Quick answer: a typical pallet rack level holds two 2,000 lb pallets, or 4,000 lb, but there’s no single number. Each configuration’s capacity is limited by whichever component, the beams or the upright frames, has the lowest rating, and the rack’s LARC drawings state the safe capacity for each configuration. If you don’t have current LARCs, an engineer can calculate your rack’s load capacity.
What is a LARC (Load Application and Rack Configuration drawing)?
A LARC — Load Application and Rack Configuration drawing — is the engineering drawing, furnished with each rack installation, that shows every rack configuration in your warehouse and its rated load capacity. Because a single facility can have many configurations, capacity isn’t a single number. Among other things, it accounts for the spacing between horizontal braces, the thickness of the upright columns, and the beam levels in each configuration. For every configuration, the LARC tells you the safe capacity.
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Enhancing warehouse safety and efficiency with pallet rack load capacities and LARCs
Pallet racks are designed to store heavy goods and materials, and exceeding their load capacities can lead to catastrophic consequences such as rack collapse or material damage. The foremost reason warehouse managers prioritize pallet rack load capacities and LARCs is to ensure the safety of personnel and protect valuable inventory. Warehouse managers can help prevent accidents, injuries, and potential lawsuits by understanding rack weight capacities and adhering to the manufacturer’s guidelines or those outlined by qualified engineers. LARCs provide detailed drawings that depict racks’ appropriate configuration and placement, highlighting weight capacities and other critical factors. These drawings are invaluable references for warehouse managers, enabling them to maintain their storage systems with utmost precision.
Warehouse racking space optimization
Optimizing warehouse space utilization is another crucial reason why pallet rack load capacities and LARCs are vital for warehouse managers. A comprehensive understanding of load capacities allows managers to maximize their facility’s vertical and horizontal storage potential. By knowing the weight limits of each rack, managers can efficiently allocate storage space, eliminate inefficiencies, and reduce the need for additional racks or storage areas. LARCs play a pivotal role in this regard, as they provide detailed configurations that account for each rack component’s dimensions and load-bearing capabilities. With this information, warehouse managers can optimize flow, accessibility, and overall productivity, ultimately streamlining their operations and enhancing their bottom line.
Does OSHA require rack load capacity drawings?
Not by name. OSHA has no standard written specifically for pallet racks, and none of its rules mentions LARC drawings. LARCs come from ANSI MH16.1-2023, the rack standard published by the Rack Manufacturers Institute (RMI), which calls for LARC drawings to be furnished with each installation and for the owner to keep them up to date and post load plaques. Rack loading may also be enforced under OSHA’s General Duty Clause when applicable. Many warehouse operators still don’t have their LARCs on hand. North American standards call for rack owners to display the load capacity limits of their racking systems and keep up-to-date drawings on hand, which health and safety officials may ask to see during inspections.
Why are rack load capacity limits required?
Industrial pallet racks are optimized steel structures designed to maximize the amount of storage area by stacking goods on multiple levels. Most rack components are made by cold-forming sheet metal less than 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick into a desired shape or form. Consequently, knowing how much weight they can support is imperative to avoid overloading them.
Load plaques and LARC drawings are just two of the duties ANSI MH16.1-2023 places on the rack owner.
How much weight can pallet racking hold?
A typical pallet rack compartment or cell can hold two pallets, each weighing 2,000 lb on a pair of beams, for a total of 4,000 lb. To put this weight into perspective, it is similar to storing a Ford F150 pickup truck at every beam level. Now imagine having a warehouse filled to the roof with such goods. Understanding the relationship between what is stored and how much can be stored in the racks is imperative. How should one know if the racking system can hold the load? This is where the LARC drawings and load capacity labels come in handy. Forklift drivers MUST know the weight capacity of each pallet position before loading them with the merchandise. If you don’t have current LARCs, or your racks have changed since they were drawn, the capacity of each position needs to be calculated by an engineer.
Why do different rack configurations have different capacities?
Pallet racking load limits are limited by either the beams or the upright frames. It all depends on which part has the lowest load rating. For conventional systems, each upright frame bears half the loads carried on each attached beam pair. The cumulated beam loads are the vertical loads applied to the upright frame.
The illustration below (Figure 1) shows an altered racking system where the second upright from the left is overloaded, limiting the load on either side. For instance, the upright frame capacity is 24,000 lb, the beams’ capacity is 5,000 lb, and it is possible to store two pallets per cell (no beams are overloaded).
Figure 1. Understanding overloading of warehouse racking
Refer to the load capacity drawings (LARCs) for the safe use of pallet racks
Since pallet racks are manufactured for adjustability and easy assembly, some warehouse operators and owners may think that an existing pallet rack can be reconfigured without consequence to load capacity, for instance, by moving beam levels to accommodate new storage needs. However, such changes in beam level are not without consequences, as they may directly impact pallet racking load limits.
If rack beam levels are changed, added, or removed, that new configuration needs to be certified by a qualified engineer, documented with the LARC drawings, and kept on hand for reference. For other changes that affect capacity, such as replacing components or adding upright extensions, see how pallet rack modifications affect load capacity.
Rack load capacity labels or plaques
Warehouse staff, including forklift drivers, need clear and easily accessible information regarding the weight capacity of racking systems. One effective method to communicate this information is utilizing load capacity labels or plaques. Placing labels on the first beam elevation, at eye level, offers optimal visibility and ensures that staff can easily reference the rack system’s load capacity.
Load capacity labels placed on each bay are the most commonly used method to display this crucial information. When the rack design remains consistent throughout the warehouse, rack load capacity plaques can be strategically placed at the ends of aisles and in tunnels to provide comprehensive guidance to personnel navigating the facility.
In this short clip, Damotech Chief Engineer Charles Carbonneau explains why careful rack operation isn’t enough on its own: forklift operators can damage a rack without noticing, and regular inspections are the most reliable way to catch that damage before it becomes a hazard. He also previews the two questions warehouse teams ask most during rack safety training: what to look for, and how much damage is too much.
Key takeaway on pallet rack weight capacities and rack safety
Pallet rack load capacities and associated LARCs are indispensable tools for warehouse managers seeking to create safe, efficient, and organized storage environments. By prioritizing load capacity information and utilizing LARCs, managers can help protect their workforce, protect valuable inventory, and optimize space utilization. Ultimately, this commitment to safety and efficiency can translate into increased productivity and reduced costs, making pallet rack load capacities and LARCs a critical aspect of successful warehouse management.
For a deeper explanation of the ANSI/RMI standard update that changed how engineers calculate rack frame capacity, see our article on ANSI MH16.1 rack frame table requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions About LARCs and Pallet Rack Capacity
What does LARC stand for?
How much weight can a pallet rack hold?
What happens if you change rack beam levels?
Moving, adding, or removing beam levels can change the rack’s load capacity. The new configuration needs to be certified by a qualified engineer, documented in updated LARC drawings, and reflected on a replacement load capacity plaque.
Where should rack load capacity labels be placed?
