Pallet drop prevention

What actually falls, and why

The two directions worth separating are falling forward, off the front of a beam into the aisle, and falling backward or sideways, through the gap between back-to-back racking runs known as the flue. Both are driven by the same underlying causes: an overhung pallet not sitting square on the beams, a damaged pallet failing under load, product stacked above the edge of the pallet footprint, or a load pushed too far in during put-away.

Flue space — the gap left between two rows of racking placed back to back, common on racking that stores two pallets deep and standard selective layouts alike — exists deliberately, usually for fire sprinkler access and airflow. That same gap is also where a product can fall through if it protrudes past the back edge of a pallet or the pallet itself is not seated correctly, which is why the space that is useful for one reason is a hazard for another. Mesh decking and support bars address the front-face version of that risk; netting and backing mesh address the flue version specifically, and the same choice between open mesh and a solid steel panel that applies to beam-level decking applies to the material a backing screen is made from as well.

What netting and backing mesh do

Backing mesh is fitted to the rear of a racking run, closing the flue gap between back-to-back bays so that a fallen item cannot drop through into the aisle or space on the far side. Netting serves a similar purpose along open faces, most commonly used where a racking run faces a walkway, office area, or any space where a falling item would land somewhere a person could be.

Both are containment products. They catch or block what has already come loose; they do nothing to stop a load coming loose in the first place. That distinction matters, because the underlying causes — poor pallet condition, overhang, incorrect stacking, or a knock from a forklift strike that has left a beam out of alignment — are operating and maintenance issues, and no amount of netting fixes a habit of loading pallets badly.

• Netting covers open faces where a fall would land in an occupied space
• Backing mesh closes the flue gap between back-to-back racking runs
• Both contain a fall that has already happened; neither prevents the load coming loose

Where the real prevention happens

The actual prevention of a dropped load sits upstream of any product on this page: correct pallet condition, loads seated square and within the pallet footprint, correct use of decking or support bars where a beam level carries loose or mixed stock, and put-away practice that does not push a load past where it is meant to sit. Netting and mesh are the layer that catches what gets past all of that, not the primary control.

Where a warehouse has genuine flue-drop risk — tall back-to-back runs next to a walkway or office, for instance — that is a layout and operating decision worth reviewing alongside where people are allowed to be relative to the racking, since removing people from underneath a risk is at least as effective as netting over it.

Not a comment on structural condition

Fitting netting or backing mesh addresses the risk of a load falling. It says nothing about whether the frame carrying that load is structurally sound, which remains a matter for a scheduled inspection and the judgement of a competent person, not for how well the aisle is netted.

Common questions

What is the difference between netting and backing mesh?

Netting is fitted across open faces of racking, typically facing a walkway or occupied space, to catch something that falls forward. Backing mesh closes the flue gap between back-to-back racking runs, stopping a fallen item dropping through into the space beyond.

Does netting stop pallets from being overloaded?

No. Netting and backing mesh are containment products — they manage where a fallen item lands. They do nothing about the underlying cause of a load coming loose, such as poor pallet condition, overhang or incorrect stacking.

Why is flue space a fall risk if it is designed into the racking?

The gap between back-to-back racking runs is usually left deliberately for reasons like sprinkler access and airflow. The same open gap is also where a protruding or displaced load can fall through, which is why it needs separate management rather than being treated as a non-issue because it was designed in.

Read next

• the site visit itself
• a racking load notice
• pallet overhang and racking
• rack protection and column guards
• bollard protection
• mesh decking