In the U.S., OSHA law stipulates that company management is responsible for providing a safe workplace to their employees. Canadian jurisdictions also follow the same guidelines. Putting workers at risk of injury can expose employers to serious liability in case of an accident.
Despite the demands of your daily operations, your racking systems must maintain their full integrity over time. Our annual pallet rack inspection services are thorough and always performed by engineers, to certify that your racking systems comply with the local rack design and safety standards.
Our engineers walk through your facility and meticulously inspect your racking systems for compliance, collecting on-site information, taking photos, and recording any deficiencies, damage, or missing components. Our pallet rack inspection services are non-disruptive to your daily operations. Following our visit, we'll issue a detailed report with recommendations.
Regardless of your industry, the type of pallet racks you use, or the damage found in your warehouse, we have the expertise and solutions to help you diagnose, report, and address deficiencies.
There is no precise regulation on the frequency of inspections. It should vary based on the velocity of your operations or the speed at which rack-related issues arise in your warehouse. Generally, most experts and governing bodies such as OSHA agree to recommend yearly independent inspections performed by third-party rack experts or engineers. Monthly assessments by warehouse personnel using software like the Damotech Platform are also recommended.
A thorough third-party inspection is highly recommended before an OSHA audit. A Damotech inspection report will provide your business with an accurate assessment of the condition of your warehouse pallet racking systems (proper installation, unsafe modifications, hazardous damage, or unposted load capacities) and allow necessary measures to be taken to address issues before OSHA visits.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: If your warehouse does not comply with OSHA regulations, you could be fined or forced to temporarily suspend your operations.
Damotech engineers will produce a detailed and actionable inspection report.
It includes:
In the United States and Canada, there are well-defined standards for the safe use of pallet racks in all warehouses. However, sorting through all the different rack safety standards and regulations can be challenging.
In the United States, there are guidelines and regulations from organizations like RMI (Rack Manufacturer's Institute), ANSI (American National Standards Institute), and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). Also, there are those established by Canadian government bodies like WorkSafeBC, MOL (Ontario Ministry of Labor), and CSA (Canadian Standards Association).
At Damotech, we have all the required expertise to help you make the entire regulatory audit and certification process as straightforward as possible. So whether you want a PSR review, an OSHA Audit, or an engineer-stamped drawing with load capacities for local/municipal permits, Damotech has you covered.
The Damotech Platform is an online software that gives our customers instant access to their warehouses' most recent inspection data. The dashboard shares insightful statistics about inspected racking systems. As reported issues are addressed, customers can track their progress toward achieving their goal of a safer warehouse.
Customers access a visual warehouse layout with all the recorded data for each rack location. They can view, filter, and sort data by current status or damage priority level and the photos taken by the Damotech inspectors. By registering for the Premium Version, users can record new issues themselves, or even perform their own routine assessments.
There is no clear regulation on the frequency of racking inspections. It often depends on the speed at which rack-related issues accumulate in your warehouse. Although not clearly expressed, most governing bodies like OSHA and MOL recommend yearly independent inspections by a third party and monthly assessments by warehouse personnel.
For more detailed info, read our knowledge base article: How often should warehouse racking be inspected?
In the U.S., the IBC (International Building Code) refers to ANSI / MH16.1 (RMI Rack Design Standard) which defines how racks must be designed and maintained. In Canada, the latest NBC (National Building Code) refers to CSA S16 for the design of steel structures, including racks. As this is a relatively new code, some provinces still use the previous rack design code A344.2.
All Damotech inspectors have a bachelor’s degree in engineering. To be certified by Damotech, they undergo a rigorous training program at our facility with an experienced instructor and must then spend a set number of hours visiting warehouse facilities with a Damotech certified inspector.
If severe issues are identified through Damotech's inspection services, our inspectors will notify the main contact at your facility of the immediate actions required.
If your own staff detects severe damage, it is crucial to take immediate action to prevent injuries or further damage. The affected racking systems should be cordoned off. If unloading can be performed safely, you should do so.
Next, contact Damotech to assess and address the damage adequately. We will evaluate the extent of the damage and recommend adequate solutions such as repair or replacement.
In many cases, damaged columns and struts can be effectively repaired using Damotech repair kits. Rack repair is often more cost-effective, less time-consuming and disruptive to your operations than replacing components with OEM parts. The repair process involves using a lifting jack to remove the damaged portion and installing a repair kit. Damotech-engineered rack repair kits restore the full load capacity of your racks and prevent most future damage to the same location.
Yes, but our inspectors do not immediately specify repair solutions as they remain completely independent of the sales process. If you request it, a Damotech representative will gladly help you determine the best solutions to address the reported issues, whether repairing with engineered kits or replacing damaged components with OEM parts.
Damotech rack safety inspections can identify various types of damage or issues in your pallet rack systems. Below is an overview of some more commonly identified issues by component:
Contact one of our rack safety experts for more details on Damotech Rack Inspections.
During a compliance audit, Damotech's engineers walk your entire facility and visually inspect all the racking systems. They look for damaged rack components such as columns, beams, and braces. They also search for missing anchors, safety pins, safety bars, and more. An engineer stamps the report and provides recommendations for bringing the systems back to conformity.
It’s not that we want to skirt around the subject of pricing. We like to know what things cost, too. Our racking inspection services are made-to-measure, and tailored to your specific needs. We inspect facilities large and small, anywhere in North America. Consequently, our pricing will factor geographic location, warehouse size, number of bays, type of environment (dry vs. cold storage) to offer you a detailed quote containing no surprises. Requesting Premium Access to the Damotech Platform will also affects pricing.
Request pricing or call 1-877-990-3266 and let us demonstrate the value of the engineering inspection services we provide.
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