Rack Repair + Rack Protection + Rack Safety Inspection and Remediation Program for Nationwide Record Storage – A Case Study

Solution at a Glance

REB partnered with a nationwide records storage company to establish consistent rack safety standards across several hundred warehouses. Through a recurring inspection and remediation program, REB identifies rack damage and other safety concerns, provides detailed scopes of work, coordinates repairs and protection measures, and manages projects through completion.

• Services Provided: Rack Safety Inspections, Rack Repair and Remediation
• Products Provided: Rack Repair Kits, Rack Protection
• Location: Numerous facilities throughout the US and Puerto Rico
• Industry: Record Storage

Concern: Nationwide Rack Safety

A company that stores boxes of records wanted to address rack safety concerns across their nationwide network of several hundred warehouses. They wanted to standardize their safety requirements.

REB is a longtime partner of the company, providing them storage systems across the US. The company contacted REB and inquired about REB’s rack safety and repair program.

REB’s nationwide capabilities allowed REB to partner with the company to address rack safety concerns on the large scale required. This partnership continues to this day.

Solution: Nationwide Rack Safety Inspections

Since 2010, REB has conducted rack safety inspections for the company.

The company has a dedicated person per warehouse to conduct internal safety audits. Once a safety concern is identified, a REB professional safety inspector is called in to conduct a full inspection. Through this, they identify any further damage or deficiencies within their facility.

This rack safety inspection is an in-depth evaluation that allows any of the following notable damage concerns to be identified:

• Column damage
• Horizontal and diagonal strut damage
• Footplate damage
• Overloaded beams or frames
• Beam damage
• Decking damage

After the inspection, REB presents the company with a scope drawing. This details the location of each type of damage, along with other safety concerns. As a result, the company can clearly assess all safety concerns and identify which repairs they’d like to have completed.

To better understand our rack safety inspection process, click here to be directed to our rack safety inspection service page.

Solution: Nationwide Rack Repair

Once the company approves the repairs, a REB project manager is assigned to the project to handle all timelines and subcontractors. The project manager is the sole point of contact for the company and oversees all material, freight, and rack repair or protection installations to completion.

The REB project manager also evaluates bids from all sub-contractors to get the best prices and lead times. This allows the rack damage to be repaired as quickly as possible, minimizing any potential danger to the company’s employees or inventory.

Typically, uprights found with damage can be repaired rather than replaced. This can include a single column, both columns, and/or struts. Repairing the uprights decreases the operational downtime compared to replacing the rack.

REB repairs each rack according to ANSI/RMI guidelines. A special rack lifting jack is used to perform the repairs. The rack is lifted, and the bottom damaged portion is removed and replaced.

To learn more about the rack repair process, click here to view our rack repair service page.

The inspections go beyond damaged uprights. Further damage and safety concerns often found includes:

• Missing safety clips
• Missing footplate anchors
• Damaged beams
• Damaged decking
• Leaning frames

Solution: Nationwide Rack Protection

Rack protection recommendations are also included in the proposal following a rack safety inspection. REB provides all the following rack protection products to the company:

• Frame extensions
• Down aisle protection
• Beam safety locks
• End of row protection
• Column protection

Implementing rack protection into their systems helps the company minimize damage that the racking may sustain from accidental collisions that occur between the forklifts and the racking. This in turn helps reduce the need for further repairs to be made.

Outcome: A Consistent, Proactive Approach to Rack Safety Nationwide

REB’s ongoing partnership gave the company a standardized approach to identifying, prioritizing, and addressing rack safety concerns across its nationwide network. Rather than relying solely on individual facilities to identify and resolve damage, the recurring program provides a consistent process for inspection, remediation, and rack protection while giving the company a single point of contact to coordinate projects across multiple locations.

Standardized Rack Safety Practices

The company established consistent rack safety standards across its network of several hundred warehouses. Each facility’s internal safety audit serves as the first step, with REB conducting a more comprehensive inspection when concerns are identified. This layered approach helps ensure that damage or deficiencies are evaluated consistently and that additional concerns are not overlooked.

Faster, More Targeted Rack Repairs

REB’s inspection reports and scope drawings clearly identify the location and type of damage, allowing the company to prioritize which repairs should be completed first. When damaged uprights can be repaired rather than replaced, REB uses specialized rack lifting equipment to replace the damaged portion while leaving the rest of the rack in place. This reduces operational downtime compared with replacing an entire rack frame and allows repairs to be completed more efficiently.

Simplified Nationwide Project Management

For approved repairs, a dedicated REB project manager coordinates materials, freight, subcontractors, repair work, and rack protection through completion. This gives the company a single point of contact across projects and locations rather than requiring individual facilities to manage each repair independently.

Reduced Future Rack Damage

In addition to addressing existing damage, REB recommends rack protection measures such as frame extensions, column protection, end-of-row protection, and down-aisle protection. These measures reduce the likelihood of forklift impacts damaging the racking in the future.

Lower Inspection and Repair Costs

By leveraging its nationwide network of vendors and manufacturers, REB significantly reduced the company’s costs for inspection and repair services. The combination of standardized inspections, targeted remediation, centralized project management, and preventive rack protection provides a more efficient approach to maintaining rack safety across a large network of facilities.

How You Can Achieve a Safe, Compliant Rack System

If you have concerns that your rack system is unsafe, contact REB today.

We have a dedicated team of rack safety professionals who conduct rack safety inspections for our nationwide customer base. We are highly experienced in identifying rack safety concerns and staying up to date on all rack safety regulations.

We’d appreciate the opportunity to help you further, whether that be more information or a quote. Fill in the contact form on this page or call us at (800) 252-5955 to get in touch with a REB representative.