Storage system with forklift guard

A commercial storage rack comprising:

• a pair of vertical columns defining a front end of a storage bay, a horizontal inward direction from one column to the other, and a horizontal length direction perpendicular from the inward direction, extending horizontally from the front end to a rear end of the storage bay;
• a horizontal beam structure connecting the vertical columns, a top edge of the horizontal beam structure defining a horizontal plane;
• a horizontal support rail structure coupled to each column, the support rail extending in the length direction into the storage bay in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal beam, the support rail structure including a pallet support surface on an upper surface thereof adapted to support one side of a pallet of goods, a pallet cart support surface extending inwardly at a level below the pallet support surface, the pallet cart support surface adapted to support the wheels of a pallet transportation cart, and a short apron wall, extending downward from the pallet cart support surface to a position above the horizontal plane with a gap between a bottom edge of the short apron wall and the horizontal plane;
• and
• a rail gap guard extending horizontally in the length direction along the short apron from the front of the support rail and extending vertically downward from the bottom edge of the short apron to a position below the horizontal plane and obstructing the gap.

A support rail extending at least four feet in a length direction, comprising:

• a horizontal pallet support upper surface having a front top edge and a rear top edge defining a front direction from the rear top edge to the front top edge, the front top edge and rear top edge separated by a pallet support surface width, and extending at least 4 feet in the length direction perpendicular to the front direction;
• the rear top edge bending downward at approximately a right angle to the pallet support surface to form a rear upper lip;
• an upper vertical wall extending downward from the front top edge for a second distance from the front top edge to a pallet cart support surface extending horizontally in the front direction from a lower end of the upper vertical wall to a front lower edge of the pallet cart support surface;
• a lower apron wall extending downward from the front lower edge to an apron lower edge of the lower apron for a lower apron distance of at least 5.5 inches;
• and
• a lower lip extending opposite the front direction at substantially a right angle to the apron wall at a lower end of the lower apron wall.