Key Takeaway: A pallet racking installation should be installation day, not decision day. The site needs to be clear, the beam levels need to be confirmed, the pallet heights need to be measured properly, the forklift needs to be checked against the design, and the warehouse staff need to have looked at the layout before the crew arrives. If those things are left until the installers are on site, that is when time gets wasted, costs start to overrun, and everyone ends up trying to solve planning problems that should have been sorted weeks earlier.
A smooth pallet racking installation usually starts well before the installation crew arrives.
The design needs to be right, beam levels need to be confirmed, forklift information needs to be checked, pallet heights need to be understood and the site needs to be clear.
When those things are sorted early, installation is usually straightforward.
When they are not sorted, that is when the day turns into delays, over costs and people standing around trying to make decisions that could have been made weeks earlier.
Make Sure The Site Is Clear
One of the first things we require is that the site is clear.
That means the whole area where the racking is going needs to be cleared out. If there is existing racking on site, the stock needs to be removed as the installers need access to the area so they can actually do the job.
That sounds basic, but a good half the time it is not done properly which causes delays and over costs.
If the crew arrives and there is stock in the way, or the old racking has not been cleared, or the area is still being used, the job is delayed before it even starts.
That delay costs time, it can affect the whole day’s schedule and it adds unnecessary pressure to a job that should have been ready to go.
Confirm The Beam Levels Before The Crew Arrives
Beam levels are one of the big ones that should be agreed during the design process, not worked out on site. The beam levels are based on things like pallet height, forklift capacity and the usable height in the warehouse.
If those details are vague, the installation crew ends up experimenting and fiddling around on the day, trying to figure out what the client really needs.
Which is not a good use of anyone’s time.
Normally, once the first bay is installed, we will ask the client to test the levels. That is the chance to say, “Yes, that works,” or, “No, we need to go up an extra hole.”
If it is caught there, it can usually be accommodated.
But if the first bay is approved and the crew gets halfway through the job before someone says the levels are wrong, now it becomes a much bigger issue. The racking may be bolted down. The scissor lift is on site. The installers may need to come back another day.
That is where over costs come in.
Check Your Pallet Heights Properly
Before installation, the client needs to know their pallet heights.
That means the full loaded pallet height, including the pallet itself. If the stock is one metre high and the pallet is 100mm, the loaded pallet is 1100mm.
Then you need clearance above that so the forklift can lift the pallet out cleanly.
If the pallet heights vary, do not just measure the average, the smallest one or one that is close by. Look at the highest regular pallet you are going to store. If you design around the wrong height, you will have problems once the warehouse is operating.
This is the sort of information that should be sorted before the schematic is approved.
Make Sure The Forklift Information Is Known
The forklift is another thing that needs to be checked before installation.
How high can it lift? What can it safely lift at that height? Can it reach the proposed top beam level? Is the information on the forklift plate understood?
If not, ask the forklift provider.
Do not assume the forklift can do what the racking design requires. That assumption can create problems later, especially when clients are trying to use as much vertical space as possible.
There is no point designing a top level that the forklift cannot practically use.
Talk To The People Who Actually Use The Warehouse
Preparation is not just about clearing floor space.
It is also about getting the right people involved before the design is locked in.
The warehouse manager, forklift operator and loading staff should have ample time carved out to look at the layout, beam levels and aisle spaces. They are the people who know how the warehouse actually functions. It’s not too uncommon that the office signs off on the design, then the warehouse staff see it on installation day and say it will not work. Unfortunately picking it up at the point where the scissor lift is booked and on site and you have a team of installers at location ready to go it creates additional extra costs that could have been avoided.
The best time to catch those issues is when the schematic is sent through for approval. Circulate it internally. Ask the practical questions. Get the people who know the day-to-day operation to look at it properly.
Do Not Leave Decisions Until Installation Day
A pallet racking installation should not be the first time everyone focuses on the detail.
By then, the design should be approved, the area should be clear, the pallet heights should be known, the forklift should be checked with the design, the aisle spaces should make sense and the warehouse staff should have already had input.
If those things are done properly, the installation has a much better chance of running smoothly.
If they are not, then the installers are forced to solve planning problems on site. That is where time gets wasted. That is where costs start to overrun. That is where the client gets frustrated, the installers get frustrated, and the warehouse is offline longer than it needs to be.
The simple advice is this: make it easier on yourself and your team do the thinking before the racking turns up. Once the crew is on site, it should be installation day, not decision day.
About Mennolt Regtien
Mennolt Regtien brings more than 20 years of hands-on experience in the storage and pallet racking industry in Australia, backed by a broader career spent helping businesses grow, improve productivity and solve operational challenges. Before moving into pallet racking and storage systems, he spent around 10 years consulting to small and medium businesses on growth and development, and earlier worked in venture capital and startups, including helping Australasian companies expand into Asian and US markets.
His experience helps him look beyond the racking itself to understand each client’s wider business goals, identify operational issues quickly, and recommend storage solutions that support both efficiency and future growth.
