How to Spot the Signs of Longspan Shelving Damage

Heavy-duty longspan shelving lasts for years. Proper maintenance of longspan shelving also keeps it in top condition.

However, seismic events, improper use, and natural wear and tear can weaken or break them. Without knowing the signs of damage, workers are at risk of accidents or injuries that can affect your business.

For this blog post, we identify the crucial damage indicators to watch out for during your longspan shelving inspection. Read on to learn how to address these signs and avoid them in the future.

Signs of Longspan Shelving Damage

Damage in longspan shelves can be big or small. Some are obvious, while others are not.

No matter the size or severity, you should take care of all types of damage to protect your inventory, business, and people.

Here are the indicators to add to your inspection checklist.

1. Check Shelving with Bad Alignment

Let’s start with something easily visible and check the overall appearance of your shelving.

Is your longspan shelving leaning to one side? Are the rows skewed or crooked? Sometimes, these signs can also generate unusual creaking or popping noises.

Longspan shelves are flexible to accommodate varying weight capacities. So, minimal bending or shifting is not a cause for worry. However, shelving that is off-balanced needs immediate action.

This sign of damage happens for various reasons. It could be due to improper installation, poor floor support, or impact from handling equipment.

Regardless of its cause, take care of this issue since even a slight impact or movement may cause the shelving to collapse.

2. Look for Sagging Beams, Bent Uprights, and Snapped Bracing

When inspecting your longspan shelving for signs of damage, it helps to be familiar with its components.

For example, using the image above, the vertical blue frames are the uprights, while the horizontal orange ones are the beams.

Each upright has a series of slots, allowing the beam connectors to lock into the frame. Then, there are also diagonal braces joining the uprights for extra stability.

Knowing these parts is crucial as several signs of damage can happen here.

For instance, bowing or sagging could indicate a deflected beam or deformed beam connectors. This issue often happens due to overloading or constant loading and unloading of products.

On the other hand, a buckled upright or snapped diagonal brace happens because of forceful impact or blows. Either weakens the structure and is dangerous if left unattended.

3. Inspect Loose Baseplates or Pulled Anchors

The stability of your longspan shelving significantly relies on its feet. So, when inspecting it for signs of damage, don’t forget to check the baseplate.

This part allows you to secure your longspan shelving to the floor, similar to anchoring pallet racks. If the baseplate is loose, bent, or missing, immediately address the issue to prevent the shelving from tipping over.

Similarly, with pulled anchors, do not simply hammer them back. Inspect the surrounding concrete surface for cracks as well.

Concrete cracks indicate a weak foundation, which can affect the structural integrity of your longspan shelving.

4. Search for External Rust

Corroded metal is another visible sign of longspan shelving damage. Surface rusting means the internal structure of your unit is already weak or brittle and may collapse at any time.

It’s better to spot and report it right away. In most cases, rusty shelving needs replacement rather than repair.

How to Deal with Longspan Shelving Damage

It is not enough to spot longspan shelving issues in your warehouse. Be sure your workers or inspectors also know what to do next.

Here’s a 4-step plan of action:

• STEP 1: Safely remove the load from the damaged shelving. Use the appropriate tools and protective equipment for this. Also, ensure no workers are around the area when completing this task.
• STEP 2: Isolate the affected area to avoid accidents. Restrict unauthorised staff from accessing the site. Moreover, place warning signs or physical barriers for safety.
• STEP 3: Contact a shelving repair specialist. Immediately inform your shelving company. Their staff should have the skills and equipment to assess and solve the structural damage.
• STEP 4: Carry out load and safety tests. After repairing or replacing the damaged shelving, the specialist should start testing it for strength and stability. This last procedure ensures that longspan shelving installation is correct and everything is up to Australian standards.

How to Avoid Longspan Shelving Damage

Follow these helpful tips to avoid longspan shelving problems in the future:

• Avoid overloading warehouse shelves and hire trained forklift drivers.
• Train your team to know and report the signs of longspan shelving damage.
• Address the spotted safety issue as soon as possible.
• Hire a qualified shelving installation team.
• Book your longspan shelving for regular inspections.
• Invest in high-quality shelving with the proper load capacity.
• Never mix or match shelving components from different manufacturers.

Make Your Shelving Last with Regular Maintenance Checks

Knowing the signs of longspan shelving damage mitigates safety risks and prevents inventory loss. So, be sure to make storage inspection a habit in your operations.

Better yet, have your shelving unit installed by an expert company that offers regular audits and repairs.

If you are looking for a unique storage system for your home, office, or factory, contact Multiple Storage Solutions today on 03 8390 4483.

Our expert team can help with the installation and ongoing maintenance of your warehouse shelving.