Operation Inspection and Maintenance
A regime of regular inspection for the pallet racking installation should be carried out at a series of levels of competence. Warehouse staff and fork lift truck operators should be encouraged to report all damage immediately as it occurs to ensure appropriate action is taken to protect the safety of operatives and others. This will, however, require a diplomatic approach to disciplinary procedures for careless drivers. Regular formal inspections of all racking should be undertaken by warehouse supervisors at weekly and monthly intervals to identify and act upon any damage not yet reported. This should typically include removal of product from random bays to provide more detailed inspection access. Yearly or half-yearly formal inspections should be carried out by a technically competent individual (preferably SARI registered), fully experience in the identification and categorisation of racking damage. This individual might be a fully trained member of the management, a rack manufacturer’s technical expert or an independent consultant. The frequency of each level of inspection must be adjusted with due regard to the throughput of the warehouse. High usage stores require a more regular inspection. Cold store conditions are more arduous for materials and staff and must be taken into account in determining the necessary frequency of inspection and the skill level of the inspector.
For further information and advice see SEMA Guideline 6 Guide to the Conduct of Pallet Racking and Shelving Surveys. All surveys must be conducted, and in particular documented in the maintenance log, in a systematic and clear manner. The survey will classify damage according to severity and corrective action necessary. Generally, three degrees of damage will exist; Green, Orange and Red Alert Levels. Red alerts are items which are severely damaged well beyond the limitations of the SEMA code.
In such circumstances, the racking should be immediately off-loaded and isolated from future use until repair work is carried out. Such repair work would normally be the replacement of the damaged item. For items identified as Designation Red, a written procedure must be adopted by the Inspection Engineer in order to inform the user of the seriousness of the situation. Orange alerts are items that are damaged beyond the limitations of the SEMA code, but not sufficiently serious to warrant immediate off-loading of the rack. A procedure should be in place to ensure that once the rack is off loaded, it is not reused until repairs have been carried out.
In the event that the location is still occupied 4 weeks after initial identification, the rack should be off-loaded for repair without further delay. Green alerts are items which are damaged but are within the limitation of the SEMA code. Such items would be recorded as being suitable for use but be identified for future reference and monitoring.
Damage Requiring Replacement
Anything which significantly changes the original cross section profile or deforms the straightness of any load bearing member or which significantly weakens jointed members due to failed welds or loose bolts, requires replacement.
Damage to racking
Any damage to a rack upright will reduce its load carrying capacity. The greater the damage the greater will be the reduction in its strength until the upright collapses at its normal working load. Damage to bracing sections will reduce the capacity of racking frames to withstand accidental frontal impacts and may also reduce the axial load carrying capability of frame uprights.
Link 51 Health & Safety
guide to pallet racking and
manual handling
Link 51
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