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Your facility's guard rails work to improve safety, add beauty, and create a sense of order. In these ways, they promote better work efficiency.

To enjoy these benefits over several decades, it's important to know how to take better care of your rails. While steel rails don't require extensive maintenance, following a few simple steps such as the ones below will help you extend their lifetime:

Regularly Inspect Your Warehouse Guard Rails

Schedule visual inspections of your warehouse guard rails on a regular basis. Semi-annual inspections are generally frequent enough to help you uncover the signs of damage before they have time to spread or worsen. And assigning qualified maintenance personnel to perform the inspections will ensure you get accurate results.

During the inspection, they should look for signs of impact damage, such as dents and chipped paint, as well as rust. Furthermore, you must ensure that the inspection reports on the presence of moisture and humidity. Repair any flaws in the guard rails or plan to replace significantly damaged rails.

Keep Guard Rails Clean

While you don't have to wash your warehouse guard rails each day, they should receive a washing once every 30 to 60 days. Soak a soft sponge or microfiber cloth in a mixture of mild soap and warm water. After wiping down the rails, rinse them with clean water and pat dry with a microfiber towel. You must ensure the rails are thoroughly dried to reduce the risk of rusting.

Washing your guard rails on a regular basis serves a couple of different purposes. First, it removes dirt and soot, ensuring their yellow coloring remains as vibrant and visible as possible. Additionally, keeping their surfaces clean makes it easier to spot damage and erosion later on.

Replace Damaged Guard Rails

The guard rails in your warehouse can suffer damage from several different sources. Most commonly, an impact by a forklift can dent guard rails or even tear them from their bases. The forks themselves can also puncture the rails or scrape them as the driver turns the forklift in a tight space.

Even if the damage seems minor, neglecting repairs gives time for a tiny scrape to evolve into a more serious maintenance issue. Rust is more likely to form, given that a scrape removes the sealant and exposes the steel to oxygen, moisture, and bacteria. The paint will chip away as well. Depending on the location of the dent or scrape, the damage can weaken the entire rail.

Maintain a Dry Environment

When it comes to keeping your warehouse guard rails in good condition, moisture exposure is a serious concern. While steel is resilient, it will rust under certain conditions. Whenever possible, keep humidity levels low to moderate. In instances of high humidity, using fans and opening windows will improve air circulation.

Watch for Concrete Damage Around Warehouse Guard Rails

Providing maintenance for your warehouse guard rails involves more than just evaluating their immediate condition. If the concrete floor in your warehouse erodes, the rails will weaken and collapse.

Watch for erosion around the base of each guard rail post and schedule prompt concrete repairs to fix any problems that arise. Types of concrete flaws that should concern you include moderate to severe cracking, as cracks can uproot the fittings that hold the post in place.

More subtle signs of erosion include dust or crumbled concrete near the posts. If you find loose concrete around the guard rail posts, jiggle the rail to see if it moves. If so, your maintenance team should remove the rail and reposition it after conducting concrete repairs.

It's equally important to prevent water from pooling near your warehouse guard rails, since consistent exposure will lead to rust. Try to keep your floors dry. Take steps to prevent flooding from storms and plumbing issues.

Promote Warehouse Safety

Requiring forklift safety training and encouraging your employees to remain safety conscious will go a long way toward protecting your warehouse and its infrastructure. When your employees remain mindful of safety issues, accidents are less likely to occur. Proactive safety prevents serious injuries, the destruction of your assets, and guard rail damage.

Use Guard Rails to Keep a Safe and Clean Warehouse

A supplier of warehouse guard rails and post protectors can help you install safety features that will protect your infrastructure, products, and employees. By taking steps to ensure your guard rails remain in good condition, they will help you create a cleaner and more orderly work environment, all while serving the needs of your business for decades to come.