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Tuesday, 5 March 2024

Terms and Conditions for Racking Inspections

The Rack n Stack Warehouse will complete inspection of steel storage racking paying particular reference to the section(s) of AS4084-2012 Parts 1 and 2 as detailed below.

For full copies of this document please refer to https://store.standards.org.au

AS4084:1:2023
AS4084:2:2023

Exclusions / Disclaimer

We are not engineers and cannot confirm the design criteria apart from genuine Rack n Stack Warehouse ® products that have been certified to AS4084 and purchased and installed according to our requirements and in accordance with our directions.
The racking inspection is completed and valid for the date of inspection only. It is recommended that appropriate regular internal checks are completed to ensure any damage that occurs to the pallet racking system is immediately recorded and reported to the Rack n Stack Warehouse.

AS4084:2:2023 Scope and General

 This document sets out minimum requirements for the analysis, design and test methods associated with steel storage racking in the limit states method.

This document applies to adjustable static pallet racking made of cold-formed or hot- rolled steel structural members. It covers racking installed within a building, outside a building, and racking that forms part of the frame of the building.

This document does not cover the following:

1. Drive-in and drive-through
2. Cantilever
3. Standalone hand loaded shelving systems up to 0 metres high where the unit load does not exceed 25 kg.
4. Mobile
5. Racking made of materials other than

NOTE 1: Refer to FEM 10.2.07 for guidance for the design of drive-in and drive-through racking.

Refer to FEM 10.2.09 for guidance for the design of cantilever racking.

Refer to FEM 10.2.06 for guidance for the design of standalone hand loaded shelving systems up to 3.0 metres high where the unit load does not exceed 25 kg.

NOTE 2: Refer to AS 4084.2 for details associated with operation and maintenance, dimensions and tolerances of steel storage racking.

AS4084:1:2023 2.4 Accidental actions

General

Accidental actions are defined as impact actions which are more severe than those which occur under ordinary “good practice” operating conditions.

Provision shall be made in the structural design for uses and actions that involve unusual vibration or dynamic forces.

The minimum requirements for the protection of corner uprights shall be as follows:

1. An upright protector with a height of not less than 400 mm shall be positioned at the end upright of each run of racking between cross-aisles.
2. An upright protector shall be positioned at all those uprights positioned at aisle and gangway intersections.
3. The upright protector shall be designed for an energy absorption of not less than 400 Nm in any direction at any height between 0.1 m and 4 m.
4. The upright protector shall be positioned in such a way that, after its deformation by absorbing an impact, the upright will not be

NOTE 1 : Uprights other than corner uprights may be protected in a direction normal to the aisle, depending on the preference of the user.

NOTE 2: The protection of uprights of racking served by mechanically guided handling equipment may not be necessary.

NOTE 3: As an alternative to the use of upright protectors, the installation may be designed to survive the complete removal of a section at the bottom of an upright.

AS4084:1:2023 Section 6 Connections and base plates

1. General
   Adequate strength of connections to withstand the calculated resultant forces and moments, and adequate rigidity where required, shall be established by test or, where possible, by calculation. Test procedures for various connections are specified in Section 7.
2. Pallet beam connections
   Pallet beams shall have connection locking devices (or bolts) capable of withstanding an accidental upward force of 5 kN per connection without failure or disengagement. This requirement is met if a Grade 4.6 M6 bolt is installed.

Damage classification and Risk management for Pallet Rack

Risk management for pallet racking structures

• The assessment applies only to damage that produces an overall bend in a member in accordance with clause 3.2 to 8.3.4. These limits do not apply to highly localized damage such as dents, buckles, tears and splits. Members subjected to tears and splits shall be replaced.

Risk identification

• Acceptable Damage (Green)
  When the level of damage does not exceed the permissible limits specified in clauses

  8.3.2 to 8.3.4, the racking shall be considered serviceable and does not require either unit load reduction or immediate unloading. This constitutes green level damage.

  There shall be a method of recording damage to components. There shall also be a method such as the use of stick on tags on the components, to show that these components have been inspected and that the racking is suitable for further service until the inspection, when the components have been re-inspected and re-assessed (section 8.2). For example use could be made of coloured dated adhesive labels, which indicate that racking or components are suitable for service and need to be reinspected at future inspections.

  Exceeding the green level shall be considered hazardous or very serious damage and causes risk to the racking system.

• Hazardous damage (Amber risk)
  When the level of damage exceeds the permissible limits specified in clauses 8.3.2 to

  8.3.4 by up to a factor of 2, the damage section shall be clearly marked and isolated until remedial work has been carried out before the racking can be reloaded. If remedial work cannot be carried out within 4 weeks, the level of damage shall be redesignated as “very serious damage” (red risk)

  There shall be a method of isolating such racking to ensure that it will not come back into use until the necessary repairs have been carried out and equipment certified as safe. For example, dated coloured adhesive labels could be used to indicate that the racking is not to be reloaded until rectified.

• Very serious damage (red risk)
  When the level of damage is in excess of the permissible limits specified in clauses

  8.3.2 to 8.3.4 by more than a factor of 2, the damage section and appropriate adjacent sections(s) shall be immediately unloaded and isolated from further use until remedial work has been carried out and certified as safe

  There shall be a method of isolating areas of racking to ensure that they do not come back into use prior to repair work being carried out. For example, a particular bay could be immediately un-loaded and roped off to prevent further use.

  Any repair work shall be in consultation with the racking supplier or a qualified structural engineer.

  Note: Remedial work usually involves replacement

Method of Measurement for Visible Upright Damage

Fig. 8.3.2 – AS4084 Method of Measurement for Visible Upright Damage

Damaged Bracing

Bracing can either be damaged by direct impact from unit loads, or indirectly by forces transferred to them as a result of impact on the uprights. For bracing damage, the member deviation from a 1 meter straight edge in either plane must not exceed 10mm.

Fig. 6.2 – AS4084 Method of Measurement for Visible Bracing Damage

Damaged Beams

Beams deflect vertically when under load and this is quite acceptable if the deflection is within the limits of the standards – AS4084 = L/180. In the serviceability limit state, pallet beam deflections shall not exceed 1/180 of the span measured relative to the ends of the beam (when loaded).

The residual vertical deformation when unloaded shall not exceed 20% of the allowed vertical deflection under serviceability action specified above (1/180 of the beam span)

The residual horizontal deformation measured at the top of bottom edge of the beam shall not exceed 50% of the allowed vertical deflection under serviceability action specified above (1/180 of the beam span)

When these limits are exceeded, the beam shall be unloaded and advice sought from the racking supplier.

Fig. 8.3 – AS4084 Method of Measurement for maximum vertical beam Deflection

The Maximum permanent horizontal beam deformation in an unloaded condition not to exceed 50% of maximum loaded beam deflection

Fig. 8.3.1 – AS4084 Method of Measurement for maximum horizontal beam deformation

The full loaded racking with the actions arising from the imperfections specified in clauses 3.3.2.1 and 3.3.2.2, but not placement or accidental actions, shall be considered. It shall be verified that under these actions, the sway of the racking shall be less than h/200 where h is the total height of the racking.

NOTE: Sway is the horizontal movement in addition to any initial out-of-plumb.