It's easy to get caught up in the specifics of pallet rack. Brand names and hole patterns, measurements and steel gauges, new and used. There are plenty of little things that go along with finding the right style of rack for you. So let's step back a moment and look at the bigger picture.
In the grand scheme of things, how much of a victory is it that you got a steal on used load beams that match the hole pattern of your unidentifiable uprights when you might not even have the right type of rack to begin with? You may think you're happy with the system you cobbled together over the years, but a material handling expert might have an altogether better solution – a different kind of pallet rack – that will work better for you.
It's bound to happen one way or another. No matter how many safety protocols you have in place, it's only a matter of time before a fork truck butts heads with your pallet rack, crumpling an upright column to leave whole stacks of inventory hanging precariously over your workers' heads. No matter what protocol was broken for this to happen, you better have another one ready for what happens next. When your pallet rack is damaged, you need to make sure you take the right steps to keep workers safe and fix your rack before using it again.
A full warehouse can mean a few different things, depending on whom you ask. It might mean that sales are down and product isn't moving. Or it could be a dream come true if it means you're outgrowing your original building. In any case, there's one person who's guaranteed to be anxious about space getting tight, and that's the warehouse manager.
Of all the things that can break down in your distribution center, your conveyor system just might be the worst. There's nothing more sure to bring your production to a standstill than a busted conveyor line, which adds insult to injury by not only sitting there motionless, but by doing sitting there in the most efficient path between two points. Yes, a broken conveyor is an ugly sight. Which is why you don't want it to happen to you. Lucky for you, there are plenty of ways to keep the unthinkable from happening, and most of them amount to common sense and a small amount of elbow grease.
It's not a popular position to take, but sometimes you have to play the party pooper. With winter on its way out the door, along with all the stresses it takes on warehouse and distribution center managers, you'd think that this is the time of year to rejoice. But thanks to an age-old tradition (which we're quick to deny was our idea), this is such a great time of year for cleaning that the very act is named after the season. That's right. It's time for spring cleaning. So lest we fall into another winter funk, let's take a positive approach to waste removal and accident cleanup. Anyplace can benefit from a deep clean every now and then, so think of all the things you can do to keep your warehouse clean all year long.