Warehouse racking systems are some of the most important safety features that a warehouse can maintain. These systems take a lot of abuse throughout the workweek, which is the main reason why they are so heavily regulated. If you are running a warehouse, you absolutely need to know the common symptoms of worn-out warehouse racking systems. Knowing these symptoms will help you provide a much safer and more productive work environment!
Look for Any Corrosion
Corrosion is one of the major issues that will cause most racking systems to become useless at the end of their lifetime. Corrosion is prevalent in areas with moist temperatures and areas with a high amount of salt in the air. In most cases, corrosion will present itself in the form of rust or metal deformation. Because corrosion weakens the chemical structure of the metal, it can mean that the racking system will be able to store less weight.
Look for Buckling in the Rack
Another major symptom of worn-out warehouse racking systems is buckling in the crossbeams and the rack decking of the system. While decking should be able to bend to a point, the racking should always correct itself back to an unflexed state. If your racking does not have this springiness to it, it may be damaged. Damaged components will quickly reduce the effective load limit of your racking system; it is absolutely necessary to replace the parts once damaged.
Look for Any Major Leaning
Leaning in a racking system is a recognizable symptom that the metal has fatigued in some part of the racking structure. This can result in reduced load capacity, as well as lead to a major racking collapse. If that happens, it will likely destroy most of your inventory and lead to very costly employee insurance claims. If you want to prevent this from happening, you must stress regular checkups for all your racking systems.
If you find that you are experiencing any of these symptoms of worn-out warehouse racking systems, be sure to have them replaced and decommissioned immediately! Doing so will prevent further deterioration and will help stave off any safety risks that the racking could pose.
