Rack Safety Inspections + Rack Repair Kits for Food and Beverage Cold Storage – A Case Study

Solution at a Glance

REB inspected a customer’s freezer racking to identify the full extent of damage and safety concerns, then repaired the affected rack using engineered rack repair kits. The repair approach allowed the customer to address damaged rack while minimizing product unloading and disruption to freezer operations.

• Services Provided: Rack Safety Inspections, Rack Repair
• Products Provided: Rack Repair Kits
• Location: Lawrenceville, GA
• Industry: Food and Beverage

Concern: Damaged Racking in Freezer

A food and beverage company wanted to address damaged selective rack in their freezer where they store pallets of frozen food.

In the tight environment of a freezer, the forklift trucks were more prone to running into the rack and causing damage.

As a result of the extremely low temperature, the integrity of the rack is extra compromised and therefore at a high risk of collapse.

The small, harsh environment in an active freezer presents several obstacles when repairing or replacing rack. First, maneuvering crews and equipment in the small space of the freezer can be challenging. Additionally, crews must take proper safety measures to repair the rack in the harsh environment of a freezer.

Solution: Rack Safety Inspection

REB conducted a full onsite safety inspection of the company’s rack system in their freezer.

Rack components inspected included:  

• Front and back frame columns
• Horizontal and diagonal struts
• Footplates
• Anchors
• Row spacers
• Frame extensions

A significant number of damaged uprights, struts, and beams were found. The high number of damaged racks was due to an accumulation of damage over a long period of time.

After the inspection, REB presented the company with a scope drawing. This detailed the location of each type of damage, along with other safety concerns. As a result, the company was able to 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: Rack Repair

REB returned to the facility to conduct the repairs according to ANSI/RMI guidelines.

Due to regulations, the REB crew could only work for 20 minutes at a time. They also had to wear layers of protective gear.

Despite these challenges, REB crews were able to complete all needed repairs in the timeframe dictated to the customer.

Rack repairs that REB completed in the freezer included:

• Frames with 8’ 4” slant rack repair kits
• Frame horizontal and diagonal struts

To complete repairs, a special rack lifting jack was brought into the freezer. The rack was lifted, and the bottom damaged portion was removed and replaced. This allowed for minimal unloading of product from the freezer, which decreased downtime significantly compared to replacing the damaged rack.

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

Additional damage and safety concerns that were fixed included:

• Replacement of damaged beams
• Repositioning of (18) frame posts and tightening of anchors
• Installing (2) missing footplate anchors in row end protection

Outcome: A Safer Rack System with Less Operational Disruption

Despite the challenging conditions of working inside an active freezer, REB successfully completed all required rack repairs within the customer’s specified timeframe. The combination of specialized equipment, experienced crews, and a targeted repair approach allowed the customer to address significant rack damage while minimizing product unloading and disruption to freezer operations.

Improved Rack Safety

The inspection identified damaged uprights, struts, beams, and other safety concerns that had accumulated over time. Addressing these issues through professional repairs brought the affected rack system back into compliance with ANSI/RMI safety requirements and provided management with greater confidence in the safety of the freezer storage environment.

Reduced Operational Disruption

REB used specialized rack lifting equipment to repair the damaged portions of the rack in place, requiring minimal unloading of inventory from the freezer. Compared with removing and replacing an entire rack frame, this approach reduced the amount of product that had to be moved and helped minimize downtime during the repair process.

Repairs Completed in a Challenging Environment

Freezer rack repair presents additional challenges that are not encountered in a typical warehouse. Limited space makes maneuvering crews and equipment more difficult, while extremely low temperatures require protective gear and restrict the amount of time crews can work inside the freezer. REB’s experienced crews were able to work within these conditions and the required 20-minute work periods to complete all necessary repairs within the customer’s timeframe.

Lower Ongoing Repair Costs

By identifying and addressing additional damage during the facility-wide safety assessment, the customer was able to resolve multiple rack safety concerns rather than continuing to address isolated damage as it occurred. The completed repairs resulted in a safer facility and lower annual repair costs.

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.