Why Inspect
RMI's standard (ANSI MH16.1) and OSHA's general duty clause expect owners to inspect regularly, repair damage and keep load plaques current. Set how often by how hard the rack is used, and walk it again after any hit.
Uprights
- Column dents, bends, creases and tears: unload and tag the bay, and have a qualified person assess it before it is used again. Do not treat a small bend as safe without that assessment.
- Bracing: bent, cracked or missing members; a missing diagonal is out of service.
- Footplates: cracked welds, bent or lifted plates, loose or missing anchors, crushed or missing shims.
- Plumb: out of plumb more than 1/2" per 10 ft of height needs correction.
- Column guards at aisle ends and busy aisles; replace damaged ones.
- Corrosion eating into the section, not just surface rust.
Beams
- Deflection under load over length ÷ 180 (about 1/2" on a 96" beam): unload it and have it assessed. Check the load against the plaque and look for damage or a bad connection. Less deflection does not prove the beam is fine.
- Permanent bend after the load is off: replace the beam.
- Safety clips / locks on both ends of every beam.
- Beam seated fully in the slots.
- Weld cracks at end plates; twisted or crushed ends.
- Levels match on both beams of a pair.
Decks and Supports
- Wire decks bent, torn or broken; channels unseated; wrong-width decks leaving gaps.
- Pallet supports missing where pallets could drop through.
- Solid decks and dividers in place as designed.
Loads
- Load plaques on every row, legible, matching current spacing and loads.
- No overloads: check the heaviest pallet against the plaque.
- Pallet condition: broken stringers and boards drop loads.
- Placement: centred, with the overhang the design allows (3" each side for a 48" pallet on a 42" frame), nothing above design height.
- Flue spaces open, as your fire design requires.
Around the Rack
- Aisle markings, end-of-aisle guards, bollards at doors and corners.
- Aisles clear; nothing leaning on uprights.
- Sprinkler clearance: the top of the load stays below the deflectors by the distance your sprinkler design requires.
- Row spacers in place on back-to-back rows; wall ties where designed.
- Changes since last inspection (moved beams, added levels, new products, a new forklift) can change the rating.
What to Do With Damage
- Tag it. Red tag the bay and unload it until a qualified person assesses the damage.
- Record it. Photo, location, measurement, date.
- Repair or replace. Replace bent columns (or use an engineered repair kit) and bent beams. Straightening in place is not a repair.
- Re-rate if anything changed. Moved beams change frame capacity; update the plaque.
- Train. Drivers must report hits the same day.
Have Us Walk It
We inspect across the tri-state area and the Northeast: photo report against RMI limits, repair quote, missing load plaques. Common parts are in stock, often for same-week repairs. Book an inspection.
Common questions
How often should pallet racking be inspected?
Base it on how hard the rack is used. A program we suggest: a daily look by drivers, a documented monthly inspection by a trained person, and an expert inspection yearly and after any significant hit. Keep a record.
When does a damaged upright have to be replaced?
When a qualified person who has assessed it says so. Bent, creased or torn columns, missing or cracked bracing, and failed footplates or anchors all need that assessment. Unload and tag the bay until it is replaced or repaired with an engineered kit.
Do I need load plaques on pallet racking?
Yes. RMI, most fire marshals and insurers require a plaque per row with beam, bay and frame capacities at the installed spacing. We supply them with every install and inspection.
Can a bent pallet rack column be straightened?
Not in place; cold-straightening weakens the steel. Replace the frame, or use a manufacturer-engineered repair kit approved by the engineer.
