CR Supply – Frequently Asked Questions
General
What does CR Supply do?
CR Supply is an engineering and services company that specializes in pallet racking and warehouse safety.
What is the prime mission of CR Supply?
CR Supply was created to supply total compliance to its clients, using the ProTech bundle of services and products.
Does CR Supply work only on big warehouses?
CR Supply works on facilities of all sizes and complexities. The bulk of our clients are mid sized businesses.
Does CR Supply have the manpower to inspect multiple, large scale facilities throughout Canada and the USA?
CR Supply has conducted national inspection programs for many of North America’s largest corporations.
Why is rack safety important?
Providing a safe workplace is a warehouse operator’s legal responsibility. Managers are liable if any of their workers are injured, or worse, while on the job. Proper rack safety measures protect your employees, products and equipment – and keep you compliant with CSA and OSHA regulations.
What will government inspectors be looking for if they visit us?
The authorities generally ask three questions:
- Have the capacity limits of the racking been calculated by a Professional Engineer?
- Has the racking been inspected by an outside expert at some point in the past year?
- Is there an internal procedure in place for routine monthly inspections of the facility?
Is CR Supply fully ISO 9001 certified?
Yes, CR Supply uses the inspection services of RNW, which is the only rack engineering / inspection services firm to receive the full ISO 9001 certification.
Do CR Supply's engineers have their full P.Eng (Professional Engineer) certification?
CR Supply employs the racking industry’s largest team of Professional Engineers devoted solely to the safe operation of racking structures.
Does CR Supply work in the USA?
Yes, CR Supply provides it ProTech services throughout the United States.
Do CR Supply’s inspectors and engineers speak French?
Yes, we have a number of staff that are fluent in French.
Does CR Supply work on ASRS systems, cantilever, drive-in, push-back and other specialized racking structures?
Yes, at one time or another we’ve worked on pretty much every type of racking structure you can imagine.
Where is CR Supply located?
CR Supply is based in the Toronto, Canada area but has engineers on staff at our branch offices. We can provide site services by local experts and seal documents in all provinces and most states.
Does CR Supply have to tour our facility to give us a price quote?
No, if you’ll provide some basic information about your facility, we can usually have a price quote in your hands within a day or two.
How do I get more info and/or a price quote?
Fill out the “request a quote” form at the bottom of any page, or call 888-318-5561 x 230 and we’ll have a quote underway within 24 hours.
Inspections
Does my pallet racking have to be inspected?
Yes, Canadian regulations state that all facilities with pallet racking must conduct regular expert inspections. American OSHA regulations state that all facilities must have a program for “systematic identification of workplace hazards”.
Can’t I just inspect the racking by myself?
Routine monthly (partial) inspections can be conducted by internal staff but annual (full) inspections must be conducted by outside experts. CSA A344 stipulates that an expert must specialize in pallet racking, have structural engineering knowledge, perspective that has been developed over many facilities and be under the supervision of a Professional Engineer (P.Eng).
How often should my racking be inspected?
This is determined by a Professional Engineer based on the characteristics of the specific facility. For most facilities, annual inspections are required.
What will CR Supply's inspectors be looking for?
We search for damages (such as those caused by lift trucks), missing parts (such as anchors or safety pins) and the overall integrity of the racking structure (alignment or out of plumb).
How long will the inspector(s) be on-site?
This can vary from a couple hours for a very small facility to a couple of weeks for a very large facility. In most cases a day is usually sufficient.
Will we be “shut us down” if they find something unsafe?
No, but severe damages can sometimes require that the impacted bays be unloaded and taken out of service until they can be repaired.
How disruptive is the inspection? Do we have to stop work?
No, your business can operate uninterrupted.
Will the inspection report be stamped by a P.Eng (Professional Engineer)?
Yes, all reports are reviewed and sealed by a Professional Engineer who assumes responsibility for the content of the report.
Do the inspectors work at heights?
Although most inspections are conducted from the floor, our staff is trained for working at heights. We also have technicians that are specialized in rope-access maintenance when you cannot use scissor lifts.
How are the individual damages tracked and identified?
Each damage is assigned a trackable bar code number that is applied by sticker to the racking and recorded electronically.
How does an inspector assess the severity of the damages that are found?
All damages are rated on a color-coded (green – yellow – red) and numerical scale from 1 (minor/cosmetic) to 9 (major/highly dangerous).
How much does an inspection cost?
Expert inspection costs vary based on the size of the facility and the condition of the racking. The cost of an expert rack inspection is often comparable to the annual cost of fire extinguisher inspections.
PSR Capacity Reports
What does PSR stand for?
Pre-start health & Safety Review. PSR’s are known as Capacity Reports in most areas.
Does my racking have to have a PSR Capacity Report?
Yes, all local governments require some form of a PSR Capacity Report. In Ontario, for example, Ministry of Labour regulation # 851, section 7 requires that employers must not load or operate racks until a PSR has been completed and sealed by a Professional Engineer.
What happens if I make a change, or addition, to my racking at some point in the future?
A PSR can be amended whenever changes are made to the rack. A good PSR is written in a manner that allows maximum flexibility to expand and/or reconfigure the racking at a future date.
How much does a PSR Capacity Report cost?
The cost of a PSR is largely a function of the number of different types of racking, and the number of elevations, in the facility. With a layout diagram and a few photos, we can usually provide a price quotation within 24 hours.
Building Permits
What is included in CR Supply’s building permit submittal service?
Services include: analysis of the emergency lighting system, fire protection system, egress/exiting and floor slab capacity. We will complete all schedules, application reports and compliance reports. CR Supply will stamp drawings, visit the site once and the municipality once. The price includes all communication with the municipality up to the initial submission.
What is a Building Code Compliance Report?
Where a building permit already exists, a Building Code Compliance Report will identify specific areas where your business is, and is not, compliant with applicable regulations.
How much does the building permit submittal service cost?
Building permit prices are generally a function of the completeness of the client’s existing paperwork, and how much paperwork is left to be completed.
Training
What does the training cover?
We use the services of RNW and their trainer Chuck Leon. Our virtual training is very popular. We will train your staff in the correct methodology for conducting the routine inspections that are required in most areas. The sessions cover CSA standard A344, common terminology and legal considerations. Training makes your facility safer and minimizes liability for company managers.
Will my staff receive a certificate after they complete the course?
Yes, we send out a certificate.
Repairs & Guarding
What are CertiRack repair products?
CertiRack’s top quality repair products are certified by our Professional Engineers and are fully Ministry of Labour compliant.
Will the repaired racking be restored to its original capacity?
Yes – or even greater!
Is it usually better to repair, or replace, the damaged component?
This sometimes varies from one individual damage to the next, but repair is a better option in a majority of cases. Repaired parts are usually stronger, more versatile, more environmentally responsible – and have a shorter lead-time!
Will the repairs be certified by a Professional Engineer?
CertiRack repairs are certified by our Professional Engineers.
Do we have to buy repair products or services from CR Supply after the inspection?
No, CR Supply offers truly independent advice. All the inspection is done by RNW a professional services firm. We provide you with highly detailed information based on our years of experience and expertise. You can choose to take whatever action is best for your business.
What are CertiRack guarding products?
CertiRack guarding products are high quality, high visibility products designed to reduce the risk (and the resultant cost and liability) of future structural damages and failures.
Will I have to get a welding permit to have the repair work done?
No! Bringing a torch into your facility is one of the most un-safe things you could possibly do. CertiRack repairs can be completed with only minimal disruption to your daily operations.