Pallet racking inspection are essential under AS 4084-2012 – the Australian Standard for proper steel storage and racking. You must conduct a full inspection of your racking once every 12 months at the bare minimum under these regulations. However, what is the importance of regular pallet racking inspections and checks? Does this provide additional benefits beyond compliance with the current safety standards?
Read our essential guide to pallet racking inspections to learn more and understand why these checks are necessary, what to look for during inspections, common things that can go wrong and much more.
Benefits of regular pallet racking inspections
As mentioned, pallet racking inspections are crucial to align with the Australian Safety Standards. Failure to do this can result in your business or warehouse being either shut down or severely fined. Therefore, this could lead to a significant decline in your reputation – which will affect your bottom line. It heightens the importance of these inspections to prevent this from happening.
Beyond this, the benefits of pallet racking checks tend to target two core areas:
- Injury/accident prevention
- Inventory protection
Checking and inspecting your pallet racking will prevent instances where failures can cause accidents and injuries to members of staff. All it takes is one seemingly small issue to cause a break in a pallet rack, which may lead to items falling onto workers below. Periodic inspections help you identify any potential concerns, allowing for fixes before anything bad can happen.
Damages to your pallet racking will also cause issues for your inventory. Imagine an entire rack of inventory falls. That could equate to thousands of dollars in damaged inventory! Not to mention the damage it will do to your reputation if your warehouse holds inventory for other companies.
Key steps involved in racking inspections
You must conduct your pallet racking inspection at least once every 12 months. Nevertheless, the majority of businesses are advised to proceed with quarterly checks, especially if the pallets are constantly in use and regularly under heavy loads.
What is checked during one of these inspections? Common inspection points include:
- Structural Damage – Pallet racking will be inspected for any obvious signs of structure damage, causing issues with the structural integrity. This could include bent or dented steel beams, twists in the metal and anything else that shows the pallet has been structurally damaged.
- Alignment – An inspection will also assess the alignment of all pallet racks to be sure they aren’t leaning or tilting in any direction. If the racks aren’t perfectly straight, it could indicate problems with the stability structures.
- Weight Limits – Two checks are carried out regarding the weight limits. Firstly, you must check that the weight capacity labels are clearly shown and easy for anyone to read. Then, you must check the current load to ensure the weight limits haven’t been exceeded. Too much weight on a pallet rack will lead to long-term problems and could result in accidents at any moment.
- General Wear & Tear – Finally, you should inspect your pallet racking system for any signs of wear and tear. Common issues include rust or corrosion forming on the racks or any anchor bolts that are starting to look worn down and will need replacing.
These checks help you spot key warning signs of compromised pallet racking systems – like bent beams or rusted bolts. You can also understand why these issues happen. For instance, the beams on a lower pallet may be bent because there’s an excess load stored above it. Identifying these issues helps you figure out the correct fixes to avoid any dangerous incidents.
How to carry out a pallet racking inspection
Should you and your team carry out pallet racking inspections, or is it better to get a professional in?
DIY checks are recommended at all times. This will include simple visual checks to be sure your pallet racking looks in good condition – but this does not count as an official pallet racking inspection under AS 4084-2012.
To remain compliant, all operational pallet racking must be independently inspected at least once per year. You will need to hire a professional pallet racking inspector to come and check your system if you want to avoid any compliance and regulatory issues. PRQ Australia can handle this for you as we’re a licensed and qualified pallet racking inspector for businesses across the country.
Best ways to pass pallet racking inspections
The best way to keep your pallet racking systems in excellent condition is to ensure experts install them and that the weight capacity limits are followed. Also, make sure qualified and licensed workers handle any equipment or machinery when loading and unloading inventory from the pallets. This will prevent instances where forklifts bang into steel beams, etc.
