Rack Repair + Safety Inspections for Very Narrow Ailes – A Case Study

Solution at a Glance

A 3PL company in Forest Park, Illinois, partnered with REB to identify and address damage throughout its pallet rack system. Because the facility uses very narrow aisles, repairing damaged rack presented additional challenges compared with a conventional warehouse layout.

• Services Provided: Rack Safety Inspection, Rack Repair
• Products Provided: Rack Repair Kits
• Location: Forest Park, IL
• Industry:  3PL

Concern: Narrow Aisles Made Rack Damage a Greater Safety Challenge

A Chicagoland 3PL company was concerned about the condition of its pallet rack system and the safety of its employees and inventory. The facility had never undergone a professional rack safety inspection, making it difficult for the company to know the extent or severity of the damage throughout the warehouse.

The concern was particularly important because the facility uses very narrow aisles (VNA) that are only 6 feet wide. In a high activity warehouse, pallet rack with VNA is particularly susceptible to damage by material handling equipment, such as forklifts. Even relatively minor impacts can compromise the structural integrity of a rack system.

The narrow aisle configuration also made the situation more challenging to resolve. Repairing or replacing damaged rack components requires access to the affected upright, and conventional repair methods may not be practical when equipment and working space are restricted by a VNA layout.

Solution: A Comprehensive Rack Safety Inspection

REB began by conducting an onsite inspection of the company’s pallet rack system. Rather than addressing only visible damage, the inspection provided a broader assessment of the condition of the rack and identified additional locations requiring attention.

The inspection identified 74 areas where pallet rack frames were damaged and required repair. Two uprights were damaged beyond repair and presented a serious structural concern, requiring replacement.

After completing the inspection, REB provided the company with a scope drawing identifying the locations and types of damage. This gave the customer a visual record of the findings and allowed them to determine which repairs should be addressed first.

A professional rack inspection is valuable not only for identifying obvious damage but also for establishing a documented understanding of the rack system’s condition. ANSI/RMI 16.1 addresses owner maintenance as well as the assessment, repair, and replacement of damaged rack components. REB’s rack safety inspection services are designed to help warehouse operators identify these concerns and determine appropriate next steps.

Solution: Specialized Rack Repairs for a Very Narrow Aisle Warehouse

Repairing the Most Urgent Damage Without Replacing the Entire Rack System

After reviewing the inspection findings, the company elected to proceed with the nine most urgent rack repairs. These included seven single-column rack repairs and two replacement frames for uprights that were damaged beyond repair.

Rack repair can be an effective alternative to replacing an entire rack component or rack section when the damage can be safely addressed through an engineered repair process. REB’s rack repair approach is intended to restore damaged rack while limiting the amount of inventory that must be removed from the system.

For this project, pallets on the floor and at the first beam level were removed to provide access to the damaged areas, while inventory at the higher levels could remain in place.

A Repair Process Designed to Minimize Disruption

REB used a rack-lifting jack to temporarily support the affected rack section. After the anchors were removed, the damaged portion of the upright was removed and replaced with a structural repair channel that was clamped and bolted into position.

Once the repair was secured, the rack-lifting jack was removed, and the inventory was returned to the rack.

The repair process follows a documented sequence designed to safely access and repair the damaged structural members. ANSI/RMI guidance calls for damaged components to be replaced by qualified personnel using recommended and documented procedures, with the repair assessment, design, and installation overseen by a qualified rack design engineer.

Specialized Repair Kits for Restricted Access

The facility’s very narrow aisles were an important consideration when determining how the repairs could be completed. REB used specialized rack repair kits suited to the restricted space, allowing the damaged rack to be repaired despite the limited access available in the VNA environment.

This is an important consideration for warehouses with narrow aisles: a rack repair solution cannot be selected based solely on the type of damage. The repair method also needs to account for the configuration of the rack, available working space, inventory that must be removed, and the equipment required to complete the work safely.

Outcome: Critical Rack Damage Was Identified and Addressed

The project gave the 3PL company a much clearer understanding of its rack system’s condition and allowed it to address its most urgent safety concerns. REB completed the nine highest-priority repairs and documented the remaining areas of damage so the company could plan future repairs.

Greater Confidence in Rack Safety

The professional inspection identified 74 areas requiring repair, including two uprights that were damaged beyond repair. Identifying these conditions gave the customer an opportunity to address the most serious issues before they developed into a more significant operational or safety problem.

Reduced Risk From Critical Rack Damage

The customer chose to move forward with nine of the most urgent repairs identified during the inspection. The work restored the affected rack sections using a repair process designed around the condition of the rack and the constraints of the facility.

Less Disruption to Warehouse Operations

The repair approach allowed the customer to keep inventory stored at higher rack levels in place while repairs were completed. Only pallets on the floor and first beam level needed to be removed, helping limit product relocation and disruption to ongoing warehouse activity.

A Clearer Plan for Future Rack Maintenance

The inspection and scope drawing gave the customer a documented understanding of the remaining rack damage. Rather than addressing issues individually as they arose, the company could use the inspection findings to prioritize and plan future repairs based on the condition and urgency of each location.

Maintain a Safer, Better Documented Rack System

Rack damage is a normal risk in active warehouse environments, particularly where forklifts or other material handling equipment operate around pallet rack. The key is identifying damage early and having a qualified professional determine the appropriate repair or replacement method.

REB provides rack safety inspections and rack repair services to help warehouse operators identify damage, prioritize repairs, and maintain their rack systems in accordance with applicable ANSI/RMI requirements. For facilities with challenging layouts such as very narrow aisles, professional assessment is especially important because access and repair methods can affect how safely and efficiently the work can be completed.

Contact REB by calling (800) 252-5955 or filling out the form on this page to schedule a professional rack safety inspection and determine the right repair approach for your facility.