Equipment bowing – how much is too much?

So you’ve bought your new racking system, installed and loaded it carefully to within the tolerances recommended by your supplier and you notice that some of the beams are bowing. Is this anything to worry about? The short answer is, it could be.

Here at Teepee, we are accredited by SEMA, the Storage Equipment Manufacturing Association which produces safety guidelines for the industry including Codes of Practice for safe levels of deflection or equipment bowing. This states a maximum deflection of span / 200 when a pair of beams is under maximum load. This may look most noticeable when the lower run of beams is viewed along the aisle.

In order to check, SEMA suggests using a line of string held taught immediately under the beam so that you can vertically measure from this to the underside of the beam. Measure at both the centre and the ends of the beam and don’t be tempted to measure to the floor as the floor can be uneven to begin with.

SEMA also recommend a minimum of 75mm clearance to allow a pallet in and out of its location and deflections should be nowhere near this.

If you have any concerns about bowing, an inspection from one of our SEMA-trained and accredited inspectors can quickly provide peace of mind. Not only can we advise on situations such as these, but we also maintain and repair storage and racking systems, providing a convenient one-stop service for busy clients.

Racking inspections start from just £185* Contact sales@teepee.co.uk or call us on 01384 256969 for further details.

*Prices subject to formal quotation