What is a Pallet Rack Upright Repair Kit?
Pallet rack upright repair kits are a bolt-on repair option for damaged uprights. The mangled section of the frame is cut off at the source and replaced with a new piece of framing that matches the design and diagonal bracing pattern. Companies like Damotech and Mac Rak run the show when it comes to repair kits.
Pallet rack upright damage is typical in warehouses with heavy traffic and forklifts. It is easy for forklift drivers to misjudge the distance between their lift truck and the pallet rack frames around them, resulting in tens of thousands of forklift accidents and countless damaged uprights annually.
7 Common Ways Forklifts Cause Pallet Rack Damage
Damage due to forklift impact can occur in multiple ways. Here are the seven most common ways front column damage and additional damage occur from forklift accidents:
- Backing into racks across the aisle during unloading
- Entering or exiting an aisle
- Protruding forklift components like forks, masts, and outriggers
- Unclipping beams
- Overloading beams
- Friction between pallets and frames from improper loading approach angle
- Rear end swing
Damaged Upright Frame Examples
How to Prevent Pallet Rack Damage
There are many preventative measures you can take as a warehouse manager to protect against rack damage. The best rack repair scenario is to not need repair in the first place, which is why preventative safety is so important. Here are four steps you can take to protect your pallet racking:
- Forklift driver safety training is essential in minimizing forklift accidents in the workplace. There are numerous forklift training programs you can choose from that teach drivers what to look out for and how to react in tricky situations.
- Installing column protectors and other safety accessories like end-of-aisle guards, safety rails, safety clips, and angle deflectors protect pallet racking from forklift damage.
- Safe loading and unloading practices elongate your rack’s lifespan. This includes forklift safety and adhering to the capacity limits of your racking to avoid overloading the racks.
- Adhere to all local warehouse safety standards and perform regular rack inspections to check for missing or damaged components. Proper installation, storage practices, training, and specifications are required and play a major role in keeping warehouses free of recognized hazards.
Risks of Pallet Rack Upright Repair Kits
Pallet rack repair kits should be secondary to total frame replacement. Repaired rack components will never be as structurally sound as before the incident.
The most dangerous repair solutions are the homemade repair kits – a sort of “bandaid” one might use to cover damage without addressing the real issue. We have seen zip ties, duct tape, hand-welded coverups, and more. Fabricated or quick-fix frames are a safety liability because they lose much of their initial stability. A rack engineer or professional should review all kits before ever attempting a repair.
Repairing damaged frames rather than replacing them puts your entire system at risk of even more significant damage down the road. Rack damage is not something to take lightly. Here are some of the genuine dangers of warehouse rack repair rather than replacing it with new components:
- Full pallet racking system failure
- Lost or damaged inventory
- Facility damage
- Personal injury
- Death
Solutions For Damaged Pallet Racking
Pallet Rack Now has several rack repair solutions for business owners experiencing damaged pallet racking. As an online pallet racking and safety components provider, we make it easy to shop online and bolster your rack system quickly and efficiently.
Buy New Pallet Rack Uprights
The safest approach for damaged uprights is completely replacing the damaged component with a new frame. You can shop new pallet rack uprights online at Pallet Rack Now. We also offer many other material handling components, such as beams, wire decks, safety accessories, etc. Shop our new products online or fill out a quote form today.
Buy Used Pallet Rack Uprights
Another frame replacement option we offer is used pallet rack frames. We buy and sell good-condition used pallet racking, which is cheaper than purchasing brand-new replacement parts.
Any used replacement frames or pallet rack components should be the original manufacturer. Have a rack engineer review your current system and used components to make sure they are compatible and meet the original specs.
How Much Does Pallet Rack Repair Cost?
Pallet rack repair kits are typically three times the cost of a replacement frame. Although it is often seen as a “quick fix” option for damaged frames, it is more expensive, and a damage assessment and installation fee add to the timeline and overall expense.
Consider the structural alterations to a frame with a repair kit. The frame loses its original form as intended by the manufacturer leaving it more vulnerable than an intact frame.
Replacing one damaged frame is remarkably more cost-efficient than paying for the damages and injuries incurred from a bay collapse or, worse – a full system failure. Ultimately, warehouse managers save more in the long run in terms of safety and longevity when they choose frame replacement over repair.
Get In Touch With A Pallet Rack Specialist
If you need help replacing your warehouse’s damaged pallet rack components, we can help! Our pallet rack specialists can help connect you to the right products that will match your current system and set you up with safety accessories like column protectors to prevent future damage.
For help finding replacement uprights or other rack components, call 888-578-1578 today. We look forward to helping you!