The Basics Of Racking
Storage can be a tricky problem for most businesses. It is not merely providing space for inventory, but also stacking it so that there is no real possibility for accidents, either those involving employees or equipment. Making it more challenging is that this includes some of the heavier items in the catalog; items may not always be able to be left on the floor. As such heavy duty racking is something that almost all businesses look for at some point, even if they must build the racks themselves. Inventory issues are always an interesting problem, but luckily there are relatively easy solutions.
The Basics
Storage space is always limited in any warehouse. Because the space must be utilized to maximum degree, this means that inventory must be stacked as high as absolutely possible. Also, there must be walkways between the rows of items that are wide enough to allow people to move whatever needs to be moved through them. This means that protocols need to be developed to allow for the inventory at hand as well as allow for expansions as the business get bigger. These protocols also need to allow for lifting heavy items as well as extracting them as needed.
The Racks
The first step, however, needs to be building the racks themselves. The two basic options are to purchase ready-to-build racks from an office supply warehouse or to build the racks custom onsite. The ready-to-build racks may cost a bit more, but are usually a lot safer; they are also made to accommodate heavier weights with reinforced beams and even foundations. Some are even able to assist in the lifting up or down of stored items, even if those systems are a significant step up in price. These systems not only help to insure that the items stored on them are kept safe, even in the event of an earthquake, but also help to protect against injury as well.
On the other hand, it is possible for a business to build their own racks. These should be checked out before use, even if the person building them is trusted. The racks need to be built extremely tough with the idea that they need to handle a lot of weight. It is advised that a construction team be involved if the heavy duty racks are to be built so as to ensure that the racks will be as stable as absolutely possible. Keep in mind that these constructions are only advised for relatively light loads, such as a few hundred pounds; anything over that should only be done with the utmost caution.
The Benefits
If the heavy duty racking has been built with all of the issues in mind then they will help insure that the inventory in question will stay where it is until actually moved. This means that not only is the inventory not likely to be damaged but that those working in its vicinity are unlikely to be injured, thus saving the price of replacing the items as well as eliminating any potential lost work time. This makes the investment well worth it, and should be investigated by any responsible business owner.