The Body Shop invests in rack netting

Specialist pallet racking supplier and installer, Acorn Storage, provided the rack netting from Warehouse Partners to successfully increase safety at The Body Shop’s West Sussex distribution centre.

Following an incident of a pallet falling from height, international beauty brand The Body Shop carried out stringent health and safety assessments in January 2016 of one of its warehouses, based in Littlehampton.

Horizontal meshing installed on the racking in 2014 within the wider aisles allowed for the storage of smaller 800mm Euro pallets alongside larger standard sized pallets. The size difference between the Euro pallets and the larger 900mm frame width of the racking meant the space available was unsuitable. A Route Cause Analysis investigation found that the horizontal meshing had acted as a sliding board for any pallets that were lifted onto the shelving.

“This identified the possibility of pallet fall-through from 10 metre-high racking and this constituted a potential serious injury risk to operators working at ground level in the wide aisles,” explained Caleb Howard, senior sales engineer at Acorn Storage.

Acorn approached warehouse safety products supplier Warehouse Partners to provide a suitable solution that would reduce the potential number of pallet fall-through incidents. The recommended RackNets 3.0 system is designed to contain a load up to 1000kg, and will successfully contain the fall-out of pallets from racking. Extension of the warehouse racking uprights and the addition of bracing members allowed the net to extend beyond the top pallet, maximising the safety benefits. Following successful installation, no other health and safety pallet racking incidents have occurred.

RackNets offers four systems, each designed to fulfil slightly different end-user requirements, but sharing the same fundamental design concept and installation method. 

• RackNets 2.3 Spillage Netting 

This has been developed by Warehouse Partners to offer warehouse users an effective alternative to traditional steel mesh solutions. Installed to contain stock (up to 50kg) falling from the rear of APR, RackNets 2.3 uses the same design principles as RackNets 3.0 and RackNets 5.0.

• RackNets 3.0 Containment Netting 

RackNets 3.0 has been developed to offer warehouse users an enhanced level of protection for the majority of racking applications where there is a risk of damage or injury caused by pallets falling from racking systems. Installed to contain pallets and loads of up to 1000kg falling from the rear of APR, RackNets 3.0 uses the same design principles as RackNets 2.3 and RackNets 5.0. 

• RackNets 5.0 Restraint Netting

Working closely with customers, the company has identified a requirement for an enhanced level of protection in certain circumstances. Offering the same design features as RackNets 3.0, this system will both contain and restrain a dislodged pallet or load of up to 1000kg, drastically reducing the likelihood of injury or damage to property. 

• RackNets In-Flue Netting

In many warehouses there is a significant risk of stock or loaded pallets being pushed through from one aisle into an adjacent aisle. RackNets In-Flue nets can be specified as 2.3, 3.0 and 5.0 systems, depending on the application and level of risk identified in the warehouse risk assessment.