How to get your pallet racking right the first time?

Know the types of Pallet Racking

As a dedicated warehouse manager, you surely know your storage requirements by heart and you’ve probably already planned for scalability also, but do you know all the types of racking and pallet storage systems out there?

From floor stacking and selective pallet racks to push back systems and drive-through structures, there are many types of racking, all with their advantages and disadvantages, which is why in-depth knowledge of pallet storage methods is the first step towards a proper solution.

The most elementary method of storing pallets is represented by floor stacking and while the method requires virtually no investment and provides great storage density, it has the huge disadvantage of occupying most of your warehouse’s floor space. In addition, you can only stack them if the pallet is actually capable of supporting the load and the level of accessibility to individual pallets is very poor. A step up from floor stacking, selective pallet racking is very popular among UK warehouses. It’s true that they provide low storage density, but they also require low investment in comparison to more dense solutions. Their greatest advantage is that you’ll gain easy accessibility to all pallets and can work on both FIFO and LIFO bases.

Another option would be drive-in, or otherwise drive-through, pallet rack systems. The only difference between the two is that the latter features an entrance at both ends, while drive-in systems only have one entrance at one end. These systems allow fork trucks to be driven into bays and elevate loads and their greatest advantage is the high storage density they offer. Drive-through systems are usually First In First Out, while drive-ins typically allow for Last In First Out. Pallet flow rack systems and push back systems are the other two types of pallet storage and they both offer high storage density, but also require more significant investments. They both use uprights and cross beams, but the push back system is LIFO and the flow system is FIFO.

Know the Safety Regulations

Whether we’re talking fire codes, seismic zones or simply beam capacities which are affected by the loading patterns, when looking to invest in new pallet racking systems for your warehouse, safety regulations are of utter importance. This is one of the main reasons for which design assistance is preferable, as most of these services include help with building and safety regulations and even safe installation services.

Regular inspections are also recommendable, especially for those pallet racking systems that involve mechanical handling equipment. This may not be a regulation or a legal requirement, but it can save you a lot of hassle and money down the road, not to mention it can save lives. Pallets can be stacked and stored on racking systems that go as up as you want, thus making great use of otherwise wasted space, but they don’t fall up, and rack collapses are highly dangerous.

Even though you might have gotten it right the first time, designing and installing your racking systems in compliance with all the codes of practice and all safety regulations, it still pays to conduct your own regular inspections as to assess the integrity of the frames and beams to spot any damages, deflections, dents and other such factors.