Have you seen a domino effect take place? It starts with a simple tap—if a forklift happens to slightly hit the frame of a pallet rack, it can set off an alarming chain reaction, bringing the whole system down and potentially causing harm, pallet rack damage, or even fatalities in severe instances.
You could prevent this disastrous scenario by being well-informed about the various choices for guards for your pallet racks. Being well-informed is not merely about averting mishaps. It’s critical for maintaining safety within your warehouse, protecting the rack uprights, and ensuring uninterrupted business operations.
In this guide, we’ll explore the essential types of pallet rack protectors you should use and when to deploy them, ensuring your warehouse operations are secure and efficient. From steel guards for high-impact zones to flexible plastic options for lighter applications, we untangle the complexities so you can make the best decision for your setup without the fluff.
KEY TAKEAWAYS RELATED TO PALLET RACK PROTECTION
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Pallet rack protectors play a vital role in warehouse safety by absorbing forklift impacts and protecting racks, inventory, and the workforce. Different types cater to specific warehouse rack vulnerabilities.
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The selection process for pallet rack post protectors should consider compliance, location, design, and economic factors.
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Warehouses should also incorporate guard rails and overhead protection strategies to safeguard the entire storage system and establish a safe work environment.
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The Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI) recommends using column protection for warehouse racking and outlines compliance with their specifications for the design of industrial steel storage rack systems.
Choosing the best rack guard type for your situation
The design, structure, and use of pallet rack systems vary significantly, making it an engineering challenge when selecting the right protectors to meet your specific needs. To ensure you choose the ideal protection solution, start by considering these 4 key factors for pallet rack protectors:
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Compliance.
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Locations in your warehouse.
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Design of the guards.
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Economic.
Ideally, we would protect each column for the greatest potential impact, have the perfect ergonomic utility, and pay the minimum price for this product. However, in the real world, you have trade-offs to find the sweet spot for the best product for your situation. That’s why it’s essential to understand all the factors involved in this decision-making process. Let’s start first with regulations and compliance guidelines.
FACTOR 1: PALLET RACK REGULATIONS AND COMPLIANCE GUIDELINES
First, let us consider regulatory compliance for types of pallet rack protectors. Regulatory bodies and industrial standards groups such as MHI, ProGMA, RMI, ANSI, and OSHA provide detailed guidelines and standards to ensure proper protection and compliance. Here’s an overview of these regulations and how to adhere to them, focusing on rack protection.
ProGMA Standards for Rack Protection
The Protective Guarding Manufacturers Association (ProGMA), a division of MHI, sets guidelines specifically for the protection of pallet racks, ensuring that they are designed, installed, and maintained to prevent damage and ensure safety.
Key Points:
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Column Guards: ProGMA recommends using column guards to protect vertical rack columns from forklift impacts and other hazards. These guards should be robust and positioned at strategic points.
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End-of-Aisle Protection: ProGMA suggests installing protective barriers at the ends of aisles to shield racks from impacts.
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Regular Inspections: Conduct periodic inspections to identify damage to rack columns and ensure that protective devices are intact and effective.
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Training and Awareness: Ensure that warehouse staff are trained in the importance of rack protection and the proper use of protective devices.
ANSI Standards for Rack Protection
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) provides guidelines under the ANSI MH16.1 standard, focusing on the design, testing, and utilization of industrial steel storage racks, including specific recommendations for types of pallet rack protectors.
Key Points:
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Impact-Resistant Materials: Use rack protection materials that can withstand significant impacts, thereby preventing damage to the racks’ structural integrity.
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Installation of Guards: ANSI recommends installing guards and barriers to protect the base of the racks and vertical columns from collisions.
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Compliance with Design Standards: Ensure that all protective devices meet the guidelines outlined in the ANSI MH16.1 standard to provide adequate protection.
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Damage Assessment and Repair: Establish protocols for assessing and repairing damage to rack columns, ensuring that any impacts do not compromise the safety and stability of the rack system.
OSHA Standards for Rack Protection
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides regulations to ensure the safety of workers in warehouses, including standards for material handling and storage.
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General Duty Clause: Employers must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that can cause death or serious harm.
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1910.176(b): Secure storage of materials to prevent sliding, falling, or collapse.
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1910.176(c): Implement proper housekeeping to ensure clear aisles and prevent obstructions.
Key Points:
To comply with these regulations and ensure the safety of pallet rack vertical columns:
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Install Column Protectors: Use durable guards to protect columns from forklift impacts.
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Regular Inspections: Conduct recurring inspections to identify and repair damage promptly.
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Training: Provide training for workers on proper loading techniques and safety protocols.
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Load Management: Clearly mark load capacity limits for all rack systems and enforce strict adherence.
Conclusion: Adhering to Regulations and Guidelines for Pallet Rack Protection
Adhering to MHI, RMI, ANSI, and OSHA standards for protecting pallet rack vertical columns is essential for warehouse safety and compliance. Regular inspections, proper training, and the installation of column protectors can prevent accidents, reduce liability, and avoid costly fines and lawsuits. Implementing these measures will ensure a safer working environment and more efficient warehouse operations.
FACTOR 2: LOCATION IN THE WAREHOUSE
The location in your warehouse that needs protection will dictate the type of rack protection product you will require. Here are the major categories of pallet rack guard types based on location.
End-of-Aisle Guards
End-of-aisle guards are crucial for protecting the ends of your pallet racking systems, which are often the most vulnerable to forklift impacts. These guards act as a barrier to prevent damage to the racking system, ensuring the stability and safety of your warehouse operations. These guards are designed to absorb and deflect impacts, reducing the risk of rack collapse and maintaining the integrity of your storage system. The RMI also emphasizes the importance of installing these guards to reduce the risk of collapse due to minor impacts and enhance overall warehouse safety.
Bottom of Column Guards
Guards for the bottom of columns are essential protective devices designed to safeguard the lower sections of pallet rack columns, or rack uprights, from impacts. These guards are installed at the base of the columns where forklifts and other warehouse vehicles are most likely to collide. By absorbing and deflecting the force of such impacts, column guards help to prevent structural damage to the racking system, improving the overall safety of the warehouse.
Guard Rails and Fences
Guard rails are essential components in maintaining the safety and integrity of warehouse environments.
Guard rails are robust barriers designed to protect the perimeter of racking systems and other critical areas from collisions and impacts. They are typically installed along the edges of aisles, around corners, and near high-traffic zones to prevent forklifts and other vehicles from damaging warehouse components or injuring workers walking in the warehouse.
Warehouse Dock Door Guards
Guards for dock doors are essential safety devices designed to protect the entry and exit points of a warehouse, particularly at loading docks. These guards are typically installed around any racking frames that are installed around dock doors to shield them from impacts caused by forklifts, trucks, and other heavy machinery.
By absorbing and deflecting the force of collisions, dock door guards help to prevent damage to the dock doors and surrounding structures, ensuring the safety and efficiency of warehouse operations. Their robust construction and strategic placement make them a crucial component in maintaining a secure and functional loading dock area.
Building Column Guards
Guards for building columns are designed to protect structural columns within a warehouse from impacts and collisions, particularly from forklifts and other machinery. These guards are essential for maintaining the integrity of the building’s support structures, ensuring that the columns remain undamaged and stable.
Typically, building column guards are constructed from durable materials such as steel or heavy-duty plastic, providing robust protection against significant impacts. They are often installed at strategic points around the warehouse to shield columns from potential damage, thereby enhancing overall warehouse safety and operational efficiency.
Rack Pallet Stoppers
Pallet stoppers are for ground-level bays. These are pallet rack guards that protect both the rack frames and the products stored in parallel bays behind them or against a wall. They are often overlooked, but depending on your product and pallet type, they can protect you from unwanted damage and should be considered.
FACTOR 3: DESIGN FEATURES NEEDED FOR YOUR PALLET RACK PROTECTORS
Once you have established a location that needs protection, you will need to assess the various design features that will be the best fit for your pallet rack protection needs. We will also provide visual references to help you understand the different types.
List of Types of Pallet Rack Protectors Based on Design
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Floor Anchored or Bolt-on
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Protected Anchors or Unprotected Anchors
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Protruding or Non-Protruding Protectors
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Short or Tall Rack Column Guards
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Integrated Repair Kit Protector
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Plastic Pallet Rack Guards
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Steel Gauge and Strength
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Structurally Independent
DETAILED REVIEW OF EACH PALLET RACK GUARD DESIGN TYPE
These are the design factors that you should consider when selecting rack guards for your warehouse.
Pallet Rack Guards: Material Matters in Post Protection
Steel protectors are highly durable and can withstand repeated impacts, making them ideal for heavy-duty protection against strong collisions.
Floor-Anchored or Bolt-on
Depending on your needs, you can choose between floor-anchored and bolt-on protectors. Floor-anchored protectors offer robust defense by redirecting collision forces to the floor, making them ideal for high-traffic or high-impact areas.
In contrast, bolt-on protectors are easier to mount, more cost-effective, and suitable for low-traffic and low-impact environments. However, they are less durable as they transfer collision forces, which can compromise the structural integrity of the column.
Unprotected Anchors vs. Protected Anchors
Pallet rack guards with exposed anchor bolts are easier and faster to install since the bolts are more accessible for maintenance and inspection. However, exposed bolts can create tripping hazards and are more vulnerable to damage from impacts, potentially compromising the stability of the guard and rack.
In contrast, guards with anchor bolts protected behind the guard or rack column provide greater safety and durability. These designs shield the bolts from impacts and shearing, reducing the risk of damage and ensuring a more secure installation. Additionally, protected bolts eliminate trip hazards, enhancing workplace safety.
While installation and maintenance may take slightly longer, the added protection and compliance with safety standards make protected anchor designs a better choice for long-term stability and safety, particularly in areas prone to significant forklift impacts.
Protruding vs. Non-Protruding Protectors
Protruding protectors stick out from the pallet rack, offering extra distance to absorb impacts. They are ideal for high-risk collision areas, such as Push Back or Drive-in Racks, as they deflect impacts away, preserving the rack’s structure.
Non-protruding protectors stay flush with the rack, making them perfect for Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) and Selective Racks, where space is limited. These protectors provide effective defense without taking up valuable aisle space, ensuring efficient operations.
For Pallet Flow Racks, the choice depends on warehouse layout and traffic. Protruding protectors work well in high-traffic zones for extra defense, while non-protruding protectors are better suited for tight spaces, maintaining clearance and safety.
Pallet Rack Repair Kits with Integrated Protectors
Pallet rack repair kits with integrated protectors, such as DAMO PRO, are designed to both restore damaged racking systems and prevent future damage. They include all components needed to repair compromised rack columns and feature built-in protectors to absorb and deflect impacts, ensuring long-term structural integrity and safety.
These kits combine repair and protection in one solution, making them a cost-effective and efficient way to maintain warehouse storage systems, minimize downtime, and enhance overall safety. However, they are typically installed only where damage has occurred and require professional installation.
Short or Tall Pallet Rack Guards
Pallet rack guards are available in short and tall heights, each with unique benefits and trade-offs.
Short guards are compact and less intrusive, making them suitable for low-impact areas or tight spaces.
Tall guards offer extensive protection, covering more of the rack column and shielding against stronger impacts. While highly effective, they can require more space, potentially affecting operations in narrow aisles.
Steel Gauge and Strength
The gauge and strength of steel are vital when choosing pallet rack protectors, as they must match the specific needs of your warehouse. Thicker, stronger steel is necessary for high-impact areas to ensure durability and safety, while lighter steel may work for lower-impact zones.
FACTOR 4: BUDGET
Based on the following factors: compliance, location, and design, it is now time to decide, based on your budget, which is the best choice for your pallet rack system. Bringing it all together can be complex, but you are not alone. Damotech experts are here to help you with each step and find the perfect racking guard system for your warehouse.
CONCLUSION: CHOOSING THE RIGHT PALLET RACK PROTECTORS FOR YOUR NEEDS
From our detailed examination of pallet rack protectors, it is evident that these guards are essential components in the mechanics of safety and operational efficiency within a warehouse environment. They serve as fundamental elements from their position on the ground up to the rack columns they guard, playing an understated yet pivotal role in preserving the condition of your storage systems.
Allocating resources towards superior quality rack protectors allows you to:
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Reinforce your warehouse infrastructure against potential harm
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Exhibit a deep dedication to worker safety
- Maintain efficiency throughout your operations.
Damotech’s team of experts can help you select, install, and maintain the best rack protection solutions tailored to your specific warehouse needs, ensuring long-term safety and compliance.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the main types of pallet rack protectors?
Various forms or types of pallet rack protectors are available, and the variations are based on your warehouse's location and design needs.
How do I know which pallet rack protection to use in my warehouse?
When selecting pallet rack protectors for your warehouse, it’s essential to use the 4 factors listed in the article above: compliance, location, design, and economics. It is advisable to consult with specialists or engineers who can provide guidance in choosing protectors that will best fit your needs.
Are steel pallet rack protectors better than plastic ones?
In environments with heavy traffic or where there is a significant risk of impacts, protectors made from steel for pallet racks are typically the preferred option because they offer greater durability and resistance to impact than their plastic counterparts.
Should I install pallet rack protectors myself or hire professionals?
It is recommended that expert installers be engaged to fit pallet rack protectors to comply with safety regulations and guarantee secure and proper installation. This approach not only provides reassurance about the sufficient protection of your pallet racks but also contributes to overall warehouse safety by ensuring that these protectors are correctly attached.
How can pallet rack protection impact warehouse safety?
Pallet rack protectors substantially enhance warehouse safety by shielding against forklift collisions and mishaps. They help prevent rack collapse, reduce the chances of injuries, and safeguard stored items, thereby fostering a secure workplace atmosphere.
