Safety

Crash-tested van racking

For us, the safety of your drivers and their cargo comes first. In the event of an accident, your vehicle’s racking must ensure that your tools and equipment stay exactly where you store them.

To ensure our products are as safe as possible, we test them at RISE – the Research Institutes of Sweden. The institution has a deserved reputation for high standards and works with companies, public sector organisations and research institutes around the world. We test to the NS286 standard – the only standard designed specifically for van racking,

No two accidents are the same so, over the years, we have examined the many accidents that can occur. Based on this information, we are constantly working to  improve our designs and installation instructions.

About our crash-tests

Sleds play a key role in our testing. Van racking is installed on a crash sled in the same way it is installed in the van. Shelves and cases are then loaded with weights cut to 80% of the length of the shelf. This is done to produce the highest possible stress.

We minimise the number of attachment points to establish the limit for safe van racking. We also increase the weight in the van racking to get as close to a real situation as possible.

The crash sled is then propelled at just over 50 kph into a concrete wall, reaching a force of around 25G. Due to the weights on the shelves and in the cases, there is a second impact from behind, fractions of a second after the initial impact, as would occur in a collision.

What to keep in mind when loading your van

Heavy objects should be loaded as low as possible in the vehicle. This is safer if an accident occurs and your vehicle will be easier and safer to drive. Always use loading straps on bulky objects to keep them from moving around. Always lay your load down.

It is also a good idea to use inserts in drawers and plastic crates on shelves in order to minimise the risk of objects moving around, prevent tools from being damaged and reduce noise. Putting our mats on the shelves will help keep items in place.