It takes careful planning and site preparation to complete a pallet rack installation successfully in a warehouse and materials handling setting. The most important considerations for specifying and building typical industrial pallet racks in a closed warehouse are discussed in this article.

Licensed Installers with Factory Training

Whether buying a new or secondhand warehouse storage system, always hire skilled installers who have had factory training. Use the product’s manufacturers’ resources to get advice on design, layout, and specifications. Demand that the proposal be submitted with a copy of their certification paperwork.

Background Foundations

Prior to entering into a contract, warehouse floors must be inspected carefully. Federal, state, and local building floor loading codes may not be followed by older structures. In addition, other “surprises” like drainage pipes, utility conduit, and missing rebar are frequently found hidden beneath the floor, subfloor, and foundation. Older buildings might need to be retrofitted or might not be strong enough to support the weight of fully loaded pallet racking installation and the layout-related warehouse traffic pattern.

Earthquake zones

Make sure the seismic zone is considered in the proposal and that the pallet rack installation is set up to accommodate for soil collapse, ground movement, and shear. Manufacturers of pallet racking should include certification from a separate structural engineer along with the proposal, along with the results of destructive testing. In some portions of the installation, the vertical beam spacing between each upright may be lowered to simulate a shear wall.

Ground Loading

Manufacturers’ maximum floor loading capacities differ. Anticipate some proposals to contain add-ons to take into consideration the reinforcement needed to support your storage load, distribute the floor’s weight with anchor pads, and restrict lateral movement with stiff wall spacers, anchor rack uprights, and anchor bolts.

Reports on Progress

Demand on weekly status updates that include walkthroughs. Invite users to take part in the walkthrough.

Visits to the Site

Keep track of and adhere to the site inspection’s objectives in writing. Make a punch list of things that need to be fixed and get the installation supervisor’s approval. Cantilever pallet racking is specifically designed to store long or varying-length items.

Pallet Rack Upkeep Contract

Even though little maintenance is necessary, think about getting a 1-2 year maintenance contract. Inspecting the storage system’s structural soundness entails looking at all of its major parts and accessories, such as clips and beam ties. Expect minor adjustments to be needed to satisfy new code requirements.