Colby & Dematic: Engineering Safety, Quality, and Compliance in Storage Solutions

Choosing the right storage solution is paramount for ensuring employee safety and maintaining compliance with Australian standards in any warehouse or distribution centre. When considering the design, purchase, and installation of pallet racking, it is crucial to partner with experts who understand the intricacies of racking safety and compliance.

Colby and Dematic: Engineered for Safety and Durability

Dematic, as the designer, engineer, and manufacturer of Colby products, sets a high benchmark for storage solutions. Their commitment to safety and quality is evident in several key areas:

Adherence to Australian Standards:

Colby racking systems are rigorously designed to AS 4084:2023 Steel Storage Racking, which was recently revised and republished in 2023, splitting into Part 1: Design and Part 2: Operation and Maintenance. This ensures that not only the design, but also the installation and operation, meet the highest safety benchmarks.

Australian Manufacturing excellence:

ColbyRACK is Australian-made for Australia, produced at an advanced production facility in Sydney. It is manufactured using Australian high tensile steel with a nominal yield stress of 450 MPa, significantly stronger than imported alternatives.. This dedication to local manufacturing ensures stringent quality control and consistent product excellence.

Innovative Design for Enhanced Safety and Performance

Colby and Dematic integrate innovative design features directly into their products to enhance safety and performance:

Unique Diamond Slot Profile:

ColbyRACK features a unique diamond slot profile that provides a stronger and more efficient interlock between uprights and beam connectors. This design significantly reduces the potential for accidental dislodgement of beams by forklifts during pallet retrieval or put-away. Colby Beam Connectors themselves are made from structural steel and meet rigorous safety standards.

Patented Heavy-Duty ColbyRACK UU-Beam:

Designed to minimise forklift damage in high-volume distribution centres, the patented, heavy-duty ColbyRACK UU-Beam delivers 3 mm RHS performance at half the price. Its innovative design increases frontal impact resistance by over 200%, aiming to virtually eliminate damage, significantly reduce rack maintenance costs, and improve Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S).

Streamlined Rack Protection:

• Colby Protect-a-Rack and Colby Rear Upright Protect-a-Rack are specifically engineered to withstand forklift impacts and protect racking from accidental wear and tear
• Manufactured from heavy-duty steel with full strength welds, they are designed to dissipate impacts and transfer forces through the floor. These protectors can be fitted to almost any brand of racking, not just Colby systems, improving overall warehouse safety and reducing maintenance.

Specialised Drive-In Racking Solutions

The drive-in racking system developed by Dematic represents a groundbreaking innovation, offering both structural and cost advantages over traditional systems.

Key features include:

• Stiffer, Wider Uprights: The new uprights are 125 mm or 150 mm wide, making them significantly stiffer and stronger than the 90 mm and 110 mm wide selective rack uprights used in previous systems. These uprights are punched with circular holes, characterising the “fully bolted” nature of the new drive-in system, eliminating “clip-in” components.
• Single-Sided Cantilever Brackets: The innovative single-sided design of the cantilever bracket allows for different runner levels in adjacent rack lanes.
• Optimised Pallet Runners: The new pallet runner profile is dimensionally optimised for standard Australian pallets. Its cross-sectional shape enables long spans between supports (typically up to 2400 mm) without significant vertical deflection, horizontal deflection, or twisting. The inclined web on the runner also provides guidance to the pallet as it’s manoeuvred, self-centring it on the horizontal bearing surface.
• Fully Bolted System: All components are connected using high tensile (Grade 8.8) M12 bolts and whiz nuts, ensuring a robust and modular design.
• Integrated Safety Elements: Purpose-designed, inexpensive backstops prevent pallets from being over-inserted into the rack, protecting spine bracing from damage. Heavy-duty, purpose-designed floor channels also help guide forklifts into the bays, ensuring quick and easy alignment, safer handling, and reduced risk of rack damage.

Software, Inspections, and Operational Support

Dematic provides critical tools and services to ensure ongoing compliance and user safety:

Colby RackMan Certification:

The structural integrity of Dematic’s ColbyRACK is guaranteed through their RackMan program now called ColbySure. This is a proprietary software tool developed in-house by Dematic’s world-renowned structural engineers. RackMan is relied upon to produce safe rack designs, confirming load capacity and strength for specific racking configurations, thereby helping customers fulfil their Duty of Care responsibilities. Safe load signs confirmed by Colbysure are affixed to all ColbyRACK installations.

• Standard-duty frames that can hold up to nine tonnes (that’s like 150 kids!)
• Medium-duty frames that hold about 15 tonnes (like a school bus!)
• Heavy-duty frames with maximum loads of 20 tonnes (as heavy as a big dinosaur!)

Mandatory Annual Inspections:

Under the Australian Standard AS 4084.2:2023 (previously AS 4084 2012), it is mandatory for all businesses to have their racking inspected at least once every 12 months, regardless of size or traffic. These audits check for a range of potential issues, including overloaded, damaged, or missing beams, loose anchor bolts, and upright damage. Totral Racking Systems can assist with these regular racking health checks, providing recommendations for damage repairs to ensure compliance and safety

OH&S Accreditations:

Dematic’s comprehensive OH&S system means ColbyRACK is accredited to the AS/NZS 4801 Occupational health and management system standards specification and the OHSAS 18001 Occupational health and safety management system specification.

Rigorous Installation and Tolerances

Beyond product design, Dematic and Colby emphasise meticulous installation, which is handled by their distribution network, including Total Racking Systems for racking installation in Sydney.

Comprehensive Installation Process:

The “Drive-In Rack Technical and Installation Manual” details a thorough installation process, ensuring safety and efficiency from preparation to final inspection

Risk Assessments and Work Method Statements (WMS):

Before any racking installation, a site inspection and risk assessment must be conducted to identify hazards, with a Work Method Statement (WMS) produced to minimise potential risks. Any installation methods not detailed in the manual require a specific WMS.

Qualified Personnel and Safe Practices:

Only qualified operators are permitted to operate plant and equipment, and all work above 1800mm must be done from a safe working platform. Free climbing is strictly prohibited.

Adherence to Tolerances:

Installations must comply with specified clearances and finished tolerances, classifying drive-in racking under Tolerance Grade II for manually operated equipment guided by the operator. This includes strict limits on variations in racking length, upright out-of-plumb, racking depth, and beam levels. The floor must also be checked for level, with shimming used to meet datum levels.

This holistic approach underscores Colby and Dematic’s commitment to delivering safer, higher-quality, and fully compliant storage solutions, backed by their global resources and extensive local experience.

Total Racking Systems: Your Trusted Partner for Colby Dematic racking safety

For businesses located in Sydney and across Australia, Total Racking Systems stands out as a reliable distributor and installer of Colby and Dematic products36. Their local presence and expertise make them the ideal choice for your racking needs.

Why choose Total Racking Systems for your Colby and Dematic racking?

Access to Superior Products: As a distributor, Total Racking Systems provides direct access to the full range of ColbyRACK solutions, ensuring you receive Australian-made, high-tensile steel products with advanced safety features and a lifetime warranty1736.

Expert Installation and Compliance: Total Racking Systems’ role as an installer means they are adept at implementing racking systems according to the exacting standards set by Dematic and AS 4084:2023. This includes meticulous site inspections, risk assessments, and the use of detailed Work Method Statements (WMS) to minimise risks during installation. They ensure installations comply with specified clearances and finished tolerances, including Tolerance Grade II for manually operated equipment.

Ensuring Duty of Care: By partnering with Total Racking Systems, you can be confident that your racking system is designed, installed, and maintained to meet Australian work safety laws. This includes the mandatory annual inspections required by AS 4084.2:2023.

Local Support and Knowledge: Being based in Sydney, Total Racking Systems offers convenient local support and a deep understanding of Australian industry requirements and regulations.

In conclusion, for superior Colby Dematic Racking Safety, quality, and compliance, Total Racking Systems offers a complete solution. Their access to high-quality, Australian-made products, combined with their expertise in installation and commitment to safety standards, makes them the ideal partner to protect your investment, your products, and most importantly, your people.

Next Steps

• Learn More: Read our article on Calculate Pallet Rack weight capacity , Guide to Warehouse Racking Load Capacity or How to choose the best size, height and load rating for your pallet racking system
• Get a Quote: for Sydney pallet racking or learn how to Order pallet racking.
• Reach Out: For more information or assistance, contact Total Racking Systems.
• Schedule a Sydney warehouse assessment

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