Pallet racking is a popular choice in warehouses and other industrial settings, thanks to its vertical storage capacity, heavy-duty strength and space-saving capabilities. But it’s vital that your pallet racking installation is carried out safely and correctly. Here we’ll explore the benefits of securing pallet racking to the floor, and explain the best methods to keep your pallet racks fixed in place.

Securing your pallet racking to the floor

Pallet racks are tall, vertical structures bearing extremely heavy and bulky loads. This means they pose a risk of injury and even death, if they are not secured in place. There’s also a risk of damage to your warehouse stock if it falls from an unsecured rack. 

Pallet rack anchor requirements

Securing your pallet racking is not just the responsible thing to do; it’s also enshrined in a number of health and safety laws. In the UK, these include (but are not limited to) the following legislation: 

• Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations (1992)
• Work at Height Regulations (2005)

The Health and Safety Executive have also produced a comprehensive guideline called Warehousing and storage: A guide to health and safety, which includes specifications for safe racking installation. This states that:

• Racking and industrial shelving must be securely fixed to the floor where necessary 
• Free-standing racking must not be used if forklift trucks, order pickers or other mechanical handling equipment is in operation (so you must secure the pallet racking to the floor)
• Racking system installation and maintenance must be carried out according to the manufacturer’s instructions

Factors to consider when deciding how to secure your pallet racking 

Pallet racking can be fixed to the floor, or to a wall. In some cases, different racks can also be secured to each other, if they are positioned back-to-back. The method that you use to secure your pallet racking to will depend on a number of factors, including:

• The type of pallet racking you’re using
• The amount of space required in the aisles
• Whether you are using mechanical handling equipment
• The height-to-base-width ratio of your racks
• The material your floors are made of

You should find all the information you need in the manufacturer’s instructions and in the relevant HSE Warehousing and storage legislation.

Tips on securing pallet racking to the floor 

Pallet racking is secured to the floor using metal anchors and concrete slabs. Here are some tips for planning your pallet racking installation and fixing it to the floor:

• Take care to design your warehouse layout taking into account all the space you will need in the aisles. Because your racking will be fixed to the floor, it’s important to get this right as it will be difficult to alter at a later date.
• In addition to space for mechanical handling equipment, also take into account whether you will need safety features such as guard rails
• Decide on the type of anchors you will use to secure your racking. Wedge anchors and concrete strike anchors are two options to consider. 
• Carefully study the manufacturer’s instructions and ensure that you comply with any weight restrictions.

Ask the experts

Rack Storage are pallet racking specialists. Our qualified operatives answer any questions you may have. Speak to us on 01707 394 847 or email our team at sales@rackstorage.co.uk today.

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Organisation is crucial in any business, from the smallest shop to the biggest warehouse. Where warehouses, picking and packing are concerned, pallets play a pivotal role, and the way you stack and configure your pallets can make a big difference in the efficiency of your organisation. In this article, we’re going to look at the best, most effective pallet stacking techniques. 

Firstly, let’s run through the different pallet stacking styles available to you. There are three main techniques; block, tapered stacks, and the pinwheel format. They all have their benefits but it’s important that you ensure the stacking method is right for the product you are stacking. 

Block

Blocking is laying your packages on top of one another in a neat format, where they slot together easily – picture a wider Jenga stack, but without the instability. You can take boxes off the top, but certain boxes may be removed from other levels of the stack providing the balance is correct. 

Pinwheel

This consists of layers of four items, placed perpendicular to one another to create the illusion of – you guessed it – a pinwheel. Of course, they can only be stacked in this fashion if they are done so in accordance with the width of the pallet, so be sure to arrange them properly. 

Tapered stacking

If the ‘block’ method is similar to how bricks are laid – then the tapered stacking method is a more linear format, with packages stacked on top of each other so that from the side, the small gaps between each package form a uniform, grid-like pattern. 

Things to Remember

Make sure that your pallet stacking method suits the material you are stacking – for soft packages, the pinwheel method may be better suited to coping with the uneven surfaces of each package. Standard, cubed boxes will benefit from the tapered method, and rectangular boxes suit the block method as it allows for the boxes to be turned 90 degrees to fit on the pallet. 

Don’t let your stacks thin out towards the top – if they start to take a pyramid style shape, try to reorganise to make it neater and save space. Similarly, make sure that any stack is not overhanging the edges of the pallet.

These simple tips can help you stack your pallets in a much more organised manner, reducing the risk of accidents or issues that may result in stock wastage or injuries to personnel. 

Rack Storage Systems are proud to provide the highest quality pallet racking for customers around the UK. Our expert team are able to advise you on what would work best for you, and once you’ve chosen your racking system, you’ll benefit from our swift delivery and first-rate customer service. For more information, please get in touch with us today. 

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