While rack collapse may be rare, it is extremely dangerous. Here are some ways to make sure it doesn’t happen to you. It might be tempting to think of the racking system in your warehouse or DC as a larger version of the metal shelving in your garage. After all, how complicated could a steel rack be—especially the traditional selective rack, which doesn’t even have any moving parts? Such thinking, however, could lead to a costly—and potentially deadly—disaster. "Storage racks are a load-bearing steel structure, and because they’re supporting a variety of different loads, it’s important for them to be maintained," says Dave Olson, national sales and marketing manager for the manufacturer Ridg-U-Rak. Rack damage can lead to collapse, he continues, putting your equipment, people, and even financial health at risk. While rack collapse is rare, it can be extremely dangerous. What can you do to avoid a rack disaster at your facility? Here are some quick tips for preventing rack damage and collapse. (More information can be found in two e-documents created by the Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI): Considerations for the Planning and Use of Industrial Steel Storage Racks and Guidelines for the Assessment and Repair or Replacement of Damaged Racks. The documents cost $50 each.) 1. Choose your rack with care. There are many different types of racks on the market, from selective rack to high-density drive-in rack to carton flow rack, as well as many different components for each type of rack. If you select the wrong type of rack for your operation, you’re more likely to experience rack damage, according to Olson. "A proper analysis and design is required to ensure the storage system provided will meet all of the requirements," he says. As for what factors to consider, Domenick Iellimo, executive vice president of […]