Pallet racking systems can be designed specifically for your business and they maximise your storage space.

But what’s the best way to organise racking? Read on for our best practice guide to stacking racking.

The first aim is health and safety. Accidents occur every year when goods are being stacked or unstacked, so your racking should be organised in a way that minimises the chance of accidents.

Accidents associated directly with pallets usually occur for five main reasons:

  • Badly designed pallets
  • Badly constructed pallets
  • Use of unsuitable pallets for the load or storage method
  • Continued use of damaged pallets
  • Bad handling.

Ensure from the outset that your racking is well designed, well-constructed and suitable for the load.

Floors and supporting surfaces. Where is your stacking racking to be situated? Floors or surfaces that are to support stacks, shelving, racks or other means of storage need to be able to sustain the intended load, as well as shock loads. If the stored material becomes waterlogged because of rain or after a fire has been put out, the floor needs to be able to take this extra weight too.

Adequate designs. Racking and other structures used for the storage of materials need to be designed to support and contain the materials that they will store. Again, make allowances for the possibility of stored materials becoming waterlogged, and for shock loads from placing materials or from accidental contact by the handling equipment. If pallet loads are to be stacked tier on tier, the lower pallets need to be of suitable strength and in good condition. The unit loads must be able to support the weight above.

Fire safety. Fire-protective partitions must be used between stored items that are more or less vulnerable to fire risk.

Corner ends. The corners or ends of shelving and racking need to be protected from damage by forklift trucks or other mechanised equipment by steel posts, angle irons or other methods.

Positioning. No racking, shelving, fixture or other means of storage should be placed somewhere, or extended in height, so that someone climbing on to it or removing stored goods, either manually or mechanically, can come into contact with live electrical wiring or unfenced machinery. Material shouldn’t be loaded or unloaded from stacks or racking if there’s a risk of workers directly or indirectly contacting unfenced machinery, or touching live electrical wiring.

When it comes to racking, our experience means that we can make sure that none of your precious space is wasted, and that the most ergonomic design for storage is created. Our minimal interruption installation means there’s no down time for your business, and we offer a choice of frames and pallet support beams, mobile & pushback, adjustable beams and more.