Do You Need To Fix Your Racking Down?

One of our most commonly asked questions is: 

Do I need to fix my racking to the floor?

To answer this question you need to be aware of the height-to-depth ratio of your racking. This number can be thought of as a safety value - if it is low enough then the racking can be free-standing, otherwise it must be fixed down.

To calculate the height-to-depth ratio, simply take the height of the top shelf and divide it by he overall depth. This will give you a value of typically between 3 and 6 for most hand-load shelving. Anything up to and including 4.0 (also written as 4:1) does not have to be fixed to the ground. Anything over 4:1 but not exceeding 6:1 must be anchored to the floor or failing that, to a wall or other structure.

Should the racking be particularly tall and narrow and exceed the 6:1 ratio, the standard fixing down options will not be enough and the supplier/manufacturer will recommend the best options for stabilising the racks.

For more more information on this subject, take a look at our Floor Fixing Guide.