Our warehouse consultants can tell you that racking inspections are one of the most important things you can do in your warehouse. Without proper inspections, you aren’t just putting your inventory at risk, but you are putting your staff’s health and safety at risk as well. Racking inspections should be taking place on a regular and frequent basis in your warehouse. Otherwise, you could end up making the news like these warehouses:
- 1 dead, several injured in rack collapse at Va. business (March 29th, 2016)
The storage racks measuring 30 feet high and 200 feet long collapsed in this warehouse, killing one worker and injuring others. - Worker buried underneath 55,000 tonnes of cheese escapes alive after eight hours in a pickle (May 6th, 2016)
Shelves measuring 60 feet high and carrying hundreds of pounds of cheese collapsed in a warehouse in England, nearly killing a man. He was saved only because the cheese fell on top of the forklift he was operating at the time; the frame of the forklift saved him from being crushed.
There is no indication that a lack of inspections caused the issues in either case, but it’s not something you want to chance. The danger to your staff’s lives is very real and very serious. So here are some more tips that can help you make your racking safety and your inspections more thorough in order to prevent safety issues.
Use These Tips for Your Racking Inspections!
- Create a logging and communications book. This should be kept in a central place and available to all employees. Have employees log inspections into the book so everyone can see when the racking inspection was done and the results. Leave space for employees to log issues with the racking or areas of damage or concern they might encounter.
- Be consistent about inspections. Set a schedule for inspections and stick to it. This will help you discover problems with your racking early on and take measures to rectify them. The sooner you attend to problems with your racking, the less severe they are likely to become.
- Take advantage of training. Participating in programs like SHARPS and other racking inspection training is a great way to ensure you are catching any issues right away and that your team is trained to care and maintain the racking. You’ll also be exempt from additional surprise inspections from OSHA, which can help increase your efficiency.
Want to Make Your Racks Safer?
- Use the right racks for your warehouse. Using racks that are either too small for your heavier inventory or too large for your floor space can cause issues. Pick the right racking system and you’ll be well ahead in terms of safety.
- Know what your racks can handle. All racking systems have limits that you should know and stay within. That includes how high you can safely build the racks and how much weight they can take. Don’t push your racking system beyond it’s limits.
- Let an expert make modifications. If you want to change something on your racking system or need modifications done, it’s best left to an expert. That’s because they’ll be able to ensure the changes are made safely and aren’t a detriment to safety.
- Install safety guards. Safety guards around your racking can help prevent damage from machinery like forklifts. Safety equipment is an affordable one-time investment for most warehouses that can save you a lot of hassle in the future.
Need more advice on your warehouse racking inspections? Talk to the warehouse consultants at DAK Equipment & Engineering. We have the racking inspection services you need along with racking systems and safety equipment for sale. Get in touch with us over the phone or through our website today.
