IRIA

Pallet racks are so commonplace in warehouses, distribution centres, retail operations and manufacturing plants that it is important that they be recognized as the potential hazards they are.

In light of a recent fatality in Ontario involving the collapse of a pallet racking system, we’d like to give the issue some attention. Typically made of steel, pallet racks often support heavy loads. If the racks fail and the loads fall, there is potential to severely injure or kill a worker. That’s why employers, supervisors and workers who are responsible for and work around racking should take every reasonable precaution to ensure the safe operation and maintenance of pallet racks.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN

Racking systems often fail or collapse, in part or in whole. The forklifts that load the racks often collide with them, causing material to be displaced or damaging the racking itself.

Material sometimes falls through the back of the racks. In addition, facilities with floor vibration are at risk of loads crawling and eventually falling off the rack.

These incidents happen when racks are improperly designed, installed or assembled, when they’re being loaded or unloaded with the wrong kind of material handling equipment, or when they’re damaged. Other causes of failure of pallet rack systems:

•Overloaded or misused racks

•Unstable floors or walls

•Cracks in concrete floors around the anchors (from repeated hitting of the pallet rack)

•Products pushed through the back of the rack or no back rest where needed

•Operator error, often because the person driving the material handling equipment (forklift, reach truck etc.) isn’t properly trained

•After a forklift collision with a rack, employees fail to report the incident to management, or fail to assess damage and do the necessary maintenance or repairs

•Using racks to store goods/products they were not originally designed for

•Bracing is removed or not installed

•Anchor bolts are not installed

•Lack of regular inspection and maintenance program Employers have a duty to ensure a safe work environment.

In Ontario, a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review (PSR) is required in a factory where a new structure is being installed or modified (unless the employer has documentation to indicate that the rack has been designed and tested in accordance with the current applicable standards). Check the health and safety guidelines for your jurisdiction for regulations specific to pallet racks.

HOW TO PREVENT MISHAPS

According to reports from actual injuries and fatalities related to pallet racking, the following safe work practices are necessary and can save lives:

Installation

- Only workers who have received adequate training and are familiar with rack assembly procedures should be installing racking systems. It is critical to ensure that the installation of new racking or modified racking (which alters the load capacity) is in compliance with health and safety guidelines in your jurisdiction and carried out in accordance with the engineering reports and manufacturers’ instructions.

Safety training

- Anyone working in the area of pallet racking, or operating the equipment used to load the racks, must receive appropriate training on the potential hazards and safe work practices.

Maintenance

- Racks are not designed to withstand harsh blows. Any structure that receives a major dent should be replaced or repaired. Many pallet racking systems are damaged during regular use, most often by forklift trucks.

Inspection

- Supervisors and workers should conduct a daily inspection of the racking system. Things to look for are minor dents (a good indicator of structural abuse), improper overhang of goods over pallets, pallets over beams, damaged pallets, storage of improperly sized pallets, and unsafe operation of material handling equipment.

Once a month, management should conduct an inspection and document the findings in writing and through drawings to identify any variance (e.g. structural damage, missing or out-of-position components, etc.) from previous months. It is important to report findings of daily and monthly inspections and ensure there is a system in place to address any deficiencies/damage noted. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the racking systems in use are installed correctly, used as intended and maintained in good condition.

http://www.ccohs.ca/newsletters/hsreport/issues/2008/01/ezine.html#hazardalert 13/3/13

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In recent times there have been a number of headline Earthquakes. Last year Vanuatu was a small blip in the news, and Haiti & New Zealand woke us all up to an issue that we had complacent about in that it hadn’t made headlines in a very long time, so we all to a certain extent forgot the risks. Then came Japan, on Australias doorstop, devistation, people dead in the thousands, nuclear disasters, and economy and country crippled by an unavoidable natural event.

Sometimes, what we don’t realise, that dispite Australia being a relatively low risk area, we do still have Earthquakes and tremors, as demonstrated very recently in Queensland. The size, location and timing of such events is so variable and hard to predict that Australian business, or any business around the world, can not risk complacency. To provide perspective to the potential peril that we feel somewhat buffered from, view http://www.ga.gov.au/bin/listQuakes. This list demonstrates that although our risk is lower say than Japan, Earthquakes do happen frequently in Australia. Ensure your business is ready. Do you have a disaster action plan, is your building rated to withstand an Earthquake, Are the contents of your business, from your racking and stock loading, to your machinery to your valuable staff, as prepared and ready as they can be?

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One of the advantages in using an independent service, is that the independent advice you get is better on your companies bottom line.

A common scenario – your company has, over time, accumulated a number of damaged areas to your racking over your many national stores. You search for a solution, you look for someone to assess and repair it and have it out of your hair as quickly and painlessley as possible.

That solution, in many instances, falls almost by default to the racking manufacturer, the brand name on your rack makes the decision for you. However, the very same racking manufacturer that is assessing for you what needs to be fixed, is also calculating the price tag for it. Easy, Yes, Efficient? No.

Think about this real world example where Independent Racking Inspections & Audits saves you a bundle.
A company has, overtime, accumulated a number of damaged areas to their racking over multiple national sites. They search for a solution, they look for someone to assess it and repair it and have it out of their hair as quickly and painlessley as possible.

They look at the options, and make the wise choice of seperating this process – an Independent Racking Inspection Service, who’s report can be directly and easily actioned by the racking manufacturer.

Their reason for doing this – to get an expert report and to ensure that the manufacturer is not inflating their repair requirements.

The result to this real world customer? A saving of over 250k in the first year. The process? Just as painless and easy.

Call 1300 136 649 to get the right advice, and save money.

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IRIA Independent Racking Inspections and Audits now offers Steel Storage Pallet Racking racking staff safety training. These new training packages are another valuable element to add to IRIA’s racking safety services of Independent Racking inspections and Independent procurement and management of racking repairs.
In line with IRIA’s other service provisions, the new training packages also provide unbiased, client focused advice and training.

Training packages enable companies to take a proactive approach to OH&S. A must where Directors, Executives, Managers and Employees alike are now seen to be responsible for Occupational Health & Safety within the workplace.

IRIA’s new training modules are focused on client needs, and areavailable in multi-level competencies to suit different groups of employees in any workplace, from the Picker and Packer to the OHSE manager or the Managing Director. IRIA’s new training modules reduce the risks associated with the safe management of steel pallet racking through internal education and provides added peace of mind by providing a safer and more aware workplace environment for all employees.

IRIA offers a range of very flexible and cost effective options for racking inspections, racking management and racking safety awareness training packages designed to make you and your employees safe. Call now on 1300 136 649 or email info@iria.com.au

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