SEMA – Is this your problem?

Changing the use of existing racking to accommodate pallets of a new size forms the basis of our first question this month. Our second question asks what should you do if you spot a structure that you consider unsound but is not what you were called in to look at initially.

Pallet Alignment

Q. We have racking that is 900mm deep and we place euro pallets (1200 x 800mm) with the longer edge, front to back on the racking, placing the greatest overhang at the back.

We have not had any broken pallets or any other incidents and are in the process of placing slating on this racking, does this conform to SEMA standards.

A. It sounds as if your rack was originally specified for a 1000mm deep pallet, possibly a 1200 x 1000 Chep which would normally have a 2625 or a 2700 beam depending on the pallet overhang. This would give a 50mm overhang over front and back beams and is what is recommended in the SEMA standards to ensure that the pallet corner blocks are sitting on the beams and the load is not being supported by the pallet bottom boards in bending.

If you are placing most of the overhang to the back then we must assume that this is not back-to-back racking and there is some space left behind the racking that will accommodate this overhang (250mm or thereabouts) without causing any damage. This being so then firstly you are taking a risk of bottom boards breaking which may incline the pallet and make it very difficult to extract.

It could also cause goods to slide off the pallet towards the rear of the rack in the event of this type of damage.

Bear in mind that all safe working loads for racking are normally based on uniformly distributed loads and in this set of circumstances you have a substantially heavier load applied to the back beam compared with the front one.

You tell us that you have never had a problem with broken boards which could mean that your loads are quite light and could also mean that you presently have some very good quality pallets! Secondly if you do have back to back racking there is the possibility of a deeply placed pallet catching the pallet in the bay behind and dislodging it or the goods thereon.

I am not sure if I see a substantial benefit of decking out the racking with timber slating. This will help the pallet bottom board slightly, however it will still be sticking out in cantilever beyond the racking support beam and the possibility of this board breaking will still be there.

Depending on the rack type and quantity it might be worth considering re-bracing the rack. In other words you would need to buy new cross bracing to suit an 1100mm deep frame, strip down the rack, reassemble the frames in this 1100mm configuration and rebuild it. The original beams and uprights would continue to be usable and the only scrap material would be the old frame bracing.

Plainly this would only work if the existing racking is of bolted and not of welded construction and replacement bracing is available.

This would give you bespoke racking to suit your present application at a fairly modest cost.

We obviously do not know the full extent of all the issues here and there may be many sound reasons why this cannot be done.

Structurally Unsound

Q. We have been asked by a new client to supply some new pallet racking. We noticed that they have a “Rack Supported Platform” that we feel is basically unsound and unsafe, the structure itself is not bolted down (anywhere)The Timber Joists are laid loose across the beams, there are NO fixings at all and the joists are twisting. There is no fire protection and it’s all very unstable. They have said the reason for not bolting it to the floor is the advice they have been given…

If it is bolted to the floor then it becomes a permanent structure and will be liable for business rates on it.

A. We have heard of this proposition before that if it is not fixed down it is not a permanent structure and therefore rates are not chargeable. This argument was put forward some years ago with regard to racking when discussions on assessing rateable value based on the number of pallet positions in a warehouse was being suggested.

This would have been penal financially (and dangerous if the rack was to be left unfixed) As far as we know this proposal evaporated and it never got further than being a proposal from local authorities trying to raise extra revenue.

Your conclusion of it being unsound and unsafe sounds reasonable on the basis of the information you have provided however providing ‘expert opinion’ is a consultancy operation which SEMA as a matter of policy do not provide. Several known consultants with appropriate insurance would consider this matter independently if asked to do so. It is likely however, that notwithstanding any photographs you have any consultant would wish to visit site and see the situation for themselves before providing an opinion.

Unfortunately working on site as an ‘expert contractor’ places you in an invidious position. Should anything go wrong it is possible that a client’s defence may be that if there had been anything seriously wrong you, as his ‘expert contractor’ would surely have drawn this very forcibly to his attention!. It might be advisable to ensure that any comments you have made or will make in the future on the matter are confirmed in writing and a copy of these signed and dated comments are kept in a safe place in your office.

Rack Safety Awareness and Inspection Courses

Aimed at end users, giving an in-depth look at the need for inspections, how to conduct an assessment and what actions to take when this is completed.

Approved Rack Inspectors Qualification

Aimed at professionals who conduct rack surveys as an integral and significant part of their duties.

It involves delegates in undertaking an in-depth SEMA Course, together with an examination and practical assessment.

SEMA USERS Club

Designed to be of benefit to purchasers and users of storage equipment.

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