Racking Inspection Checklist
Protect Your Operation. Ensure UK & Ireland Warehouse Compliance.
Ensure Your Racking Is Safe & Compliant!
Protect Your Warehouse Team
Minimise the risk of racking failure, product loss, safety hazards, and enforcement action from the HSE and other regulatory bodies.
Maintain Racking Compliance
Ensure compliance with PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998), the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and relevant HSE guidance (HSG76).
Improve Warehouse Efficiency
Complete your racking inspections to reduce warehouse disruption—minimise empty pallet locations, racking repairs and associated maintenance costs.
We have created a ‘Free Racking Inspection Checklist’ form with a detailed guide which can be used to carry out an internal (i.e. by company trained staff) inspection of the APR Systems (Adjustable Pallet Racking).
Owners and users of pallet racking systems should be aware of the importance of maintaining the safety of these types of storage systems.
This would include:
- Training for employees that use the pallet racking systems along with information and instruction on the safe operation of the racking system.
- A system in place for staff to immediately report any damage or defects.
- Regular inspections of the pallet racking systems by internal staff & at least once every 12 months by a SEMA Approved Racking Inspector.
- Keep records of all inspections, damage and completed repairs.
Our racking inspection checklist will help to understand the types of damage and defects that might be found during an inspection of your pallet racking.
What is a Pallet Racking Inspection?
A Pallet Racking Inspection is a detailed visual assessment of all areas of a pallet racking system and would generally be carried out from ground level unless there are indications of problems at high level that need investigation.
Who should carry out a Pallet Racking Inspection?
Inspections of pallet racking should be completed at least once every 12 months by a SEMA Approved Racking Inspector and more frequently by internal staff.
Persons responsible for carrying out internal inspections should attend a one day ‘Rack Safety Awareness’ course to receive the necessary training.
How often should we carry out the internal Pallet Racking Inspections?
Internal inspections could be daily, weekly, or monthly.
Deciding the frequency of these inspections would be based on a risk assessment of the warehouse environment and the pallet racking systems within. This risk assessment should be completed by the nominated ‘person responsible for racking safety’ (PRRS). This will take into account the frequency and method of operation together with the dimensions of the warehouse, the equipment used and personnel involved, all of which could damage the structure.
Our Racking Inspection Checklist forms have been created for use by appropriately trained internal staff to complete their internal inspections but are not intended to cover every aspect of a pallet racking inspection and it is the responsibility of the person/s carrying out the inspection to be aware of and record/categories any type of damage, faults or risks related to the storage equipment.
Ensure Your Racking Is Safe & Compliant!
Frequently Asked Questions
The checklist is a step-by-step tool for your Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS). It allows them to perform a consistent visual walkthrough of your warehouse. You should use it to check for upright damage, beam deflection, and missing safety components (like locking pins) across every aisle.
No. According to HSG76 (HSE Guidance), you are required to have a professional inspection by a SEMA Approved Rack Inspector (SARI) at least once every 12 months. This checklist is for your “internal” weekly or monthly checks to ensure safety between those professional visits.
If the checklist guide shows that your damage falls into the Red Risk category, you must take immediate action. This means offloading the affected bays right away and cordoning off the area so it cannot be used until a professional repair is completed. Red risks are considered critical safety hazards.
While anyone can download and read the guide, the person performing the inspection should have basic Rack Safety Awareness training. This ensures they know exactly how to measure “deflection” and how to properly categorize risks using the SEMA traffic light system.
This specific checklist is designed for Adjustable Pallet Racking (APR), which is the standard system used in most UK warehouses. If you have specialized systems like Cantilever, Drive-In, or Mezzanine floors, the general safety principles apply, but we recommend a bespoke inspection for those setups.
Warehouse racking should be visually inspected on a weekly basis by the in-house team and formally reviewed at least once a year by a certified inspector. Regular checks help identify early signs of damage and reduce the risk of accidents or structural failure.
No, damaged racking should never be used if it falls under the red risk category or has exceeded 4 weeks as an amber risk category. Even temporary use can lead to serious safety hazards, including collapse. Always follow proper risk classification guidelines and take corrective action immediately.
What’s Inside the Checklist?
- ✅ Frame Damage Identification: Learn to spot serious upright and frame bracing issues.
- ✅ Beam Inspection Guide: How to check for deflection, damage and connector issues.
- ✅ SEMA ‘Traffic Light’ System: Full color-coded risk guide (Red, Amber, Green)..
- ✅ Legal Requirements Summary: Compliance with PUWER 1998 Regulations and HSG76 Guidance.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE RACKING INSPECTION CHECKLIST TODAY!
DOWNLOADED OVER 22,000 TIMES & UPDATED & REFRESHED DURING JUNE 2025
Written by SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors.
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Google Reviews
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Happy days
Raymond Mowat
January 14, 2026Lots of knowledge, everything explained so well. Thank you
Joanna Zalewska
January 14, 2026Excellent course. Very well presented. Very interesting information.I didnt even fall asleep, and I was awake until midnight the previous night completing an online exam.
shirley-ann keith
January 15, 2026 -
I fine it hard to do stuff like the on line but I think I have learnt a bit more about the level of damage ect
brian dear
March 3, 2026Learned a lot of things that I didn't think of, instructor was very good with learning and a bit of a laugh as well
Andrew Ewan
January 15, 2026Verry informative
John Mason
March 19, 2026 -
Great
g6dvs
January 14, 2026Good course. A lot more information about racking than anticipated
Kellaway-PT
March 3, 2026Really engaging and interesting training. Has given me lots of confidence in an area I am inexperienced in. Highly recommend
greg shepherd
February 2, 2026
Our Pallet Racking Inspection Service Areas
Professional SEMA-approved racking inspectors across the UK & Ireland.
Disclaimer
If in any doubt, you should consult a SEMA Approved Racking Inspector for specific advice before using or acting on any of the information contained within this document ‘SEE.2025.060 – Pallet racking inspection checklist’ and the related document ‘SEE.2024.061 – Pallet racking inspection checklist’.
You should never attempt to carry out any activity which may put you or others at risk or which may cause damage to your or anyone else’s property.
To the extent permitted by law, we accept no responsibility (including loss, damage or injury) for your use of the information contained within this document ‘SEE.2025.060 – Pallet racking inspection checklist’ and the related document ‘SEE.2024.061 – Pallet racking inspection checklist’.
