Developing A Food Processing Plant From The Ground Up

The set-up and layout of your warehouse pallet rack shelving needs to be planned out and completed so it utilizes your indoor warehouse space but also allows for safe and effective warehouse work. Here are some recommendations to help you out in the warehouse installation and layout of your pallet rack shelving.

Plan For the Right Layout

Your pallet rack shelving needs to use the space most efficiently so you can store as much of your inventory as possible, but you need to allow for certain elements in its setup so it is safe and effective. Measure out how much aisle space you will need for your forklifts to access the full height of each pallet rack shelf. If you use a wider set forklift, such as a sit-down forklift or a stand-up single reach forklift, make sure you accommodate for the size of the machinery's footprint. Otherwise, with smaller forklifts, such as a turret truck or a narrow order picker, you can set your rack shelving closer together with more narrow aisles. 

Install your pallet rack shelves at a height in consideration of the warehouse ceiling height and also what items you plan to place on the top shelf. If you plan to place tall items on the top shelf, you will need to allow the right amount of space above. Look at your warehouse fire suppression spring system to see where the fire lines run overhead. You don't want to install a tall pallet rack shelf just below a sprinkler line because the items on the shelf are at risk of damage and will also block the sprinkler system's fire suppression. 

Also, be sure you allow for the electrical panels in your warehouse and you don't install the pallet rack shelving in front of it. Keep a good clearance around the electrical panels so you can still access and use them for work and maintenance. 

Install For Safety

Safety is always a top concern in any warehouse environment, so you will want your shelving systems to be set up with this in mind. Install anchors within the pallet footplates of your shelving systems to keep them steady. This will prevent a shelf from falling if it is accidentally bumped and keeps your employees safe. You can also install brightly colored yellow column protectors, guardrails, and end of rack guards to help your forklift operators clearly see where the shelves are located and to prevent accidents.

Also, make sure your pallets are never overloaded for their capacity. Label your shelves with their load capacity and check them regularly for their use.

For more tips, contact a local warehouse racking service to learn more.