Warehouse racks are not merely a metal structure – they are the backbone of your warehouse. If the HX pallet racking system is not properly maintained, it can become a safety hazard for employees, cause damage to goods, and expose the company to costly legal consequences. However, well-maintained racks can last twice as long as the installer guarantees – and in this article, you will learn exactly how.
To carry out maintenance correctly, you need to understand how the HX racking system is constructed. The HX series offered by VVN is designed and manufactured in accordance with international construction standards and certified with the GS safety certificate issued by the German institute TÜV Rheinland – this confirms that the structure has been evaluated and tested according to strict German and European regulations.
The HX system consists of several core components, each with its own function and a different load profile in daily operation:
Important
The HX system is assembled exclusively with bolt-and-clip connections - this means that each component can be independently inspected, removed, and replaced without dismantling the entire system. This is critically important in the context of maintenance: a damaged upright or beam does not need to be replaced together with the entire rack row.
The system is compatible with EPAL-EUR pallets (1200×800 mm), Finnish/FIN pallets (1200×1000 mm), and industrial pallets (1200×1200 mm). An HX rack row can be single-sided, double-sided, or multi-sided, and each row can have a different number of storage levels – meaning that load distribution can vary significantly across different zones within the same warehouse, and each zone must be inspected separately.
The most effective and, at the same time, simplest maintenance tool is systematic visual inspection. Research in warehouse safety shows that the majority of hazardous situations develop gradually – small dents, deformations, or loose bolts that go unnoticed for months eventually cause an accident.
Every day before starting work or during a work break, operators visually assess the condition of the racking in their work area. No specialist knowledge is required – the “eyes open” principle is sufficient:
Once a week, a trained employee or warehouse manager carries out a systematic walk along all rack rows. The following items are checked:
Important
Any rack with visible deformation or a suspicious structural change must be immediately taken out of service - a clearly visible warning sign must be placed in the area and a specialist must be called for assessment, rather than continuing operation "on a wing and a prayer."
Once a year – or twice a year in heavily loaded warehouses – it is recommended to invite a certified engineer from the racking system supplier (for example, VVN.lv specialists) for a full technical inspection. During this inspection, the following is carried out:
One of the most common causes of premature wear of HX racks is failure to observe load capacity limits. This occurs both when the load is deliberately exceeded (because “it’ll hold this time”), and when the weight of goods is not precisely known or has changed over time, but the load label has not been updated.
Each HX rack row must have a load capacity label (load plate) fixed at the first upright, indicating:
📐 Calculation Example
If a beam is certified for a 2,000 kg load but two pallets with a combined weight of 1,800 kg are placed on it - it still complies with the requirements. However, if the load profile changes and additional cargo is added, bringing the total weight to 2,200 kg, the limits are already exceeded, and the beam will gradually deform plastically over time, even if this cannot be seen with the naked eye.
✅ Strengths
❌ Potential Risks
Practical Tip: Create a visual load zone map for the warehouse, with colour-coded zones indicating different load capacities. Green zone – standard load, yellow zone – heightened monitoring, red zone – maximum limit that must never be exceeded.
Statistically, approximately 85% of all rack damage in warehouses is caused by forklift forks, supports, or the forklift body. This occurs regardless of operator qualification – in narrow aisles, under time pressure, and with large cargo volumes, accidental impacts are inevitable. Therefore, the solution is not to stop using forklifts, but rather to create a protection system that absorbs impacts before they reach the structural elements.
💡 Professional Tip
Paint the floor around rack uprights in a contrasting colour (e.g., yellow) to visually warn forklift operators about approaching critical elements. This simple method can reduce the number of accidents by 40–60%.
HX racks are manufactured from steel coated with powder paint – this provides good corrosion protection in standard warehouse conditions. However, different operating environments can significantly accelerate wear if preventive measures are not taken.
In freezers and cold storage rooms, metal is subject to condensation cycles – moisture periodically forms on the surface, particularly during defrost cycles. In these conditions, corrosion can develop even on originally well-protected surfaces.
✅ What to Do
❌ What Not to Do
Practical advice: create a visual load zone map for the warehouse, where color-coded zones with different load capacities are marked. Green zone – standard load, yellow – increased monitoring, red – maximum limit, which should not be exceeded under any circumstances.
In logistics centres, there are often areas that are not fully enclosed – loading docks, canopies, semi-open transfer zones. Here, corrosion is most dangerous, as racks are exposed to both rain and wind, as well as elevated salt or industrial conditions.
If the warehouse stores chemically active products (detergents, industrial acids, ammonia, etc.), even trace percentages of vapour in the air can accelerate initial damage to the powder coating. Here, an additional epoxy protective layer is recommended for the lower part of the upright and the inner side of the rack frame.
A frequently overlooked but critically important maintenance aspect is the rack fixings to the floor. HX system uprights are anchored to the concrete floor with special anchor bolts, and the quality of this connection directly affects the stability of the entire structure.
If depressions or crack zones have formed in the warehouse floor along the regular travel path of forklifts, this affects not only the forklift itself but also rack stability – uneven load distribution can cause cumulative impacts on uprights that are not visually noticeable but gradually damage connections.
📏 Anchor Standard
In accordance with FEM 10.2.07, anchor fixing inspection must be carried out no less than once a year and mandatorily after any significant impact event in the warehouse. The tightening torque of anchor bolts must comply with the manufacturer's specification - typically 40–80 Nm depending on the anchor diameter.
One of the most common error scenarios is as follows: an operator notices a deformed beam or a dented upright base, reports it to the manager, the manager “makes a mental note” and plans to replace it “soon” – and weeks pass. During this time, the damaged element operates with reduced load capacity, other elements become overloaded, and the risk increases exponentially.
Since the HX system is assembled with bolt-and-clip connections, a damaged beam or upright can be replaced without relocating goods from adjacent levels (except for the affected cell itself). This significantly reduces the scope and time of replacement work, which in turn means that companies perform replacements immediately rather than postponing them.
| Damage Type | Visual Sign | Action | Time Limit |
| Critical | Post deflection >10 mm, fracture, screw loss | Immediately remove from service | 0 days |
| High | Crossbeam deformation >3 mm, guard stripping | Replace within 24–72 hours | 1–3 days |
| Medium | Scratches with powder coating tear, minor dents | Plan replacement in the near term | 1–2 weeks |
| Low | Surface scratches without metal damage | Protective varnish, monitoring | Next inspection |
Additional Note: VVN.lv offers the option to order spare parts for the HX system – beams, upright profiles, and protective elements. It is recommended to keep a small stock of spare parts for the most frequently replaced items (corner protectors, beams for the relevant profile size) in the warehouse, so that replacement takes hours rather than weeks.
All of the above technical measures will be effective only if every warehouse employee – not just the manager and technician – understands the importance of their role in rack safety. Research shows that in warehouses with regular staff training, the number of rack damage incidents is 50–65% lower than in those without.
The operator is the first and primary line of defense. Training must include:
Workers who move between racks and fulfil orders are often the first to notice changes in condition. They should be trained to:
The HX racking system is designed as a universal solution, but different operating conditions create very different maintenance requirements. Below are the most common scenarios.
In this environment, forklifts operate almost continuously, pallets change several times a day, and racks are subject to an intense risk of impacts.
✅ Recommended Strategy
❌ Most Common Mistakes
Permanently low temperatures and condensation cycles create a corrosion risk and affect metal ductility.
✅ Recommended Strategy
❌ Most Common Mistakes
In metallurgy, construction materials, or machine-building warehouses, pallets can weigh 2–4 tonnes. Here, the HX system operates at its limits.
✅ Recommended Strategy
❌ Most Common Mistakes
In a small company, there is often no warehouse manager or dedicated maintenance staff. Racks are operated until “something happens.”
✅ Recommended Strategy
❌ Most Common Mistakes
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