You Found Damage. Now What?

Structural steel rack with welded deflectors

Industrial pallet rack is built tough. Day in and day out it takes the hits—forklift traffic, pallet drops, constant loading and unloading—and keeps performing. But no rack is invincible. Forklift impact, exceeding rated capacity, or outside forces like seismic activity can all cause damage. And once damage occurs, you’ve got two priorities: protect your people and protect your system. Here’s how to spot issues and what steps to take right away.

How to Identify True Rack Damage

ANSI MH16.1-2023 puts responsibility clearly on the rack owner: have procedures in place to inspect, maintain, and report visible damage or conditions that impact capacity or performance. The catch? The standard doesn’t spell out exactly what “damage” looks like.

As Steve Freant, Principal owner at EF Solutions Group and Diamond Installation Services explains, “the effects of dents, bends, or crushed components aren’t always obvious. Uprights get most of the attention, but beams, anchor bolts, row spacers, connections, and rub rails all take abuse too.”

He continues to say “Even “small” dents or bends in posts, bracing, or beams can compromise capacity. Any visible change in a component’s original shape or position should be reported immediately.”

On the other end of the spectrum, some damage is flat-out alarming. Freant has seen back-to-back selective racks standing with upright posts so crushed they barely touch the floor. In those cases, the only thing holding the rack up is the tied-in row behind it. In a single-face row, that same failure could be catastrophic.

Bring in a Rack Engineer—Don’t Guess

Whether damage is subtle or severe, the standards are clear: a qualified rack engineer should assess it. That can be the original manufacturer, a supplier, or an independent professional.

A rack engineer will determine the severity, design the appropriate repair or replacement, and certify that your system meets ANSI MH16.1 when it goes back into service. That’s not a formality—it’s how you ensure your rack is structurally sound and safe to load.

Depending on the assessment, there are two common paths:

• Engineered rack repair kits from the OEM or a qualified third party—these reinforce or replace damaged components with engineered bolt-in solutions.

• Full part replacement using identical new components—this is often the most economical if you’ve stocked spare uprights or beams. Many smart operators order extras up front to avoid lead times later.

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Upright Style Matters More Than Most Realize

Not all upright posts handle damage the same. Capacity depends heavily on the post’s cross-section shape and material.

Cold-formed posts: About 40% of their capacity comes from material and 60% from shape. A dent here has an outsized impact.●

Structural posts: Roughly 60% of their strength is from material and 40% from shape, making them slightly more tolerant of dents.

A “small” hit on a cold-formed upright can reduce capacity far more than the same damage on a structural post.

When Rack Damage Is High Risk

Some situations elevate the urgency and require immediate action:

• Facilities in seismic categories D, E, or F

• Racks storing heavy, high-value, or irreplaceable products (e.g., dies)

• Racks holding hazardous materials

• Systems where live loads are near maximum rating

• Damage at connections—broken welds, missing hardware, torn-out anchors

• Damage at critical points—base of upright, middle of beam, bracing members

The closer the damage is to a high-stress zone, the more dangerous it becomes.

If It’s Severe, Shut It Down

ANSI MH16.1 is explicit: if damage affects capacity or stability, the affected area must be immediately isolated and addressed.

That means:

• Unload bays connected to the damaged frame

• Tape off or block access

• Repair or replace the component

• Have a registered design professional certify the fix before putting it back in service

Skipping steps or delaying repairs puts people, product, and the building at risk.

Bottom Line: Safety Comes First

“Rack damage isn’t something to 'keep an eye on' but rather something to act on.” As Freant puts it, “the goal is simple: maintain a warehouse that’s safe for employees, safe for inventory, and safe for the building and rack system itself. When in doubt, escalate it. A quick assessment today prevents a collapse, shutdown, or injury tomorrow.”

Don’t wait for a near miss or a collapse to force your hand. If you’ve spotted rack damage—or you’re not sure your inspection and repair process is up to standard—now is the time to act.

✅ Schedule a professional rack assessment for our qualified surveyors at EFS

✅ Identify and isolate damage before it spreads

✅ Get engineered repairs in place and certified to ANSI MH16.1

Protect your people, your product, and your operation. Reach out to EFS today to get your rack system evaluated and repaired the right way.