How to Carry Out a Weekly Racking Inspection: A Step-by-Step Guide

A weekly racking inspection helps identify damage, missing components, unsafe loading and other problems before they become more serious. Pallet racking can be damaged during normal warehouse operations, particularly by forklift trucks and other materials handling equipment.

HSE Guidance Recommends a Three-Level Approach to Racking Safety

• Immediate reporting of damage and safety concerns
• Regular visual inspections by suitably trained personnel
• Expert inspections by a technically competent person at intervals of no more than 12 months

Regular internal inspections are commonly carried out weekly, although the appropriate frequency should be determined by a risk assessment of the warehouse and its operating conditions.

This guide explains who should carry out weekly racking inspections, what to check, how to record your findings and what to do when damage is identified.

Important: This guide and checklist are intended to support appropriately trained personnel. They are not a substitute for Rack Safety Awareness / racking inspection training or for an expert inspection by a technically competent person.

What Are the Three Levels of Racking Inspection?

A weekly racking inspection is only one part of an effective racking safety programme.

HSE and SEMA guidance supports a three-level approach to inspection and damage reporting.

1. Immediate Reporting

Everyone working around pallet racking should know what obvious damage and hazards to look out for during their normal daily activities and who to report concerns to.

This is not a planned inspection. It is an ongoing process of safety awareness and immediate reporting.

Warehouse staff should receive appropriate ‘rack safety awareness’ training so they understand the visual checks they should make while working around racking and know who to report any concerns to.

If someone sees:

• Racking damage
• Damaged or unsafe pallet
• Missing component
• Unstable load

it should be reported through the site’s damage-reporting procedure.

“Don’t wait for the next weekly inspection. If a forklift hits the racking on Tuesday, the damage should be reported on Tuesday”.

2. Regular Internal Racking Inspections

The second level is a structured and documented visual inspection.

HSG76 recommends that the Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS) ensures racking is inspected weekly, or at another regular interval determined by risk assessment. A formal written record should be maintained.

These inspections should be carried out by someone with appropriate racking inspection training and knowledge.

Their purpose is to systematically identify:

• Damage
• Missing components
• Unsafe loading
• Unsuitable or damaged pallets
• Changes to the racking

In addition, SEE provides a one-day Rack Safety Awareness Course, also commonly referred to as racking inspection training, to help warehouse personnel carry out regular internal inspections and understand the role of the PRRS.

Find out about SEE’s Racking Inspection Training

3. Expert Racking Inspections

Regular internal inspections do not replace an expert inspection.

HSG76 recommends that a technically competent person carries out an expert inspection at intervals of no more than 12 months and provides a written report to the PRRS.

SEMA operates the SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI) scheme as a recognised benchmark of competence for expert racking inspections.

An expert inspection goes considerably further than looking for obvious impact damage. It can assess areas including:

• Structural condition
• Rack configuration
• Component compatibility
• Identify installation faults
• Loading procedures
• Accuracy of load notices
• Pallet condition and positioning
• Operational risks

SEE provides independent expert inspections by SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors throughout the UK and Ireland.

Find out more about SEMA Approved Racking Inspections

How Often Should Pallet Racking Be Inspected by the Warehouse Team?

Weekly is the commonly used interval for regular internal racking inspections, but it isn’t necessarily appropriate for every warehouse.

The inspection frequency should be determined by a risk assessment of the warehouse and its operating conditions.

Factors to consider include:

• Amount of forklift and MHE activity
• Frequency and severity of previous racking damage
• Warehouse traffic and aisle widths
• Changes in stock or racking configuration
• Temporary or inexperienced personnel
• Pallet condition
• Periods of unusually high activity

A busy distribution centre with continuous forklift movements may therefore require a different inspection regime from a lower-use storage facility.

Whatever interval you choose, schedule, document and consistently complete each inspection.

Who Should Carry Out a Weekly Racking Inspection?

The person carrying out a regular internal inspection needs sufficient training and knowledge to understand:

• What to inspect
• How to recognise racking damage and unsafe practices
• How to record findings
• How to categorise damage
• What action to take when you identify a problem

HSG76 recommends appointing a Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS). The PRRS plays an important role in managing the inspection and damage-reporting process, maintaining records and making sure the team deals with identified problems.

The PRRS may carry out the inspections themselves or appoint another appropriately trained person to carry them out.

Simply handing an untrained employee a checklist isn’t enough.

A checklist provides structure. Training provides the knowledge needed to use it properly.

SEE’s one-day Rack Safety Awareness / Racking Inspection Training Course covers internal inspections, damage identification and categorisation, load notices, reporting procedures and the role of the PRRS. SEE’s current course is delivered by SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors and is RoSPA assured.

What Do You Need for a Weekly Racking Inspection?

Depending on your site procedures, you may need:

• Structured racking inspection checklist
• Suitable measuring equipment
• Phone, camera or tablet for photographs
• Warehouse layout or rack-location reference system
• Appropriate site PPE

A good location-reference system is particularly important.

Recording “damaged upright in aisle” isn’t enough in a warehouse containing hundreds or thousands of racking components.

Anyone reviewing the report or completing repairs should be able to quickly find the exact location again.

How to Carry Out a Weekly Racking Inspection

Your inspection should follow a logical and consistent route through the warehouse.

Using the same structured approach each time reduces the risk of missing areas and makes it easier to compare findings between inspections.

This guide focuses primarily on Adjustable Pallet Racking (APR). Other storage systems, including drive-in racking, cantilever racking, pallet live, push-back racking and automated storage systems, can have different inspection requirements.

Step 1: Follow a Consistent Route Through the Warehouse

Start at an agreed location and work systematically through each aisle to inspect all accessible racking.

Pay particular attention to areas where impact damage may be more likely, including:

• Aisle-facing uprights
• End frames
• Transfer aisles
• Loading and unloading areas
• Locations where turning space is restricted

Look for anything visibly bent, twisted, dented, displaced or otherwise different from surrounding components.

If obvious or serious damage is discovered, don’t simply record it and carry on. Follow your site’s reporting and isolation procedures immediately where necessary.

Step 2: Check the Uprights

Uprights are fundamental structural components of the racking system and are particularly vulnerable to impacts at lower levels.

Look for:

• Bends, dents, twisting or buckling
• Splits, tears or corrosion
• Impact damage
• Previous repairs or alterations
• Anything visibly different from surrounding uprights

Don’t judge an upright simply by whether the racking “looks OK”.

Racking damage assessment uses defined criteria, which is one reason appropriate training is important.

If you’re unsure about damage, record the concern and seek competent advice.

Step 3: Inspect the Frame Bracing

The horizontal and diagonal bracing between the front and rear uprights contributes to the strength and stability of the rack frame.

Look for:

• Bent or damaged bracing
• Missing components
• Loose or damaged connections
• Impact damage
• Unauthorised modifications or repairs

Don’t assume damaged bracing is insignificant simply because the rest of the frame appears straight.

Step 4: Check the Beams

Check beams throughout the storage system for:

• Bends or other deformation
• Impact damage
• Twisting
• Excessive or unusual deflection
• Damage around beam connectors
• Damaged welds or connections
• Beams that appear incorrectly positioned

Also look for signs that someone has moved the beam levels from their original installation positions.

Changing beam positions can affect the racking’s load-carrying capacity, so do not alter the beam positions without first checking the design and manufacturer’s information.

Step 5: Check Beam Safety Locks

Where the racking system requires them, beam safety locks help prevent accidental beam dislodgement.

Check that the correct locks or locking devices are:

• Present
• Correctly fitted
• Undamaged

If locks repeatedly go missing or become damaged, investigate why. Repeated damage may indicate a wider operational issue rather than simply a missing component.

Step 6: Check Baseplates and Floor Fixings

Look closely at the base of the racking.

Check for:

• Loose, missing or damaged floor fixings
• Damaged or displaced baseplates
• Movement
• Damage to the floor around the fixing
• Problems with shims
• Impact damage around the bottom of the uprights

If anything appears loose, displaced or different from the previous inspection, record it for further investigation.

Step 7: Check Racking Protection

Where rack protection is installed

Check it for:

• Damage
• Movement
• Looseness
• Detachment
• Incorrect positioning

Repeated damage to a protector may indicate an underlying problem.

If the same protector is continually being hit, ask why. Possible factors may include aisle space, visibility, warehouse layout or vehicle operating practices.

“A good inspection shouldn’t only identify damage. It should help identify why the damage is happening”.

Step 8: Check Pallets, Loads and Pallet Positioning

Don’t look only at the steelwork. How the racking is being used is equally important.

Check for:

• Damaged pallets
• Pallets unsuitable for the racking system
• Incorrectly positioned pallets
• Unstable or poorly secured loads
• Excessive or inappropriate overhang
• Poor load distribution
• Goods being stored differently from the intended configuration

A sound racking structure can still become unsafe if unsuitable pallets or loads are placed onto it.

Step 9: Check Load Notices and Rack Configuration

Load notices provide essential information about the safe use and loading of the racking.

Check that appropriate load notices are:

• Present
• Clearly visible
• Legible
• Appropriate for the racking configuration
• Being followed

Also look for changes to:

• Beam levels
• Pallet type
• Stored loads
• Rack configuration

If someone alters the racking, the existing load notice may no longer accurately describe its safe capacity. Current SEMA guidance says you should update the load notice whenever someone modifies the racking.

Step 10: Record What You Find and Take Action

The purpose of an inspection isn’t simply to find problems. Identified risks need to be acted upon.

For each significant finding, record:

• Exact location
• Component or issue concerned
• Clear description
• Photograph where useful
• Risk category where appropriately assessed
• Action required
• Person responsible
• Target or completion date

Urgent risks should be dealt with immediately.

Where racking has been taken out of use, controls should prevent it being accidentally reloaded before the necessary remedial work has been completed.

Also look for patterns.

Repeated damage in the same location may point to an underlying problem involving:

• Forklift routes
• Aisle widths
• Visibility
• Pallet quality
• Warehouse layout
• Working practices

Repairing damage is important. Preventing it from happening again is even better.

What Do Red, Amber and Green Racking Risks Mean?

SEMA uses a traffic-light system to categorise racking damage and indicate the action required.

Red Risk – Immediate Action

Red identifies a high level of damage requiring immediate action.

Offload the affected racking and take it out of use until you complete the necessary remedial work.

Amber Risk – Action Required

Amber identifies damage that requires remedial work but does not necessarily require immediate unloading.

As workers empty the affected pallet positions, they should leave them empty until they complete the necessary repairs.

Complete repairs within four weeks wherever possible. If the team cannot complete them within this timeframe, treat the Amber Risk as a Red Risk (see above).

Green Risk – Record & Monitor

Green identifies damage that falls within SEMA’s defined limits.

It should still be recorded and monitored during future inspections.

Green does not mean that damage should simply be ignored.

Correctly assessing and categorising racking damage requires appropriate knowledge and training. If you’re uncertain, seek competent advice rather than guessing.

Record, Report and Act

A good inspection programme should create a clear trail from identifying a problem through to resolving it.

For significant findings, record:

Location → Finding → Risk → Action → Responsibility → Completion

Importantly, if you identify urgent damage or another serious safety concern, take action straight away rather than waiting for someone to review the report later.

Keep records of:

• Regular internal inspections
• Reported damage
• Photographs
• Actions raised
• Repairs or replacement components
• Completed remedial work

In addition, good records make it easier to identify recurring damage and demonstrate that your team actively manages inspection findings.

Download Our Free Racking Inspection Checklist

More than 22,000 copies of SEE’s Racking Inspection Checklist have been downloaded.

Created by SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors, it provides appropriately trained personnel with a structured way of carrying out and recording regular internal inspections of Adjustable Pallet Racking (APR).

Download the FREE Racking Inspection Checklist

Businesses who ignore the SEMA Code of Practice’s advice on load notices run the risk of more than fines.

The SEMA Code of Practice states that load notices are safety notices for racking systems which are included on all racking systems provided by SEMA approved distributor companies. Load notices explain to the end users of a racking system how the system should be used and what the system’s limitations are.

The advice is approved by HSE, but it is not the only advice that end users need to follow when using racking. Rather, load notices are intended as summaries or quick reminders of HSE approved advice for the safe use of racking.

Load notices do not replace the need for employers to train their staff on the safe use of racking systems, for example.
All SEMA approved racking systems have had SEMA load notices on them since the 1980s. These notices have since been updated with input from the SEMA Code of Practice, HSE, and the EU.

According to HSE, not every racking system provider needs to be a SEMA distributor company. However, HSE’s HSG76 states that all racking systems need some kind of load notice and refers to SEMA’s advice on load notices as an example how load notices should be. To understand SEMA load notices a bit better, it’s good to understand their history.

Brief History: SEMA Code of Practice Creates SEMA Load Notices; EU & HSE Improve Them

The earliest SEMA load notices were mentioned in the original SEMA Code of Practice for Use of Static Pallet Racking in the ‘80s. Some SEMA approved racking systems still have these load notices. However, SEMA load notices have since evolved because of input from the EU, HSE, and updates to the SEMA Code of Practice itself.

EC Directive 92/58/EEC was announced by the EU in June 1992. This EU directive outlined the ways health and safety signs at work should look. EU directives are not the same as EU regulations. An EU directive sets out an objective to be achieved and it is then up to each individual member state to achieve this objective in its own way.

As a result, it wasn’t until four years later that the UK turned this EU directive into British law, with the implementation of the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996. SEMA load notices were modified to adhere to these regulations.

The main changes were to the colours and the designs of the different kinds of notices on the racking equipment. The original SEMA load notices used their own design as outlined in the original SEMA Code of Practice. These new ones now adhere to the national standard for safety signs and subsequent SEMA Codes of Practice have been updated accordingly.

Red circular signs with white backgrounds and black pictograms are used for prohibition. Yellow triangular signs with yellow backgrounds and black pictograms or text are used for warning. Green rectangular signs with white pictograms or text are used for instruction. Blue rectangular signs with white pictograms or text are used for mandatory actions.

You may notice how all safety signs in workplaces across the UK follow these regulations. “No smoking” signs are red. Caution of fire signs are yellow. “Fire exit” signs are green. “Hardhats must be worn in this area” signs are blue. SEMA load notices now adhere to these same regulations as well.

What Do SEMA Load Notices Say?

Different racking systems have different load notices, but most follow a similar structure. A typical SEMA load notice outlines the need for regular racking inspection from a SEMA approved inspector, the need to adhere to the SEMA Code of Practice, and the need to contact the supplier of the system if you unsure about anything as yellow warning signs. A mandatory action is given in blue that all damage should be reported to the racking safety officer. Finally, a red sign prohibits climbing on a racking system or altering the racking system. All of this information is listed on the left of the load notice.

On the right of the load notice are the maximum load recommendations for each shelf, as well as the maximum bay load. Bear in mind that the maximum bay load is often less than the sum total of all the shelf loads.

For example, if you have a system with four shelves and each shelf can handle two loads of 1,000kg, but the bay load is 5,000kg, you must make sure that your total bay load is below 5,000kg. Each individual shelf combined might be able to handle 8,000kg, but the bay load is there to tell you how much your whole racking system can handle at one time.

If you have any questions about SEMA load notices, don’t hesitate to contact Storage Equipment Experts. Remember that following the advice given on a SEMA load notice is not a replacement for racking inspection training or expert racking inspections from a SEMA approved racking inspector.

For professional racking inspection services from a SEMA approved racking inspector with acute knowledge of the SEMA Code of Practice, contact Storage Equipment Experts today.

SEMA safety is a big umbrella with lots of different elements of storage equipment safety beneath it.

The Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) is something of an authority when it comes to storage equipment safety. Though their advice is superseded by HSE (Health and Safety Executive), SEMA safety is vital because it is much more specific. SEMA safety doesn’t contradict HSE safety. Rather, it expands on the advice given in HSE HSG76 and then goes into much more detail.

In this quick guide to SEMA safety, you’ll learn about the most basic and important aspects of SEMA safety and how to follow them.

1) The SEMA Code of Practice

More or less every conceivable instance of storage equipment safety is covered in the SEMA Code of Practice. This code is not one document, but many different documents which you can purchase from SEMA at various prices. Not all documents are relevant to all storage equipment users or warehouse owners. Their “Guide to the Specification of Freestanding High Bay Racking and Clad Racks”, for example, is not needed for those warehouse owners who don’t use freestanding high bay racking or clad racks.

If you find HSE HSG76’s advice lacking with regards to your specific storage equipment safety query, these guides are a good place to start. However, if you want to know more about specific elements of racking safety, there are other options.

2) Racking Inspection Training from a SEMA Approved Racking Inspector

The SEMA approved racking inspector program is by far the most rigorous safety program SEMA runs. This is closely followed by the Cantilever Racking Inspection course. As a result, there are only 104 SEMA approved pallet racking inspectors in the world (with inspectors based in Spain, the UAE, Singapore, and even China) and only 35 SEMA approved cantilever racking inspectors in the world.

A warehouse owner or storage equipment user does not need to take either course. The program is designed for people who want a career as a SEMA approved racking inspector, rather than someone who just wants to know how to operate their racking safely.

For the latter person, we would recommend our racking inspection training course performed by a SEMA approved inspector. Our SEMA approved racking inspector is one of the few people to have passed both the pallet racking inspection course and the SEMA cantilever racking inspection course. For that reason, our racking inspection training course is one of the best in the UK (with rave reviews from Tate Modern, Hayden’s Bakery, Dunlop, White Stuff, and many others).

If you want to learn about some of the elements of SEMA safety specific to your racking system, but are a little intimidated by the scale of the SEMA Code of Practice, we’d highly recommend our racking inspection training course.

3) SEMA Technical Bulletins

The SEMA Code of Practice is often updated or elements of it are clarified with technical bulletins. It’s important to keep an eye out for these as they are often reactions to things happening in the industry. The SEMA Technical Bulletin No. 3 clarifies SEMA and HSE’s interpretation of the use of rack protectors (among other things) in response to people’s incorrect use of them.

These bulletins are a key part of SEMA safety and are great because they are often backed up with direct quotes from HSE HSG76. In other words, these bulletins help storage equipment users to understand HSE HSG76 in context.

4) Racking Inspections by a SEMA Approved Inspector & Staff Racking Inspections

As previously mentioned, SEMA runs different courses in order to train SEMA approved racking inspectors (SARIs). Both HSE and SEMA recommend racking inspections from SARIs at least once a year. HSE also recommend regular inspections from “competent” staff. At Storage Equipment Experts, we believe the best way to ensure that your staff are “competent” enough to perform the regular staff-led inspection HSE recommend is through our racking inspection training course: a course delivered by a SEMA approved racking inspector (SARI).

The importance of “competence” is also echoed in the CDM regulations 2015. As a result, this makes training doubly important.

5) Other Elements of SEMA Safety

SEMA safety also includes many other aspects, such as correct practice for storage equipment installation, storage equipment repair, and the dismantling of storage equipment. Each element of racking safety is covered somewhere in its Code of Practice. Most of the emphasis of HSE warehouse safety and SEMA safety is on the use of racking (as this is what warehouse owners and storage equipment users will spend the bulk of their time doing) but it’s important to pay close attention to the other elements of SEMA safety too. If the worst happens, your racking might need repair or dismantling. When it does, you’ll be glad that what to do is covered by SEMA safety.

For a greater understanding of SEMA safety, contact Storage Equipment Experts today for racking inspection training from a SEMA approved racking inspector.