Rack it up, Rack it in: Top Racking Safety Tips

Whether it's in your warehouse or in a factory, your safety is paramount.

If you’ve been following our blog for a while, you’ll realise that we’re big on making sure that you are safe - whether it’s in your warehouse or in a factory, your safety is paramount. What many business owners might not consider however, is the consideration of safety when it comes to racking systems. As a business owner, you’ll most likely own a number of different racking systems, from pallet racking to sheet racks. So with all these in place, how can you be sure that it’s all safe?

While the two most important things to any entrepreneur is product and pitch, racking safety is something that requires every business owner’s attention. So here are some top tips to ensure your racking safely.

Know Your Racking

Like we said earlier, there are different racking systems which offer different storage solutions for different businesses. While that sounds hard to swallow, what we basically mean is that there’s a large amount, for all different purposes. Also, the most expensive racking system, might not necessarily mean it’s the safest. A large floor stacking system will offer plenty of room and will be able to take on a lot of weight, but it also takes up a lot of floor space. It may sound obvious, but if you have a smaller sized warehouse, it might be better looking for something else as this kind of system will end up making your warehouse very unsafe. Choosing the type of racking you want in your warehouse requires just as much planning as any other part of your business.

Inspections

Warehouse and racking inspections are an instance of the public and private sectors uniting in the name of safety - which means, knowing your acronyms. The department of health and safety (HSE) recommend that any business get a SARI (SEMA- approved rack inspector) to help with the installation process, any maintenance work, and also the repair of its racking. Wherever your warehouse is based, there are plenty of private firms and public organisations that are involved with your warehouse and your racking, so having a look around at the services they provide is paramount, as you can ensure that you are as a safe and legal as possible.

Racking Training

While having SARI involved in the process means that you may receive an exemption from a programmed inspection, it isn’t an excuse to be careless. In fact, it’s better to have your employees trained enough in your safety standards as inspections will become more relaxed, and you can take them into your own hands. Create a logbook and business-wide code of racking safety. A system of green, yellow and red alerts, for example, is a great way to keep racking inspection simple enough for everyone to understand. Remember, consistency is key: you want to ensure there are no grey areas when it comes to racking safety. Make the decision, well ahead of time, what you and your business consider to be a yellow alert, and what you consider a red alert.

Here at Pallet Racking Direct, we want to make sure that you and your business are as safe as they can be. If you’re looking to find a safe and efficient racking system, our pallet racking systems help keep your warehouse neat and tidy as well as safely storing your products. If you would like more information on how our pallet racking can help keep your warehouse safe and productive, don’t hesitate to contact our team today by calling 01444 220 290 and we will be more than happy to help you with your enquiries.