There are numerous site considerations to make when choosing pallet racking.

Fire-Life-Safety

Each local government has multiple codes related to fire, life, and safety that influence the pallet racking design. Chief among them is the walk distance to exit the building in the event of a fire (i.e. “egress” distance). Rack or storage locations may need to be removed from the design to comply with the maximum egress distance. Lights and exit signs may need to be added within the rack to light the egress path. The egress path may need to be clearly marked (and possibly with reflective tape).

Seismic Classification

The government classifies each site location by potential ground motion in the event of an earthquake. All site locations have a seismic classification, even if the potential for an earthquake is low. This is why the building address is so important.

Concrete Floor Specifications

This is used to determine if the concrete slab can support the weight of the pallet rack and the product being stored. Depending on the strength of the concrete, larger foot plates may be required to spread the load of your pallet racking.

Separation Requirement

This is a measure of the minimum distance between the rack and any building elements, mainly the building columns. This requirement can significantly impact the layout, especially the quantity and width of the drive aisles.

Sprinkler Requirement

In-rack sprinklers are typically determined by the type of product being stored and by the specifications of the insurance company. If sprinklers are required, additional distance between racks and special bracing may be necessary to accommodate the pipes passing through the racks.

Building Specific Elements

These elements include size and type of building columns; location of roof drains or other obstructions on building columns; or presence of wind bracing (aka “K-bracing”).

Get in Touch with Advanced Handling & Storage

If you want to maximise your warehouse space through the use of second hand or new pallet racking, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 0800 345 7088 or send an email to [email protected]

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