Storing goods in your warehouse or distribution centre means keeping items stable and secure – protecting them from damage while preventing hazards to staff during loading, unloading, and storage. Pallet racking accessories play a key role here, helping to minimize accidents and reduce the risk of injury.
GD Liquidators carries a wide selection of pallet racking accessories to help organize your goods and meet your storage needs. Whether you’re outfitting a new facility or upgrading your existing pallet racking in Edmonton, choosing the right accessories ensures your storage system works safely for the loads you handle.
What are Considered Non-Standard Loads?
Pallet racking loads that are non-standard (awkward, narrow loads) include barrels, reels, loose boxes, and odd-shaped equipment or items that don’t fit safely on pallet racks without a support accessory.
If odd-shaped items don’t sit flat on standard pallet racks, they can create an unstable base. When items are loaded or unloaded from the pallet, or there is movement on the warehouse floor, this can impact safety and cause damage if the correct accessories are not in place.
A drum’s cylindrical surface, for example, has to be secured using cradles or spacers while on a pallet; otherwise it will likely slip and potentially spill the hazardous substance it contains. Coils present a similar stability risk and require the same type of support to prevent rolling or shifting.
Load Behaviour and Choosing Pallet Accessories
Figuring out the load behaviour of your items stored on pallets, and what pallet racking accessories you need to support different loads, is essential to a safe environment in your warehouse, distribution centre, or manufacturing plant.
Load Stability and Shape
Understanding how the load behaves under its own weight, how its weight is distributed, and how it responds to impact, movement or uneven support will determine what accessories you need to avoid accidents and injuries.
If your goods are unstable, accessories such as wire mesh decking, shelf panels and crossbars help stabilize them and create a balanced surface so they don’t spill, roll, shift, or tilt.
Protecting Your Racking and Goods
Pallet racking system accessories are vital to keeping your goods secure and preventing safety hazards during loading, unloading, and storage. With multiple accessory options available, choosing the right one depends on your specific load type.
To check what type of accessory you need, below are a few common questions to ask yourself:
- Is it a point load or a distributed load? Drum cradles help distribute weight on the pallet.
- Are your items unstable or have no flat base? Use decking or shelf panels.
- Is there sagging? Crossbars sit between the beams, adding support points.
- Does your forklift need a fork clearance bar for safe placement and retrieval? This adds balance support during handling.
Rack Protection and Containment
- Are cylindrical items like drums or coils at risk of rolling? Use pallet racking cradles or spacers to keep them secure.
- Do your pallets extend beyond the beam or risk falling through gaps? Wire mesh decking or pallet supports keep loads properly contained.
- Is there a risk of forklifts colliding with your racking uprights? Column or upright protectors guard against structural damage.
- Are adjacent racking rows too close together, risking accidental contact between loads? Row spacers maintain safe distance between back-to-back racks.
- Could a load shift or fall from the front of the rack? Safety pins, clips, or rack guards keep beams locked in place and loads contained.
- Is inventory stored at height where falling debris could pose a risk? Safety netting or wire mesh backing adds a layer of fall protection.
Choosing the Right Accessories
Asking the right questions upfront – about load type, stability, sagging, and forklift handling – helps you avoid the safety risks and product damage that come with mismatched pallet racking accessories. The right combination of cradles, decking, crossbars, and protective accessories keeps your goods secure and your team safe.
GD Liquidators has a wide selection of racking accessories that can enhance your pallet racking’s functionality, safety, organization, and efficiency. Our team will help you decide which pallet racking system and accessories best fit your unique needs and space requirements. Browse our selection, or contact us for details.
