When setting up pallet racking systems, customers often ask about the purpose of the ‘clips’ or ‘pins’ that join the connector on the beam to the front face of the upright frame. The primary function of the locking pin (or beam lock) is to prevent accidental movement of pallet racking beams by the forklift truck. Locking pins are small but essential components that secure your beams, preventing unintended disassembly and improving safety. Let’s delve into why locking pins are so important.
The locking pin is a small yet strong device that locks the pallet racking beams in position. These locking pins are designed to meet industry standards set by organisations like the Storage Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (SEMA). They are specifically designed to prevent the beam from dislodging when knocked from underneath, but also to break in the event of a more serious impact when an excessive amount of pressure is applied. This can result in limiting the damage of a localised accident to a few pallets rather than a more serious full pallet racking collapse.
We often see nuts and bolts being used as an alternative (or in addition) to the beam locks supplied by the manufacturer. These should never be used as they are not designed to break under the same pressure. This could result in the collapse of your whole pallet racking run. If the beam does not dislodge the result will be to destroy the upright in the area of the beam connector which can result in a whole upright buckling and collapsing which in turn results in all the beams in that bay falling and rotating against the next upright down the aisle causing this to also collapse and so on. The ultimate result could be a chain reaction collapse along a full run of racking which can be catastrophic and very costly to replace.
When you purchase new or used pallet racking beams with Shelving & Racking we always include beam locks free of charge and we always hold stock of beam locks for all major pallet racking systems available for quick dispatch!
To summarise, the use of locking pins is a fundamental aspect of warehouse safety and racking stability. While their small size might make them easy to overlook, they play a crucial role in keeping the integrity of your storage systems.
Locking pins are an indispensable component in the safety and effectiveness of your warehouse pallet racking. Contact us today to order yours on 0800 612 3210.
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