Pallet racks have a load capacity, which determines how much inventory or the amount of weight the storage system can hold. Racking only works if you avoid an overloaded system, allowing your employees to avoid injury, prevent damage to your inventory, and have a longer-lasting racking system. This blog will dive into what pallet racking weight loads are and how you can maximize storage capacity without overloading the system.
What Is The Racks Load Capacity?
The first step before storing inventory on pallet racks is to understand the load capacity of your racking. Each racking system and additional accessories will have a load capacity to help users determine what goods can be stored on them. While all racks are sturdy, they aren’t invincible. Exceeding rack capacity can cause stress on the system and pose a risk of toppling and injuring those working around the racks.
The beam capacity is typically where most of your load capacity comes from. Beam capacity is the maximum load that a system can hold when beams are between two uprights. You can refer to the official specs listed by the manufacturer to determine load capacity. Users will also need to understand the load capacity of the flooring as well. Anchoring the racking system will ensure stability, but if your concrete floor has a weight limit, you may not be able to include as much inventory as you thought.
Difficulty Aligning Racks
The first sign that your pallet racks are overloaded is difficulty re-aligning or leveling them. Excessive weight can cause anchor points to shift or beams to bend, making it difficult to align the racks in your uprights or keep the racking level. Long-term overloading can cause slow and steady damage to the racks and accessories, shortening their lifespan significantly. This can lead to financial hardships or risks for your business.
Twisting or Damaged Uprights
The uprights of your pallet racking are what keep the system running. When pallet racks are overloaded, the uprights may twist, bow, or crack. Putting strain on your racking system can cause weakening, especially if there is repeated stress. Weakening of the pallet racking system is a major red flag for your storage or inventory.
Frequent Product Shifting
No matter what product you are storing, if inventory or items are continuously shifting, it may indicate an overloaded pallet rack. Unstable racking can cause items to shift, especially when moving other racks or removing products to ship them. Items rolling or shifting can cause them to fall off the racking, leading to dented products or employee injury. Uneven product storage may cause you to lose product and money because of imperfect items. If you want to ensure loads stay secure, you should avoid overloading racks and inspect them for damage frequently.
Why Overloaded Pallet Racking Is Dangerous
Warehouses or industrial spaces with pallet racking are often bustling places, so keeping everyone safe is important to the longevity of your business and employee safety. By reducing the risk of collapsing pallet racks, workers and delivery drivers will remain safe and injury-free when entering your industrial space.
Another risk of overloaded pallet racking is a shortened lifespan of the storage system. In addition to being unsafe, replacing a weakened pallet rack can be expensive, causing financial strain on a business. When multiple racks are damaged, replacing them can put you behind on delivery estimates or product replacement, while also costing you thousands of dollars on new racks. Your business will suffer in multiple ways when you overload pallet racking.
More About BL Pallet Racking
BL Pallet Racking offers some of the best pricing for storage and pallet racking accessories on the market. Our team provides new racking systems and used systems that can be delivered in as little as two days. Ensuring that your warehouse operates efficiently is largely thanks to proper storage. Systems that are designed for your industry will keep your business operation and employees safe and maintain product quality.
BL Pallet Racking has stock in Utah and Indiana to help you have flexible storage no matter your industry. Our pallet racks are built to last through heavy use and heavy products. See what products we have in stock and improve the life of your business by purchasing racks from our team.
