There was a tragic story in the news recently involving a pallet rack shelving collapse in Manassas, VA recently. The accident took the life of one worker and seriously injured six others in an incident at the end of March. While investigators are still determining the cause of the rack, one eyewitness said that “the support system for the beams started crushing, it started buckling and a domino effect all the way down the aisle” occurred. This situation is every warehouse’s worst nightmare and a good reminder to practice pallet rack shelving safety.
Your pallet racks may seem like sturdy, indestructible things when you first have them installed. However, they can be damaged or used incorrectly and have their structural integrity damaged, putting you and your workers at risk of injury or even death. A pallet rack shelving collapse is no joke. Here are some things you can do to ensure your pallet racks are as safe as possible:
- Have it installed by a professional. Choose a company who is experienced in the installation and maintenance of pallet rack systems so you can be sure that they’ve been installed correctly.
- Have your pallet racks inspected regularly. Along with annual safety inspections, make it a habit to perform weekly or even bi-weekly inspections of your pallet racks to identify potential issues.
- Report damaged pallet racks immediately. Urge workers to report damage they see done to the pallet racks as soon as possible. Accidents with forklifts are a major cause of pallet rack collapse and should be reported right away.
- Get repairs done immediately. Don’t delay having repairs done to your pallet rack shelving. It might seem like something that can wait or you might be concerned about taking the money out of your budget, but a pallet rack collapse will be much, much costlier.
- Have repairs done by a pro. Unless you actually know what you are doing when it comes to pallet rack shelving repairs, it’s better to hire a professional who can do it for you.
- Go over pallet rack safety training often. Even if you have a team who has been around for years, refresh their memories and drill home the safety of pallet rack safety. This can help them avoid accidents and injuries.
It’s important to put safety first when it comes to your warehouse. While accidents happen and mistakes are going to be made, being as proactive as possible about the safety of your working environment, your pallet racks, and your team can help you avoid major catastrophes. The DAK Equipment & Engineering team would love to help you in any way we can. We offer installation services, repair services, and inspection services for warehouses across the country. Get in touch with our team today and let’s talk about what we can do to help you stay safe. You can call us or contact us through our website to reach a member of our team.
Our thoughts go out to the people of Manassas as they deal with the aftermath of this tragedy.
