Machine Guards
Machine Guard Rails
A machine guard rail protects a line rather than a point. Two bolt-down posts carry one or two horizontal rails along the aisle side of a machine, a…
View specifications
Dock Equipment · Machine Guards
Rack Guards At 9 Inch Height For Pallet Racking Legs
A rack guard is deliberately low. At 9 inches it takes the hit from a fork tine or a pallet corner without fouling the pallet that has to be entered into the bay above it. S&L lists two lengths, 36 and 48 inches, both in 4 inch tube.
Product Overview
What This Product Is and Where It Fits
Racking damage almost always starts at the bottom of the upright, where a pallet is entered at a slight angle and the corner of the load or the tip of a tine catches the frame. Once the bottom section of an upright is deformed, the whole bay's rated capacity is in question.
A 9 inch guard sits under that impact zone. It is low enough that a pallet at normal entry height passes over it, and long enough at 36 or 48 inches to cover a full bay entry rather than a single leg.
Because the guard is bolt-down and independent of the racking, it can be replaced after a strike without any work on the rack itself, which is what keeps a damaged bay in service.
Key Benefits
Three Reasons Buyers Specify This Line
Takes the hit below the pallet line
9 inch height keeps the guard out of the pallet entry path while still covering the part of the upright that actually gets struck.
Covers a bay entry, not just a leg
36 and 48 inch lengths span the aisle-side face of a bay so an angled entry is caught before it reaches the frame.
Independent of the racking
Bolted to the slab rather than clamped to the upright, so replacing a struck guard does not involve unloading the bay.
Application Scenarios
- Aisle entries in pallet racking runs
- Drive-in rack entry frames
- Block stack corners and end-of-aisle positions
- Narrow aisle turning points
Who It Is For
- Warehouse managers with a recurring rack damage report
- Rack inspectors specifying protection after a red-risk finding
- Distribution contractors fitting out a racking run
- Distributors supplying rack protection alongside racking
Problems It Solves
- Bottom sections of uprights deformed by angled pallet entry
- Bays taken out of service pending rack repair
- Damage found at inspection rather than when it happened
- Guards fitted too high, so they foul the pallet instead of protecting the leg
Technical Features
What Is Actually Published For This Line
9 inch working height
Low enough to clear a pallet at normal entry height.
36 and 48 inch lengths
Sized to a bay entry rather than a single upright.
4 inch tube
Same tube family as the bollard and guard rail range.
Bolt-down fixing
Independent of the racking frame, replaceable without unloading the bay.
Specifications
Rack Guards Specification Table
Every figure below is transcribed from the specification sheets S&L published for this line. Where a figure is not published, it is marked rather than estimated.
| Description | Height in | Length in | Tube Diameter in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rack Guard | 9 | 36 | 4 |
| Rack Guard | 9 | 48 | 4 |
Source: S&L bollard and guard size sheet published by S&L Dock Equipment.
Product Photography
Rack Guards As Supplied
Every photograph below is from the S&L product records for this line. Nothing is a stock image or a rendering.
Materials
Materials and Finish
Steel tube on welded, drilled base plates, painted safety yellow to match the bollard and guard rail range.
ManufacturingHow It Is Made
Tube is bent or cut to the listed length, base plates welded and drilled, then the assembly is cleaned and painted.
Quality Control
What Is Checked Before Packing
Length, height and hole pattern checked against the size sheet; paint coverage checked at the bends where coating is thinnest.
CertificationsCertification Status
No third-party certification is published for Rack Guards in S&L's own documentation, so this page marks it TBC at quotation rather than implying one. Where a guard is part of a machinery risk assessment, the question is usually whether the rail meets a stated impact energy rather than whether it carries a mark. Send the energy figure your assessment used and S&L will confirm what it can support.
Customisation
Options Within The Published Range
- 36 or 48 inch length
- Plain finish without chevron banding
- Hole pattern matched to an existing anchor set
Comparison
How It Compares With The Alternatives
| Option | When To Choose It |
|---|---|
| Rack guard | 9 inch height, sized to a bay entry, stays below pallet overhang. |
| Machine guard rail | 36 or 48 inch height, protects a machine face or a walkway edge. |
| Steel safety bollard | 24 to 42 inch height, protects a single point such as a door jamb. |
Use Guide
Getting It Right On Site
- Set the guard clear of the upright so a struck guard cannot transfer load into the frame
- Keep the top of the guard below the lowest pallet entry height in that run
- Fix with anchors rated for the slab and re-torque after the first month
- Replace after a recorded strike rather than straightening the tube
Questions
Rack Guards Questions
Why is the guard only 9 inches high?
So that a pallet entered at normal height passes over it. A taller guard in a rack aisle gets struck by the load it is supposed to protect.
Which length suits a standard bay?
The 48 inch guard covers a wider bay entry; the 36 inch suits narrower bays and end positions. Measure the aisle-side face before ordering.
Is the guard fixed to the rack or the floor?
To the floor. Keeping it independent of the frame is what lets you replace a struck guard without unloading the bay.
Can I use a rack guard to protect a machine instead?
Only for very low hazards. For a machine face, the 36 or 48 inch machine guard rail is the right product.
What tube diameter is used?
4 inch tube on both lengths, as listed on the S&L size sheet.
Related Products
Other Lines Buyers Specify Alongside This One
Bollards
Steel Safety Bollards
A steel safety bollard is a length of heavy wall pipe on a bolt-down base plate, set where a fork truck would otherwise reach something expensive.…
View specifications
Stackable Drum Racks
Stackable Drum Racks
Storing drums horizontally on a rack does two things at once: it recovers floor space and it puts the bung at the bottom where a tap can be fitted.…
View specificationsIndustry Applications
Related Solutions
Further Reading
Quote Rack Guards By Model Code
Give the height, length and tube diameter per run, and say how many runs, so the quotation covers posts and rails together.