Pallet Racking Skid Channel Supports – Go Ahead Put Your Foot Down
Pallet Rack Safety from the Feet Up – When to Choose Skid Channel Supports
Industrial crates and wire baskets are handy when storing small or loose inventory. They are sturdy, stackable, and forklift compatible. Designs vary from collapsable sides to flat, footed or wheeled bottom surfaces. However, handy industrial crates can be tricky to store safely with standard racking, especially the footed or wheeled option. Skid channel supports can be just the bridge from efficiency to safety that you need.
Skid channels are u-shaped supports that secure from the front to rear beams. Two supports are used per bin to allow the forklift to place the footed crates. They run in standard lengths to accommodate your pallet racking system — 36″, 42″, or 48″ and may range in light- to heavy-duty capacity.
Five Benefits of Skid Channel Supports
- Eliminate Point Load Hazards
- Prevent Inventory Falls
- Safeguard Inventory from Damage
- Protect Pallet Racking System
- Improve Warehouse Safety
Warehouse Safety Gets Support from Skid Channels
1. Point Load Support
Point loading is a particular concern when working with loose inventory in crates, vats, bins, and baskets with footed bottoms. The load may shift as the container moves around, resulting in a heavier concentration in a particular spot vs. being uniformly distributed. This point load can cause beam deflection and affect the pallet racking load capacity. Because the point load can happen at any point in the crate or any bay in the rack, it is not adequate to address the concern by increasing the rated load capacity of the system.
Note: You always want the product load to be transferred into the beams and then down the columns. By using a skid channel, if the storage crate has a depth that is less than the rack, the channel will transfer the load properly into the beams and then down the frames.
2. Prevent Inventory Falls
The “u” design of the skid channels provides stability for the feet of the container and prevents shifting from side to side. Crates are much safer in the channels than on wire deck, which require uniform load distribution. Solid surface materials are another option; however, there may be concerns with wash down compliance and fire safety. Skid channels do not have any of those drawbacks.
3. Safeguard Inventory from Damage
A considerable amount of your capital expenditures is tied into your inventory. Skid channels conveniently store inventory in cost-effective pallet racking where it is safe from equipment strikes and other warehouse activity. It is also efficient for forklifts to access the crates in a simple selective rack system with 100% SKU selectivity.
4. Protect Pallet Racking System
As noted above, two major concerns of footed containers in pallet racking systems are point loading which can damage racking beams and cause dangerous deflection, and the potential for falls due to instability. Inventory falling risks personnel injuries, damaged inventory, and likely rack system damage –all of which will result in added costs and downtime.
5. Improve Warehouse Safety
Want to protect your people, inventory, pallet rack, equipment, and operation? Choose the product customized for the inventory containers that you use. For example, use pallet supports or decking for standard pallets, fork clearance bars for flat bottom skids, and skid channel supports for footed bins and baskets. That just makes sense, right?
An Extra Measure of Support with Apex
Let Apex make it easy for you to find the most practical storage solutions for your unique operation. Our warehouse systems design experts and professional installation teams are ready to work with you to review the best options, order the right parts, and ensure that the project results deliver the safety and value that you need. Call today for a free consultation and get your skid channel project started on a sure footing.
