I don’t know about you, but very few of the warehouses and distribution centers that I’ve ever been in have implemented load capacity and compliance signage on their rack installations.  That said, there are specific requirements for signage in the ANSI/RMI specifications for industrial steel storage racks.

While this provision is rarely complied with in my experience, it does create a unique opportunity to keep your customers coming back to you.

Keep reading to learn the requirements and how they can help you get repeat business….

The ANSI MH16.1-2012, 1.4.2 Requirement

I would get into unpleasant legal difficulties if I quoted the entire section here so I’m not going to do that.  It also seems to be written by people who resemble attorneys, so it’s not a fun read anyway.  I’ll just sum it up for you:

• Conspicuous and Permanent Plaques
• 50 Square Inches in Size or Larger
• The Signs Clearly Identify:
  • Maximum Permissible Unit Load and/or Maximum Uniform Distributed Load
  • Maximum Total Load per bay.
  • The Average Unit Load may also be required

While it’s not specifically mentioned, it’s also a good idea to include a warning about not rearranging beam levels without permission, as that would obviously change the capacities of the bays.

You’ve probably already gotten there on your own, but I’ll point it out anyway:  By providing these safety signs for your installation you have an opportunity to include your logo, website, and phone number so the customer knows to call you for changes, replacements, or additions.