Sema as somebody has mentioned are your best guide on that. They are very specific as to allowances needed.

Go to your boss and tell him you need 6" to be safe then shut up and let him talk first.A stupid manager will get someone hurt or killed. Go over his head if you have to. In fact it sounds like you have a real issue with poor management. I am sure some kid's father or mother in your warehouse would be glad you did :)

Thanks for your replies. Well its like beating your head against a brick wall ive expressed my concerns to management and the H&S reps and also have a copy of an email i have sent to all concern so think ive coverd myself. Just waiting for an accident now we have had a few occassions of near missis next time maybe wont be so lucky...

Hi ZZJASEZZ,

Your meassage to management should be:
1. From 25 feet a bottle or box of bottles will be travelling at 40 km/h when it hits a person in the head;
2. From 30 feet a bottle or box of bottles will be travelling at 45 km/h when it hits a person in the head - in both these cases it could cause death!
3. A 1" clearance dramatically slows the speed at which pallets can be placed and removed from racking, thereby reducing forklift producrivity dramatically and increasing costs. with a 150 mm clearance a FL driver can drive in in one fluid movement;
4. The damage resulting from such a low clearance adds to costs and reduces profits; and
5. If there is an incident and someone is injured as a result of the less than safe clearance HSE will prosecute them heavily for failing to ptovide a safe system of work.

Hi ZZJASEZZ, what you need is a copy of the SEMA code (storage equipment manufacturers association) This will give you all the weight ratings and spacings

Thanks for your replies on this one and most of what you have stated Andrew is what i have found out for myself from other websites. Thing is we are not talking about a two bit company and only the other week a driver tipped a wine pallet from 25 ft. Luckily enough there was no one in the opposite aisle other wise there would have been a fatality. The driver lifted the pallet up just an inch as what is required but didn't notice that the middle strut of the pallet was slightly damaged and hanging down. On retrieving the pallet his forks came out the pallet about 8 inches and the pallet broke underneath on the weaker under strut of the pallet.

Sorry I am a bit late getting to this but just saw it. I have designed and sold rack for over 30 years both in the UK and USA. 6" Clearance between top of pallet and underside of beam is standard. I would go down to 4" if it was a slow operation or there was some kind of vertical selector.
To do it on less than this is ridiculous and totally unsafe. Especially with a product that is A. breakable and B.? of high value?
I would also venture that the Warehouse Management are violating U.K. Health and Safety regulations by requiring that drivers operate in an unsafe manner that endangers them.
Report them.

You need to go back to the lift equipment supplier for their recommended minimum lift off required. The CSA A344.1 standard refrences the reader back to the equipment vendor.

VISIT ANOTHER SITE USING REACH TRUCKS.... OR GET THE BOSS TO DRIVE THE TRUCK

agreed kev but i cant find any where that states it in black and white

was`nt even mentioned on instuctors course

hold on. where does the damaged stock go to ,the man how build the racking !!!. 1 inch clearance is too tight for the average reach truck driver. a slightly damaged pallet will hank and the lot could come down. 4 or 5 at least i would say

Reach Truck..

There is a Rack Manufacturers Institute. You can try mmh dot com and see what you can find there or mhia dot org. See if you can find the info you are seeking.

Danny

Hi z... are u using narrow aisle trucks ???or reach