8 Common Causes of Pallet Rack Failure 

Pallet racks are essential for efficient warehouse storage. However, when they fail, the consequences can be costly and dangerous for everyone on your property. Understanding the common causes of pallet rack failure is crucial for maintaining a safe and productive work environment. 

From improper installation and overloading to poor maintenance and accidental collisions, many of these issues are easily preventable with the proper knowledge and planning. In this blog, we’ll discuss the most common reasons pallet racks fail to ensure you keep everyone on your property safe from harm. 

1. Overloading Racks

Your pallet rack provider will have plenty of information about your rack’s anticipated weight limits. When loading and unloading goods, you might not think a few hundred pounds over this limit will make much of a difference. However, this compromises the integrity of your shelving and puts you at extreme risk of pallet rack failure. When putting away loads, it is essential to follow these weight limits closely to avoid devastating damage. 

2. Equipment Collisions

As you prepare to load goods onto your pallet racks, it is important to choose a trained and experienced forklift driver to get this job done. Untrained forklift drivers aren’t just an insurance nightmare, but also risk running into and damaging your pallet racks. Even the most minor collision can compromise the structural integrity of your racks. Over time, continual collisions will increase your risk of pallet rack failure and major loss of goods. 

3. Environmental Factors

When you think about the structural integrity of your pallet racks, you probably don’t think about the warehouse environment. However, if your warehouse is incredibly humid or the racks are frequently exposed to abrasive chemicals, this may weaken your racks. This weakening is especially common around weld and connection points. If you want to avoid pallet rack failure, it’s best to limit humidity levels and keep your racks free of harmful chemicals. 

4. Neglect

Regularly maintaining and inspecting your pallet racks is an essential part of warehouse safety. Much like with other equipment, maintaining and inspecting your racks allows you an opportunity to catch minor damage before it becomes a more significant problem. However, if you fail to perform regular maintenance and inspections, you can anticipate inevitable pallet rack failure, as you don’t allow yourself an opportunity to catch the damage until it’s too late. 

5. Improper Installation

If you’re going to install new pallet racks on your property, it is essential that you follow the manufacturer’s recommended configurations. Choosing to go off script and attempting to assemble them on your own, or investing in installation from an inexperienced team, may result in improperly installed racks. As goods are loaded onto these shelves, you risk running into pallet rack failure, as they aren’t equipped to handle specific load capacities.

6. Improperly Secured Loads

Before you begin loading goods onto your pallet racks, it’s essential to ensure they are secure. The goods should be evenly distributed across the pallet and properly wrapped or strapped. Securing the pallet ensures the goods won’t fall off the pallet once loaded. However, if you skip this step, it may result in unbalanced weight distribution and rack damage that may inevitably lead to pallet rack failure over time. 

7. Mixing Materials

When adding new pallet racks to your property, it is important that you avoid mixing brand materials. While these pieces may fit together well enough, choosing to mix materials can compromise your rack quality and security. If you want to avoid pallet rack failure, it is best to stick with one pallet rack manufacturer in lieu of mixing with materials you already have on hand. This helps you avoid damage to your racks and potential loss of damaged goods. 

8. Floor Settling or Damage

The floor beneath your pallet racks also plays an important role in rack safety. Over time, your uneven or cracked warehouse floors can cause rack misalignments or stress on the uprights. Before installing new racks, it’s important to address any floor damage. If you notice new cracks beneath your racks, you should also schedule essential repairs. Failing to address this immediately puts you at a greater risk of rack failure. 

Avoid Pallet Rack Failure with BL Pallet Racking

At BL Pallet Racking, our team provides a variety of high-quality racks designed with every warehouse in mind. No matter what goods you handle, you can trust that our pallets are strong enough to help you avoid pallet rack failure. With pallet racking kits, cantilever racks, and much more, you will know that you’re in good hands when you choose to work with our team. 

If you would like to learn more about our pallet racking products or schedule installation to ensure you avoid pallet rack failure, contact our team today.