Pallet racking is essential for any warehouse or factory. It allows the user top drastically to increase the capacity of their space. Pallet racking allows product to be stored on multiple levels without the risk of causing damage.
What is the problem with not adding additional support?
A typical bay has beams that run between the uprights and pallets can then be stored by placing it on top of both beam profiles. The issue here is that they typical beam profile is around 50mm in depth. This is a small area for an operator to position a large and heavy load that can often lead to accidents through misplaced pallets or damaged pallets falling off the system. Luckily, we have some solutions to make sure that this doesn’t happen to you…
Pallet support bars:
The first method that we recommend is our easyBAR™ pallet support bar range. This solution is usually executed by placing two pallet supports under each pallet position. This provides sufficient support for your pallets to help reduce some of the risks that were discussed above. However, sometimes we would recommend adding more bars if you are dealing with an exceptionally heavy pallet load. We recommend this if the pallet is too small to span the beams and would be solely positioned on the support bars. At QTS we produce three main types of pallet support bars:
Standard pallet support bar – 50x50mm box section that sits flush to the beam level
Raised pallet support bar – 50x100mm box section that allows the pallet to sit above the beams which allows forklifts to easily get under the pallets.
Garment rail support bars – rounded profile bar that is perfectly suited to the storing of clothes in warehouse spaces.
See our range of pallet support bars and further specification on our online shop.
Although Pallet Support Bars are great, they also have their downside. Pallet support bars still leave a large opening for loose items to fall through. Not only can this cause revenue loss through damage to products, but its also a risk to your staff working below. This is where our easySHELF™ rang of wire mesh decks come into their own…
Wire mesh decking:
Wire mesh decking is placed on the top of the pallet racking beams and is important is any selective pallet racking system. The easySHELF is made up of two components. Firstly, the support channel, which rest on the loading beams and provides most of the support. And secondly, the wire mesh, which provides additional coverage across the support bars to create a complete shelf.
If you are wanting a more uniform support than just the pallet supports, then the wire mesh decking is the way to go. The Wire mesh decking provides extra support to damaged pallets and provides the versatility to store cases that are not palletized too. You might have seen some warehouses using a wooden alternative to wire mesh. But wire mesh decking is preferred by many warehouses and fire inspectors. They allow sprinklers to spray through the decks to the lower racking levels and reduce damage caused by fire. We have written a blog to inform you of the benefits of wire mesh over wooden decks.
Hopefully, you now have all the information you need to decide what support would best suit your pallet racking system. If you have any more questions, our sales team are always here to help.
If you are in the warehousing industry it is essential that you know the difference in your decks. As you will know, the beams on your racking system can hold a large amount of weight. However, you will often need the extra support to ensure the safety of your goods and operatives. This is where wire and wooden deck come into fruition.
The two most common types of decking are wire mesh and timber. But what is the difference between them, and which one is better suited to your warehouse?
Do you need wooden or wire decks on your racking system?
Decking is a vital part of a pallet racking system. It is designed to create an infill between the beams to prevent items or pallets falling. This also massively reduces the risk of broken pallets or in-correct loading of bays causing damage to products or operatives.
What are timber decks?
There are two types of styles that are available for the wooden decks:
Closed decks are solid panels of wood which means no small items will fall through. These are ideal for storing lightweight items but become problematic when storing heavier, palletised goods. They are commonly made from chip board which is cheap but will damage easily and require regular replacements.
Open decks are created from slats of wood that are formed into a deck and positioned over the beams to create a stable level for storing pallets. They do offer a strong solution, however, there are many downfalls to them which makes them a less effective method for storing your goods.
Why are wire mesh decks a better alternative?
Wire mesh decks are created from steel wire that is welded in a grid fashion that creates the mesh style. These are then supported using steel support bars that are pressed into a shape that offer a great amount of support. At QTS, our easySHELF™ stock decks are designed with 4mm steel wire with 3 support bars which can support up to 1,000kgs. We do have the ability to offer totally bespoke solutions that can hold much higher amounts of weight. This is done by increasing the steel parameters or adding support bars.
Historically timber decks were the cheap alternatives to wire mesh. Current macroenvironmental situations have dictated the price of both materials. However, recently timber price has increased exponentially making them more expensive than the steel alternatives.
The key benefits of wire mesh decks over the wooden alternative are:
Steel is notorious for its strength, and this is for the right reasons. QTS are proud British manufacturers and only source our steel from reputable UK and EU sources. This means we are getting the highest quality materials possible and not using the weaker alloys that come from the far east.
Wire decking is preferred by insurance companies as it allows smoke to rise easier. This means fire detection and prevention systems pick up the potential danger earlier which will minimise damage.
Dust build-up is a major issue with timber decking. This means that there is a high level of maintenance required to ensure that the warehouse doesn’t become a hygiene issue.
Wooden decking is not suited to log periods of outdoor exposure. Wooden decks become weak under damp conditions. Wire mesh can be hot-dipped galvanised to create an extremely durable deck in both cold and damp conditions.
If you have always used timber decks, I hope you can see the benefits that wire mesh decking can offer you. Our sales team are always on hand to give you a quote; get in touch here.
You can also check out our online shop. Please note that the prices displayed are RRP, trade discount is available through our trade account logins. You can also request this from the sales team.
We know it can be quite a daunting task starting a new warehouse fitout. In our next few blogs, we will be addressing some of the most common areas that our customers get stuck on. This week, we will be looking at the importance of understanding your load layouts and capacities for safe and cost-effective storage. We understand how important it is to get the right mesh deck for the job. Improper selection could cause deck failure which could damage your product or cause serious injury to one of your warehouse operatives.
What do we mean by load layouts and capacity?
When you are planning out your new warehouse space, it is vital that you know what you will be storing. All the top health & safety organisations like SEMA will expect to have the weight loading capacities detailed on load notices at the end of each run of racking. The main things that need to be considered to understand you load capabilities are:
The size and shape of the goods
If they are palletised or not
weight of the goods
if the goods will be stored spanning or in between the beams
A combination of these factors will dictate the load layout and ultimately the attributes required of a mesh deck to safely store the goods. So, let’s get onto some of the different load layouts that you may encounter…
Uniformly Distributed Load (UDL):
A Uniformly Distributed Load is a load that is spread across both beams and over the full surface of the mesh deck. If the goods are palletised this will normally mean the mass is uniformly distributed. In other terms, the mass of the load remains uniform throughout the depth of the bay.
It is important to consider whether the weight would be stored on or between the beams. A between the beams load will put more stress on the mesh deck. If the load you are looking to hold has a large mass, then you may need additional support bars. Depending on the size of the load, you may need to increase the mesh diameter from 4mm to 4.5/5mm. These alterations will cause the price to increase. This is why it is important you know what is being stored so that you don’t end up with an over engineered solution.
Line load:
A line load layout has its weight distributed in a focused line. A good example of a line load is any products that are being stored on a stringer pallet. This type of pallet is identifiable by its 2 bottom deck boards that contact the mesh. A load layout such as this may benefit from additional support bars to prevent unwanted deflection of the mesh deck that could lead to failure.
Concentrated Load:
A concentrated load is any static load which is not uniformly distributed across the entire surface of the deck. An example of this would be, the storage of liquid-filled containers in the centre of the mesh deck. The full bearing of the weight only falls within the area occupied by the object. A Load Layout such as this may require a thicker wire, stronger support bars or a different aperture configuration.
Point load:
A point loaded deck is any static load that has a concentrated weight focused at a key point on the surface of the deck. A common example of point loading are stillages that have four feet on their base. This weight is heavily concentrated at these points, and that can cause deflection in the deck. This will make the stored product dangerously unbalanced and unsupported. The location and the addition of extra support bars, or changing the wire thickness can all counteract point loading.
We have loads of potential solutions for you in our easySHELF™ mesh deck range to suit a variety of situations. However, If you still have some unanswered questions, or have a particularly challenging load to store, then feel free to get in touch with our sales team here.
If you work in the warehouse industry, you know the risks associated with storing goods at height. Many of the top associations for warehouse safety in the UK, such as SEMA and HSE, see anti-collapse mesh as a must have for you pallet racking system. So, why wait for the inevitable to happen? Let’s get your warehouse health & safety up to standard.
What is anti-collapse mesh?
Essentially, anti-collapse mesh is a system of panels that are attached onto the rear of a pallet racking system. The main purpose of the mesh is to stop items or whole pallets falling off onto passing operatives. The system is needed most in situations where you have single pallet racking bays that would back onto pedestrian areas. The other added bonus is that you reduce any potential risk of damage to your goods.
Specifically, our rackGUARDIAN™ range is comprised of panels of various sizes that have been created using a 3mm, powder coated (RAL 7042), steel wire. This is then welded into the mesh formation and welded onto a 20mmx20mm box section that surrounds each panel. This creates a super strong panel that is configured in a brickwork pattern to provide extra stability.
Do I need it?
A rather alarming figure is that over 7,000 employees in 2018/19 were involved in an incident in a warehouse resulting from falling objects. At QTS, we take warehouse safety and the safety of our staff very seriously – we know that you would do the same. Many of the top associations for warehouse safety in the UK, such as SEMA and HSE are recommending that any stand-alone bays that back onto a pedestrianised area (basically anything that isn’t against a wall) should have some form of anti-collapse mesh on them.
Benefits of rackGUARDIAN™
Superior safety: creates a strong screen that can withstand impacts up to 2,500 joules.
Rapid installation: our modular design means it is as simple to attach to your existing pallet racking system. Firstly you will need to bolt on the bracket to the upright using the bolts provided. Then the expertly designed mesh panels can be inserted to form your anti-collapse system.
Fire Safety: Another reason why you should consider using the Anti-Collapse is the fire safety benefit. The alternative option to steel is using a nylon mesh. However, this is likely to become compromised in the event of a fire. The mesh design allows sprinkler systems to reach fires at the back of the racking system.
Modular system: The rackGUARDIAN™ is a modular system which can be configured to any of the leading manufacturers racking structures.
Creates a pathway: the system creates safe pathways around your warehouse facilities for guests that come to visit.
For more information on our products or for a quote for some rackGUARDIAN™ anti-collapse mesh, talk to one of our team today here.
It has been one of our biggest quarters yet at QTS and so much has happened! We have made the decision to start creating a quarterly newsletter as a round up of what has happened each quarter to keep you all updated.
A Message from our MD, Craig De-Lara…
As we reach our first quarterly milestone in this financial year, the headlines have been dominated by the acquisition of QTS by the Nene Group in March…
The quarter has seen consistent growth in both sales’ revenue and enquiries for QTS. In addition to a growth in appetite for our fabricated products such as our rackGUARDIAN™ anti-collapse mesh and the storGUARD™ mesh partitions and cages…
We are looking forward to another big quarter and we think this one could be even bigger and more exciting than the last. Make sure you have followed all of our social accounts to keep up to date on our news…
