One thing that most warehouses have in common is racking. After all, the inventory has to be stored somewhere. Even though racks are an extremely necessary part of working in a warehouse, they can be dangerous if not properly maintained or protected by rack guards. If a rack collapses it can cause product damage, injury or even a fatality. That is why it is important to practice proper warehouse safety. This can be done by replacing the damage or by protecting against it.

Rack guards work by creating a barrier between warehouse machinery such as forklifts and the racks that store products. They are often painted yellow so that they can easily be seen by the forklift operator. They should be placed over the vulnerable parts of a racking system such as the corner uprights, vertical uprights and the first horizontal beam with the end frames.

Rack guards are scientifically designed and engineered to absorb the impact from forklifts and other machinery and to protect the structural integrity of the racks. Many manufactures test the rack guard absorption rate in relation to the speed of impact by a forklift. Manufactures have different absorption rates but many rack guards can protect against impacts of approximately 10,000 pounds, depending on how fast the forklift is moving. Rack guards protect racks like airbags protect passengers in a car.

Every warehouse has different needs. It is important that distributors take the time to research their options. When purchasing rack guards, consider the length of the guard, what material it is made out of, how it engineered and whether there will be a great degree of temperature fluctuation in the warehouse where they will be installed. Rack guards are designed to last a long time, so distributors should take the time now to research their investment and select the right system that meets overall warehouse needs.

Angelica Dudenhoefer of Angelica Communications, LLC, is a freelance writer based in Milwaukee.


posted on 9/15/2015