Business

RAMS Highlights Hidden Risks in Warehouses: Turning Steel Racks into Smart Assets

Published

on

What unique operational risks does RAMS help warehouse managers detect and mitigate?

In a sector where safety, efficiency and uptime are everything, warehouse operators often overlook one of the most critical components of their infrastructure: the racking system.

At the Supply Chain and Logistics Conclave 2025 (Edition 4), RAMS (Rack Asset Management System,) revealed a startling insight: 80% of all rack-related incidents in the warehouses are entirely preventable. This figure comes from RAMS own audits conducted across 100+ sites nationwide, spanning industries like logistics, retail, manufacturing, and e-commerce.

The Hidden Crisis in Warehousing

Warehouse racks hold tonnes of inventory and are at the heart of daily operations. Yet, unlike forklifts or fire safety systems, racks are rarely monitored until failure strikes.

So what’s causing these failures?

It’s not always major structural flaws. It’s the small, cumulative problems that go unnoticed:

  • Minor forklift collisions that slightly bend uprights or damage baseplates
  • Beams knocked loose during pallet put-away
  • Improper repairs, like welding or wooden spacers used in a hurry
  • Anchor bolts missing or loose, especially after seismic vibrations or floor work
  • Corroded parts in humid or coastal areas, which compromise the steel strength

None of these issues may seem critical at first glance. But when they pile up— and there’s no structured inspection or reporting system in place—they create the perfect conditions for a rack to tilt, snap, or collapse.

A single weakened upright can reduce an entire rack bay’s load capacity by up to 40%. Multiply that by hundreds of racks in large facilities, and the scale of risk becomes clear

“Fire, forklifts, and electrical panels are inspected routinely. But rack damage? It’s ten times more frequent—yet goes unnoticed,” said a RAMS representative at the event.

A New Standard in Safety

RAMS was built to change this mindset. Combining SaaS, IoT, and digital twin technologies, RAMS transforms static steel structures into intelligent, trackable safety assets. This unique system detects damage, categorizes its severity in real time, and provides actionable, audit-grade documentation compliant with Indian OSH Code and global EN 15635 standards.

From Reactive to Proactive Risk Management

Operational risks go far beyond structural failure. Delayed repairs due to poor vendor follow-up, subjective manual inspections, and fragmented maintenance systems create a perfect storm. RAMS replaces guesswork with geo-tagged insights, predictive alerts, and centralized dashboards that empower managers and safety inspectors to act before breakdowns occur.

“You wouldn’t operate machinery without checks—so why overlook the one system holding your entire inventory?” was the key question posed during the panel discussion.

Legally Compliant, Logistically Seamless

With growing regulatory pressure and operational demands, warehouse managers can no longer afford to treat racks as “install-and-forget” assets. Safety laws like the Occupational Safety Code and global standards such as EN 15635 now require documented inspections and risk mitigation protocols.

Globally, RAMS is helping companies get ahead of these mandates with a three- part approach:

  1. Digital Twin of the Racking System – allowing every upright, beam, and component to be mapped, tracked, and scored.
  2. Smart Inspections using trained audit teams and RAMS’ proprietary scoring model.
  3. Actionable Reports with Red-Amber-Green classification, geo-tagged images, and compliance-ready documentation.

The goal isn’t just damage detection. It’s long-term safety intelligence.

“We’re here to move Global warehouses from checklist-based inspections to smart, data-backed rack maintenance,” the RAMS team emphasized during the event.

A Global Vision Begins in India

As the global warehousing and logistics ecosystem continues to expand, rack safety can no longer be an afterthought. RAMS is making a strong case for why every warehouse—big or small—needs to treat its racks as a living, breathing part of operations that needs care, monitoring, and intelligent upkeep.

Because in the world of warehouses, one weak rack can take down your entire operation. RAMS is here to ensure you never find that out the hard way.

Trending

Exit mobile version