it on the ground and only install the X-Brace than doing it in the air. One other note is when installing the X-Brace, always install your two center horizontals first. Not the ones on the bottom or the top, just for stability

How to Install Pallet Rack Anchors in a Non-Seismic Area

How to Safely and Effectively Install Pallet Racking

Pallet racks are strategically assembled to form a storage system capable of holding load capacities in the tons, making proper anchoring critical for safe, effective use and overall warehouse safety. There are different ways to properly anchor your pallet rack system, but the most common method is by using anchors. In this video, we’ll show you how to install pallet racking in a non-seismic location.

What You’ll Learn

  • How to properly install anchors in a non-seismic location
  • The importance of proper anchoring
  • How to ensure your pallet rack system is safe and effective

Listen to the audio version below!

Transcript for the audio/video

Tracy: This video will be based on the proper way to install pallet racking anchors in a non-seismic location.

Installer: First of all, make sure our rack is on the line. Okay. So our line is straight, and we’re going to drill. Our anchors are four and a quarter. So we’re going to drill just a little bit more so in the future, if it has to be moved, we can drive, take the nut off and drive the anchor down and it won’t stick up out of the concrete.

We’re going to vacuum all the dust out, clean the hole out. Anchor the nuts up far enough so it beads, as deep as it possibly can.

Tracy: One anchor peripheral plate is all that’s required and it could be either on the left side or the right side?

Installer: Exactly.

Tracy: Why would you put them on… Why are there two holes?

Installer: Sometimes you’ll hit rebar in the concrete.

Tracy: Okay.

Installer: Or there might be an air pocket down there. The concrete’s soft. So we get to the other side so we can make sure we’re a good three and three quarters.

Tracy: Okay. What if you hit that concrete sideline, do you have to do anything different? Can you drill on that concrete sideline?

Installer: Yeah. Cause it’s just a little bit, it’s only about not even a quarter inch deep. It’s an expansion joint. So the concrete doesn’t crack.

Tracy: Okay.

Installer: Across warehouse. It’s designed so it lets it separate it. If it’s a sealed, I mean, when they stopped the concrete and started again, it’s going to be fairly deep. You’d have to move the row over one way or the other.

Tracy: You do have to move the row.

Installer: Yes.

Tracy: Okay. Very good.

Installer: Because it’s not going to hold inside the crack, but these are just quarter inch expansion joint cuts.

Tracy: Very good. So the client could install either left or right. Does not matter.

Installer: That’s right.

Tracy: Very good. Thank you.

 

If you have any questions, or would like to protect your racking, give us a call at 512-869-2803.