Our first question is asking for clarification on the amount of clearance that needs to be allowed for beam lengths. Then we have a question asking whether the internal struts of a racking installation should all face in the same direction.

SEMA-logo75mm Reduction on Beam length

Q. We are currently gaining quotes from 2 pallet racking suppliers and are being given conflicting advice regarding beam lengths. One company is stating that racking beam lengths can be 2625mm up to a storage height of 6m then the beam lengths need to be 2700mm. The other company is stating that beam lengths can be 2625mm up to a storage height of 3m then the beam lengths need to be 2700mm. Could you please clarify.

A. SEMA guidance is based on minimum clearances of 75mm between adjacent pallets or between pallet and upright. If therefore you are having 2 x 1200 pallets per beam this would give you the 2625 mentioned. This of course assumes that you have absolutely no load overhang on your pallets and all your loads are within the perimeter of the pallet and are perfectly vertical which otherwise would destroy the 75mm clearance.

If on the other hand you have 3 x 800 wide euro pallets on your beam this would give you 2700mm again with absolutely no pallet load overhang. This would also allow you to use 2×1200 pallets with a small allowance for overhang. Even if you were not planning to use Euro pallets at the moment, if you ever needed to do this in the future you would only have to change the racking frame bracing to accommodate the extra depth i.e. your frame uprights and all your beams would be re-usable.

Clearly the 2625 provides you with the most economical solution however, if you are using conventional Chep pallets on 1200 face.You will have a bit of extra clearance for an overhang that could be bulging or out-of-vertical loads if you opt for the longer 2700 length. The down side is of course that you then occupy a slightly larger footprint and will likely pay more for the longer beams.

For beam heights up to 6000 the above guidance is fine for horizontal clearances assuming that your truck driver is operating from floor level. Above this  you need to have auto height selection on the truck, CCTV on the mast of the truck or have a man rising truck otherwise it is recommended that horizontal clearances are increased to 100 clearance in place of the 75 figure.

All the above can be gleaned from the SEMA Code of Practice on the Use of Pallet racking which is available as a free download from the SEMA website.

Which way round is best

Q. We have had some racking erected in one of our new warehouses and the uprights have been put in facing different ways. When I attended one of your SEMA courses it was mentioned that the apex of the internal struts must be facing outwards at the lowest point to offer more protection, is that the case or just a recommendation?

A. Frames should be positioned such that when a back to back run is viewed from the end of the run the two frames are a mirror image of each other.

This is done in order that the row spacers transfer load between the two back to back frames adequately in the event of accidental impact on one row of racking. From the single photograph we cannot see any row spacers fitted in this installation and while it is not a mandatory requirement, the row spacers provide an additional level of security at minimal cost and therefore SEMA recommend that they should be fitted.

Differing manufacturers make different recommendations as to whether the lowest bracings when viewed from the end should form a cross or a diamond shape.

It would seem from the photograph you supplied that the frames have been installed in a fairly random orientation which is not a mistake that we would expect from a professional team of SEIRS registered installers. We would recommend you contact your supplier and seek a visit from a high level manager to provide an explanation of why the installation had been handed over in this condition.

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