What this is
What is a racking inspection?
What is a racking inspection?
A structured examination of pallet racking for damage, deflection, missing components, loading and installation faults, classifying each finding by severity and specifying the action and timescale required. Under PUWER, racking is work equipment and must be inspected and maintained safe.
What does the traffic light system mean?
Green means damage within SEMA allowable limits: record and monitor at future inspections. Amber means damage exceeding allowable limits requiring action, with the location offloaded as soon as practicable and not reloaded until rectified. Red means damage beyond allowable limits requiring immediate offloading and isolation.
Scope
When is a racking inspection required?
This covers inspection of installed racking. Design, installation and load calculation are separate activities.
Use this template when
- Routine internal inspection at defined intervals by a trained person responsible for rack safety
- Expert inspection by a competent external inspector, annually or more frequently by risk
- Immediate inspection following any impact, however minor it appears
- After reconfiguration, beam relocation or a change in stored product or handling equipment
- Following a near miss involving racking, a load fall or a truck collision
Do not use it for
- Racking design and load calculation, which is an engineering activity performed by the supplier or a specialist
- Installation certification, which confirms the racking was erected to specification
- Truck and driver assessment, which addresses the cause of most impact damage
- The load notice itself, which is a standing document this inspection verifies
- Warehouse layout and traffic management assessment, which addresses why damage recurs
Compliance mapping
Which ISO 45001 cl.8.1 requirements does this satisfy?
Racking safety sits under work equipment duties, with a European standard and industry codes supplying the method.
| Clause | Requirement | Where it lands |
|---|---|---|
| PUWER reg.4 | Work equipment suitable for its purpose and the conditions of use | Structure |
| PUWER reg.5 | Work equipment maintained in efficient working order and good repair | Damage found |
| PUWER reg.6 | Inspection by a competent person at suitable intervals and after exceptional circumstances | Header |
| EN 15635 | Steel static storage systems: application and maintenance of storage equipment, including damage assessment | Damage found |
| SEMA code of practice | Red, amber and green risk classification with defined actions and the four-week escalation rule | Summary |
| HSE HSG76 | Warehousing and storage guidance including racking inspection and damage response | Header |
| OSHA 1910.176(b) | Storage of material secure against sliding or collapse (US general industry route) | Loading |
| ISO 45001 cl.8.1 | Operational control including inspection regimes for equipment in use | Result |
What it does not cover
- Racking design and load calculation, an engineering activity performed by the supplier or a specialist.
- Installation certification, confirming erection to specification.
- The load notice, a standing document this inspection verifies rather than produces.
- Truck and driver assessment, which addresses the cause of most impact damage.
- Layout and traffic management assessment, which addresses why damage concentrates where it does.
How to complete it
How to complete a racking inspection, step by step
Classify consistently, act to the timescale the classification carries, and read the pattern rather than the individual finding.
SEMA sets measurable tolerances for deflection and deformation of beams and uprights. Classification should be made against those figures rather than by judgement about how bad it looks, because a modest visible bend in an upright can exceed the limit while a more obvious mark on a beam does not.
Record the date the damage was first noted, because that is what starts the four-week clock. Amber items should be offloaded as soon as practicable and not reloaded until rectified, and where four weeks pass without remedial work the classification becomes red. A list of aged amber items is a list of red items with the wrong colour on it.
Offloading a beam means clearing that beam. Offloading a frame member means clearing what it supports, including levels above and, depending on the construction and the damage, adjacent bays. Where there is doubt, clearing adjacent bays and seeking advice is the correct response rather than a cautious one.
Plot findings by location across inspections. Damage that concentrates at aisle ends, at particular pick faces or on one side of a racking run is telling you about aisle width, turning circles, lighting or traffic flow. That is a layout finding, and it will keep producing damage regardless of how promptly each individual item is repaired.
What auditors find
Most common racking inspection findings
Racking findings concentrate on classification discipline and on the recurrence nobody addressed.
| Finding | Clause | What fixes it |
|---|---|---|
| Amber items carried across multiple inspections without rectification. | SEMA code | Amber becomes red after four weeks; an aged amber list is a red list. |
| Damage classified by appearance rather than against allowable limits. | EN 15635 | Measure against SEMA tolerances; visible severity and measured deviation differ. |
| Affected location not offloaded after an amber or red classification. | SEMA code | Offload what the component supports, including levels above and adjacent bays where relevant. |
| No inspection following a known impact. | PUWER reg.6 | Inspect immediately after any impact; exceptional circumstances trigger inspection under PUWER. |
| Load notices not updated after beam levels were moved. | EN 15635 | Reconfiguration changes permitted loads; the notice must follow the configuration. |
| Damage recurring at the same locations with no layout review. | ISO 45001 cl.8.1 | Recurrence is a layout or traffic finding, not a repair finding. |
| Internal inspections performed by someone with no rack safety training. | PUWER reg.6 | Appoint and train a person responsible for rack safety; competence is the requirement. |
| Missing beam locks or safety pins not treated as significant. | EN 15635 | A dislodged beam is a collapse mechanism; missing locks are not cosmetic. |
| Repairs made with non-original components. | EN 15635 | Replace like for like; mixed components alter the load path in ways the design did not assume. |
| Damage reported by operators discouraged by the consequences. | ISO 45001 cl.5.4 | Impacts must be reportable without penalty, or damage is discovered at inspection instead. |
Case in point
Case in point: forty amber items and a definition
A distribution centre ran expert racking inspections annually and internal checks monthly. The annual report classified six items red and forty-one amber. The red items were rectified within a week. The amber items were added to a maintenance list and scheduled for attention when a contractor was next on site, which turned out to be four months later.
Under the SEMA code, amber damage not rectified within four weeks of first being noted should be treated as red risk requiring immediate offloading. Three months into that period, the site was operating with forty-one locations that were red by the code it had commissioned the inspection against, all of them loaded.
The inspection report was accurate and the classification was correct on the day it was written. What had not been read was the sentence explaining what amber obliges you to do and by when.
The template
The template, field by field
The form exactly as it installs. Every field, option, score and conditional rule is editable, and the links to other templates come with it.
7 sections
- Reference
- SAF-131
- Archetype
- Inspection
- Record ID
- INSP-2026-000
- Scoring
- Pass rate
- Direction
- High is good
- Singleton
- Yes
- Basis
- ISO 45001 cl.8.1
- Links
- Links Storage location register, Work orders
- Tags
- Warehouse, Racking
- Sections
- 7
- Fields
- 58
- Follow up fields
- 4
- Repeating sections
- 1
- Links out
- 5
Header
15 fieldsInspection ID*
Auto sequence. Format INSP-2026-00000.
The record's own ID. Other templates point at this value.
Status*
Drives who this goes to next.
- Planned2 pts
- In progress2 pts
- Complete3 pts
- Deferred0 pts
- Open0 pts
- Closed3 pts
- Overdue0 pts
Date and Time*
Completed By*
Site*
Site ID*
Format SITE-000.
Links to FDN-001 Site ID
Area
The area within the site.
Exact Location
Drop a pin for anything hard to find.
One Damaged Upright Takes The Row
Racking fails progressively. A struck upright loses most of its capacity, and a collapse rarely stops at the bay it started in. Classification decides whether the bay is unloaded now or repaired later.
Inspection Level*
Visual by the area owner weekly, or expert inspection by a competent person yearly.
- Expert inspection, competent person4 pts
- Visual, area owner2 pts
Run Reference*
Bays Inspected*
Racking Configuration
Load Notice Displayed*
Bay and beam load limits must be on display. Without them nobody knows what safe looks like.
- Yes3 pts
- Faded or partial1 pt
- No0 pts
Notice Matches Current Configuration*
- Yes3 pts
- Out of date0 pts
Structure
9 fieldsUprights Straight And Undamaged*
- Yes3 pts
- Minor damage1 pt
- Significant0 pts
Bracing Intact*
- Yes3 pts
- Some damage1 pt
- Missing0 pts
Baseplates Secure And Bolted*
- Yes3 pts
- Some loose1 pt
- Unbolted0 pts
Beams Seated And Locked*
- Yes3 pts
- Some unlocked1 pt
- No0 pts
Beam Deflection Within Limit*
- Yes3 pts
- Marginal1 pt
- Exceeded0 pts
Beam Connector Locks Present*
- All present3 pts
- Some missing1 pt
- Many missing0 pts
Row Spacers Fitted
- Yes3 pts
- Some missing1 pt
- No0 pts
Frame Protection Fitted*
- Yes3 pts
- Partial1 pt
- None0 pts
Floor Condition At Baseplates*
- Sound3 pts
- Cracked1 pt
- Failing0 pts
Loading
6 fieldsPallets Correctly Seated*
- Yes3 pts
- Some poorly seated1 pt
- No0 pts
No Overhang Into Aisle*
- Confirmed3 pts
- Some1 pt
- Significant0 pts
Loads Within Stated Limit*
- Yes3 pts
- Uncertain1 pt
- Exceeded0 pts
Damaged Pallets In Racking*
- None3 pts
- Some1 pt
- Many0 pts
Loose Items At Height*
Anything unsecured on a top beam falls into an aisle people walk down.
- None3 pts
- Some1 pt
- Many0 pts
Netting Or Backstops Where Needed
- Yes3 pts
- Not required3 pts
- No0 pts
Damage found
Repeats8 fieldsBay Or Location Reference*
Component Damaged*
Damage Classification*
Green means monitor, amber means repair within four weeks, red means unload the bay now.
- Green, monitor3 pts
- Amber, repair within period1 pt
- Red, unload now0 pts
Measurement Taken
Photograph
Bay Unloaded Immediately
- Yes3 pts
- No0 pts
Damage Report ID
Links to SAF-132 Report ID
Work Order ID
Links to MNT-002 Work Order ID
Summary
5 fieldsGreen Damage Found
Amber Damage Found*
Red Damage Found*
Repeat Damage At Same Location*
The same corner struck repeatedly is a layout or traffic problem, not an operator problem.
- No3 pts
- Yes0 pts
Cause Pattern Identified
Related records
1 fieldStorage Location Register ID
The locations covered by this run.
Links to FDN-024 Register ID
Result
14 fieldsItems Assessed*
Excludes anything marked N/A.
Items Failed*
Score Percent*
Calculated on submission. High is good. N/A items leave the denominator.
Result Band*
- Pass3 pts
- Caution1 pt
- Fail0 pts
Completeness Percent*
How much of the template was actually answered. A high score on a half completed form is not a high score.
Action Required*
Raise the action record, then enter its reference here.
- No2 pts
- Yes0 pts
Priority
- High0 pts
- Medium1 pt
- Low3 pts
CAPA ID
Format CAPA-2026-00000.
Links to FDN-014 CAPA ID
Action Owner
Next Due*
Inspector*
Signature*
Warehouse Manager*
Second Signature*
SAF-131 · record IDs look like INSP-2026-000 · Links Storage location register, Work orders
Open in KnowellaRun it with agents
From a document you fill in to a programme that runs itself
The inspection classifies damage. What fails is the amber list that aged past four weeks and the recurrence nobody mapped.
Records the date damage was first noted and escalates amber to red automatically at four weeks, rather than carrying it as a status.
Turns classified damage into work orders with the timescale attached, and prevents reloading of offloaded locations until rectified.
Maps damage by location across inspections, so recurrence surfaces as a layout finding rather than as repeated repairs.
Links impacts to traffic flow and slot usage, and keeps load notices aligned with the current beam configuration.
This template lives in KnowSafe — safety and compliance. Incidents, hazards, permits, inspections and the critical controls behind them.
Meet KnowSafe→Glossary
Racking Inspection definitions and key terms
- SEMA
- Storage Equipment Manufacturers' Association, publisher of the UK racking codes of practice and the risk classification system.
- SARI
- SEMA Approved Rack Inspector, a qualified external inspector for expert inspections.
- PRRS
- Person Responsible for Rack Safety, the trained internal role conducting routine inspections and receiving damage reports.
- Red risk
- Damage well beyond allowable limits requiring immediate offloading and isolation of the affected locations.
- Amber risk
- Damage exceeding allowable limits requiring offloading as soon as practicable, escalating to red if unrectified after four weeks.
- Green risk
- Damage within allowable limits, recorded and monitored at subsequent inspections and useful for identifying patterns.
- Offloading
- Removal of everything supported by the affected component, including levels above and adjacent bays where the damage warrants.
- EN 15635
- The European standard covering application and maintenance of static steel storage equipment, including damage assessment.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about racking inspection
What does amber actually require?+
Offloading the affected location as soon as practicable, not reloading until the damage is rectified, and rectification within four weeks. Where four weeks pass without remedial work, the SEMA code says the damage should be treated as red risk requiring immediate offloading. Amber is an obligation with a deadline rather than a monitoring category.
How often should racking be inspected?+
Expert inspection by a competent inspector at least annually, and more frequently for high-volume or high-risk operations, supported by regular internal inspections by a trained person responsible for rack safety, and an immediate check after any impact. PUWER requires inspection at suitable intervals and after exceptional circumstances, which an impact is.
What does offloading involve?+
Removing everything supported by the affected component. For a damaged beam that is the load on that beam. For a damaged frame member it includes loads on levels above and, depending on the construction and the nature of the damage, adjacent bays. Where there is any doubt, clearing adjacent bays and seeking expert advice is the appropriate response.
Why do green findings matter?+
Because they show patterns. Damage within allowable limits is recorded and monitored rather than acted on individually, and its distribution across a warehouse points at aisle widths, turning circles, lighting or traffic flow. Green findings clustering in one area are the earliest available indication of a layout problem that will eventually produce amber and red ones.
What is most often missed?+
Load notices after reconfiguration. Moving beam levels changes the permitted load per level and per bay, and the notice on the end frame frequently still describes the original configuration. Alongside that, missing beam locks are routinely treated as cosmetic when a dislodged beam is a collapse mechanism.
Keep going
Related templates and programmes
Industries this is written for
Programmes this belongs to
Used together in Warehouse and Dock Safety
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Mobile Plant Defect Report
Reports a defect found on any mobile equipment at any time, not only at pre-use check
Reversing and Manoeuvring Assessment
Assesses reversing at each regular location, and whether it can be designed out
Racking Damage Report
Reports damage found on racking at any time, not only during inspection
More in Warehouse Safety
Racking Damage Report
Reports damage found on racking at any time, not only during inspection
Loading Dock Safety Check
Checks dock levellers, edge protection, lighting, restraints and pedestrian separation before and during loading
Trailer Restraint and Chock Record
Records that a trailer is restrained and its keys controlled before anyone enters it
Mezzanine and Edge Protection Check
Checks handrails, toe boards, pallet gates and floor openings on raised storage areas
Pallet and Load Condition Check
Checks pallets and made up loads for damage, overhang, stability and wrap quality before they are stored or shipped
Order Picking Risk Assessment
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Written and reviewed by
Siddarth Singh
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Knowella
Certified Safety Professional and industrial and systems engineer with more than a decade inside food supply chain, freight and manufacturing operations. This page was written against the current text of the standards it cites, not against secondary summaries of them.
- Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Board of Certified Safety Professionals
- MBA, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
- MS and BS, The Ohio State University, Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Six Sigma Black Belt
Sources and last review. Reviewed 16 August 2026 against:
- SEMA codes of practice, including the red, amber and green risk classification and escalation rule
- EN 15635, steel static storage systems, application and maintenance of storage equipment
- HSE HSG76, warehousing and storage: a guide to health and safety (GB)
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, regulations 4, 5 and 6 (GB)
- 29 CFR 1910.176, handling materials, general, OSHA
This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your jurisdiction’s regulator.