Are you scouting a location for a new facility? Re-evaluating safety measures in a current one? The state of your pallet racking, especially in seismic zones, should be top of mind. You can easily increase the safety of any pallet racking with safety solutions from Adrian’s.
What does my seismic zone indicate?
As a warehouse professional, it’s unlikely you’re completely unaware of your seismic zone — whether you’re high-risk or low-risk. Your seismic zone indicates the likelihood that an earthquake will occur. Even a minor, brief quake in a warehouse with unsecured or overloaded racking can be devastating.
The most dangerous seismic zones are category D through F. The majority of California is at either high risk or medium-high risk, as well as some parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and others. This categorization, as you may know, is cause for more strict building codes to ensure safety and limit damage to infrastructure.
How do I install safety measures?
Rack systems have only gotten more complex over the years, and storage facilities haven’t been spared. Very narrow aisle (VNA) systems are the main offenders, which continue to push the envelope even though building codes have become stricter. Racks built to withstand seismic activity have certain design specs, such as being heavier and having a thicker, larger base. Don’t have this type of racking? You may not need to overhaul your facility completely, as long as you’re up to code for your area.
Consider adding Rack Safety Straps, Fixed or Sliding Rack Safety Nets, or Modular Safety Netting. All of these can be installed in just a few minutes and be easily moved for easy access to stored products or when changing your application needs for maximum efficiency and safety throughout your facility.
Why are additional safety measures important in seismic zones?
As you may know, there is a chance of significant damage to warehouses in even low-risk seismic areas. One wayward rack can damage products, your surrounding work area, and, in the worst-case scenario, harm employees or visitors. That’s right. It’s becoming more common to have large facilities with racking open to the public, and there are some special considerations provided by FEMA, here.
It’s impossible to know when a seismic event is going to occur, so it’s not as if it’s as easy as clearing the shelves a few days in advance of a known event. Low-risk does not mean no-risk. In fact, half of the major destructive earthquakes occur on previously unknown faults, such as Northridge and Kobe.
One of the key reasons why we make pallet racking straps and nets easy to install in seismic zones is not only the time and money you could save if an earthquake does strike — but the time and money you’ll save from the get-go.
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