Securing Pallet Rack with Safety Pins

Beam-to-Column Connectors

The term 'safety pin' refers to a category of devices used to make the secure connection of the beam to the upright. These devices include clips, snaps, bolts, or screws. Pallet rack manufacturers will recommend the proper safety pin device for your application, but here is an overview of the options available based on typical column punch and beam designs.

1. Safety Pins for Teardrop Pallet Rack

• Standard Teardrop Safety Clip (pictured right) – This easy-to-use clip is secured by pushing the center toggle on the bottom through the front beam/upright rack connection, slightly pushing the clip down into place, and then through the connector at the top.

2.  Connections

• Teardrop Clip – Designed for the teardrop selective pallet rack system, this clip hooks on the top of the beam end connector and then engages the beam and the upright through a small hole in the beam.

• Horseshoe Clip with J-Hook –original pallet rack uses two connectors in combination to secure the beam to the upright. The horseshoe clip is inserted from the backside of the frame column until the two pins appear from the front. Then a J-Hook is inserted from the front to complete the secure pinning.

3. Spring Clip

• The clip is designed to fit inside the upright. To install, simply pinch the sides together while inserting inside the upright from the back. Then release the pins in the aligning holes of the pallet rack cross beam and upright to lock them together.

4. Sturdi-Bilt Wedge Lock

• A hook-like clip with a separate locking clip that secures the beam to the upright by wedging it into place.

5. Universal/Aftermarket Solutions

A few safety pin options can be used universally in many pallet rack systems. They include:

• J-Hook or bent nail – similar to driving in a nail, the long end is inserted in the front of the connector or through the side holes so that the nail 'head'remains in place as the pin is locked in place.

• hardware – can be used to bolt through the holes in the side of the column to secure the beam; however, this makes changing beam levels more labor-intensive than using a clip or hook safety pin device.