Pallet Rack Repair & Certification

Health & safety regulations are constantly placing more emphasis and responsibility on companies and management to ensure the safety of employees and to carry out self-assessments on the risks in the workplace. The condition of storage equipment is often overlooked when safety in the workplace is assessed and can therefore deteriorate as a result. This can lead to expensive losses of stock, personal injuries or loss of life. A periodic inspection of your warehouse racking can ensure that risks are kept to a minimum and that you continue to operate to your full capacity. We offer a unique, professional inspection service carried out by qualified engineers who have a wealth of experience with the storage industry.

The consequences of unsafe racking and poor safety procedures can easily be seen on the many videos that have been posted to the internet. The best way to avoid any catastrophic rack failure is to have a regular inspection and maintenance program in place. The program should include visual inspection of each section of racking, with a checklist for specific areas to review. If any item does not pass inspection, then an action plan for repair or replacement should be implemented.

TC Industrial Supply (TCIS) offers a comprehensive, independent evaluation of the overall condition of your warehouse or D/C. Why the emphasis on safety? Why TCIS? Our program actually saves your organization money by identifying deficiencies in your racking system. This program is not simply a fork truck damage assessment. It is a comprehensive safety evaluation. Our trademarked process identifies problems within your system and provides corrective measures your company can take to correct the issues before the situation becomes critical. The savings realized by preventing a rack failure or other incident is substantial.

Why You Need A Safety Inspection

• If you wish to ensure that your installation meets the requirements of the current health and safety regulations and the Ministry of Labour Codes and Guidelines.
• If there is a high degree of activity in your warehouse, particularly where there is a risk of damage to your installation by mechanical handling equipment.
• If there is a need to identify unsafe components in order to reduce the dangers of collapse.
• If you have concern about the possible risk of injury to personnel caused by continued use of damaged racking.
• If you are interested in saving the hidden costs of an incident or collapse which could include: replacing materials and damaged goods, use of temporary storage facilities, general disruption, not forgetting the subsequent cost of any legal proceedings which may ensue.

We Will Provide You With

• A detailed report on the condition of your racking and shelving in accordance with the SEMA Codes and Guidelines.
• Details of all locations that require attention.
• General observations affecting the safe working condition of your warehouse, including housekeeping, pallets, floor, lighting, fork lift truck operations etc.
• Layout drawings of your installation (if desired), showing your location system – which is updated after each inspection.

We inspect all makes of racking and shelving-in ambient, chill and cold store warehouses. We also archive and document storage systems. Our comprehensive technical library covers the design data of all North American manufacturers’. If you would like more information or for a free no obligation quote please call (519) 489-2574.

Pre-Start Health & Safety

Do you know the capacities of the racking at your facility? If not, we can help. Current ANSI guidelines specify that capacities must be clearly posted on the racking. We have an extensive library of ALL North American rack manufacturers. No matter what type of racking you have or who made it, we can determine the safe loading capacity. Call us today and we can get started!

PSHSR

At TC Industrial Supply, we can provide you with a comprehensive Safety Inspection and/or a Pre-Start Health & Safety Review to insure your industrial steel racking structures are compliant with Section 7 of The Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act for Industrial Establishments. We can also implement and maintain a Racking Inspection Program to insure the continued safety of your racking system. Below, please find a brief description of:

Pre-Start Health & Safety Reviews – Section 7 – Regulation 851 of the Ontario Health & Safety Act

History

Pre-December 1997, Section 7 of The Regulation for Industrial Establishments required owners or lessees to submit plans and drawings for new, used or modified processes, systems, equipment or structure to the Ministry of Labour for review. This was known as a Pre-Development Review (PDR) and was provided by a Ministry licensed professional engineer.

In December 1997 The Provincial Government transferred the PDR function to the private sector and amended Regulation 851 to require an employer to obtain an engineering review from a licensed professional engineer stating that the equipment, structure, device or process would comply with the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and it’s regulations.

Effective, October 2000, Section 7 was once again amended to address the concern that the PDR requirement was too broad. The new amendment, now called a Pre-Start Health and Safety Review (PSR), clarifies the requirements and focuses on specific, highly hazardous structures, processes and equipment.

What Is The Purpose Of A PSR

A PSR is required to provide a professional review of high risk structure, equipment or process to insure hazards are removed or controlled before workers are exposed and to provide documented due diligence.

Section 7, Table 1 refers to clause 45 (b) of OHSA and states that when material, articles or things are stored on a structure that is a rack or stacking structure, will require a PSR or equivalent documentation from the manufacturer.

Employer’s Responsibility

By Law, the employer or lessee is responsible to provide a safe work place and to insure that a professional has provided a PSR or equivalent documentation, showing the racking structure is in compliance with the relevant sections of OHSA Section 7.

Federal Law, Bill C45, in short says that an individual, in the undertaking to direct how another person does work (ie: supervisor, manager, owner) contravenes his or her duty to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm, and show wanton or reckless disregard for the lives or safety of others may be charged with Criminal Negligence, ie: if you are aware of any racking that is considered to be unsafe (does not meet the design standards) and you do not have it inspected, repaired to the code of standards or replaced and someone is injured due to a rack failure, you will be charged with Criminal Negligence and most likely go to jail and have a criminal record along with a hefty fine.

When Is A PSR Required

A PSR is required whenever a new, used or modified structure, piece of equipment or process is constructed, added or installed into the workplace. In the case of Steel Pallet Racking, if the racking is used, if existing racking has been disassembled and then reassembled, if beam heights have been changed or if the racking has been repaired, it will require a PSR. An engineer or the manufacturer should be consulted for acceptable repair methods before any repairs are made.

Who Can Conduct A PSR

A PSR is to be conducted by a Professional Engineer, who has received a Certificate of Authorization from the Professional Engineers Ontario organization (PEO) certifying that he/she is competent to perform such work for the public and that he/she has Personal Liability Insurance as required by the Professional Engineering Act.

What Is Included In The PSR Report

A PSR report for steel pallet racking must be dated and signed by the reviewer and include details of the measures required to insure the racking is in compliance with the relevant provisions listed under Section 7 of OHSA. A study of beam loading conditions is done and the maximum allowable beam and skid load is provided. The loading conditions apply only to racking frames and beams that are compliant with the appropriate storage rack design and installation codes. A professional engineer must affix his or her seal to the report.

How Should Records Be Kept

PSR reports shall be kept readily accessible in the workplace together with any supporting documentation and be provided to the joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative before the apparatus, structure or process is put in use.

Who Must Have Access To The Report

The PSR report and documentation may be reviewed, on request, a Ministry of Labour inspector or by the company’s joint health and safety committee or health and safety representative.

Storage Rack Code Requirements for Damaged Racks:

Damage to a rack frame or beam will reduce its load capacity. The greater the damage, the greater the reduction in the load carrying capacity. Damage to the frame bracing will reduce the capacity of the frame to withstand accidental impact to the front post and will also reduce the axial load carrying capacity of the frame. Damage to the beam/frame connection will reduce the load capacity of the beam. There are two main Safety Codes that apply to the design, installation and maintenance of steel storage rack structures.

(a) Rack Manufacturer’s Institute (RMI) – Specification for the design, testing and utilization of industrial steel storage racks.

(b) SEMA Code of Practice for the design of static racking

The RMI Code states that “Upon any visible damage, the pertinent portions of the rack shall be unloaded immediately by the user and the damaged portion shall be adequately repaired or replaced”.

The SEMA specification allows for measurable amount of damage and provides a method of measuring the damage.

For damage to frames and bracing members:

1. Any frame with a tear, split, buckle or bend should be replaced. A frame with a bend in the direction of the rack beam should be measured using straight edge 1.0 meters long.

2. Against the concave edge, the gap between the edge and the rack at the bend should not exceed 5.00mm.

3. For a frame bent in the plane of the frame bracing the maximum gap between the frame and the straight edge should not exceed 3.00mm.

4. For a frame with damage in both directions deformation should be measured as above and the appropriate limits maintained.

5. For bracing members bent in either plane the gap between the straight edge and the member should not exceed 10mm.

If the damage exceeds any of these tolerances the damaged member should be replaced or repaired. Any repairs to a rack frame must be done according to the manufacturer’s specifications or by a method approved by an engineer.

For damage to beams:

1. Beams showing signs of cracks in the welds between the end connector and the beam section should be replaced.

2. Beams with end connectors showing deformation should be unloaded and the supplier consulted. Beams will naturally deflect under normal loading to a maximum vertical deformation not to exceed the measure of the

3. Beam length in inches divided by 180 (L”/180). This deflection should disappear when the beam is unloaded. With the load removed, the maximum vertical deformation should not exceed 20% of the normal deflection while under load. The lateral deformation should not exceed 40 % of the normal vertical deflection under load.

If the damage exceeds any of these tolerances the damaged beam should be replaced. Damaged beams should not be repaired.

SERVICES BY TC INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY

• Preliminary meeting to discuss and inform customer on what is required and how to achieve compliance.
• Survey of storage system with report on areas of deficiencies that need to be addressed. Quote to repair or replace all deficiencies needed to comply to code.
• Certified engineer PSR report.
• We also offer a monthly, quarterly or annual inspection program.