Racking Components for Efficient Warehouse Organization

Column and post protectors are essentially two-piece wraps that encompass vertical supports. The two pieces fit together like a puzzle, and you can secure them with locks and nylon straps.

These wraps generally consist of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), helping them stand up against excessive impacts. Other benefits of column and post protectors include:

• Versatile solution: From warehouses to loading docks to parking garages, all storage areas benefit from column and post protectors.
• Reduced maintenance costs: While installing protective wraps is an investment upfront, it costs much less than reconstructing a column. Making space in your budget for column and post protectors helps ensure the longevity of your building.
• Increased safety for workers and equipment: Equipping your facility with this type of protection helps improve overall safety. If a vehicle collides with a column, the bump may jeopardize the building’s structural integrity. Column and post protectors help absorb the impact, safeguarding your staff, stock and expensive equipment.

As columns come in round, square or diamond shapes, it’s best to work with a company that customizes protectors for your unique racking needs. This approach also allows you to tailor the height. That way, you can use these protectors on standard racks and smaller applications to accommodate items such as fire extinguishers or intercoms.

Support bars are racking components that offer additional support to pallets. You can install them between racking beams to ensure better weight distribution. Several support bar variations cater to diverse warehouse needs:

• Standard bars: These bars are ideal for most warehouses. You can use them to assist with heavy loads, damaged pallets or irregular pallet sizes.
• Raised pallet support bars: Efficient warehouse management allows you to stack products to the ceiling safely. Raised pallet bars allow forklifts to access items at the top and lower them to the ground easily.
• Garment rails: Facilities that store clothing can use these rails to maximize hanging space. Hanging clothing rather than packing it onto a pallet prevents the fabric from creasing.

Once you’ve chosen the appropriate support bars for your warehouse, you can anticipate benefits such as improved productivity, reduced product loss and less liability.

There are two primary types of rack guards — protective components that surround rack legs and mesh guards that connect to the front of each structure. Here’s a more detailed overview of each type:

• Guards for rack legs: These protective structures often consist of durable rubber, protecting legs from the accidental bumps of forklifts and other warehouse vehicles.
• Pallet rack guards: In contrast, you attach these accessories to the front of each rack. These pallet rack accessories look similar to a metal fence and prevent items from falling off shelves and breaking.

Both items work in unison for one core benefit — improved safety in your warehouse. Since collisions with rack legs may dislodge items, these components minimize the physical impact and catch any loose products. The result is a reduced chance of breakages and workplace injuries. Taking additional safety measures helps reduce potential medical expenses or even costly lawsuits.