With the new year commencing, it’s often a good idea to take a look at a business, see how it’s operating, see what worked last year, and what can be improved. The new year is an opportunity for a fresh start and a good time to make changes that may be needed.

It’s also a great time to look at your warehouse storage and make sure it’s as safe as cane be. Pallet racking is an important part of a business, but if it’s not set up and maintained properly, can also be a dangerous part of a business. Here’s how to start the new year safely when it comes to your racking.

When Was Your Last Pallet Racking Inspection?

By law, all pallet racking needs to be inspected by a competent person every 12 months. Pallet racking inspections are extremely important to ensure the ongoing safety of of the racking and to make sure any damage or wear and tear is repaired quickly.

The new year is a good time to check that your pallet racking is compliant and to book in your next racking inspection, even if it’s awhile away. That way you won’t forget when the time comes.

A pallet racking inspections thoroughly goes over a warehouse’s pallet racking looking for damage, signs or corrosion, over loading, and more. From there, a plan can be made to repair any damage in order to make it safe again. Once the damage is rectified, the pallet racking is certified for another year. It’s a basic first step to ensuring safety around pallet racking.

Check The Pallet Racking Yourself As Well

Even if you don’t have a yearly inspection coming up, checking the pallet racking yourself for signs of damage is important. As people get tired towards the end of the year, they can start to cut corners and make mistakes. This can lead to accidents both large and small, with the smaller ones sometimes going unreported. A small dent in racking or slight overloading may have gone overlooked just before Christmas, so check everything at the start of the year to make sure your pallet racking is as it should be.

Often times correcting problems or repairing damage early is faster and less expensive than waiting until it’s an emergency. So get things done early.

What Else Was Forgotten Last Year?

With that in mind, as the year ends, it’s easy to think “let’s just leave it until after the break.” This is normal and usually fine, so long as you and the team actually do the task after you’re back! Whether it’s something to do with the pallet racking, like a minor repair, or some other non-urgent warehouse task, be sure to prioritise it now that the team are back at work.

What might have been a small issue before Christmas can quickly turn into a large issue, and a safety risk, if it’s not attended to.

Consider If Something Needs To Be Replaced Or Updated

Again, this may not be just about pallet racking, but consider if equipment needs to be replaced or updated due to business operations or safety reasons. As business needs change, the equipment and pallet racking being used can change. And, if these things aren’t being used as intended, at best your warehouse isn’t as optimal as possible, and at worst it’s dangerous.

For example, a business may be fine operating with selective pallet racking but, as it grows, may benefit from something slightly denser like double deep pallet racking. Although the update may be costly, it could introduce a number of efficiencies into the business that will save money in the long term.

If You Need Help, Get In Touch

If you need a hand with your pallet racking and warehouse safety, get in touch with us right away. We’re happy to to speak about what your business and warehouse needs and suggest the best course of action.