PUWER 1998 · Work equipment

Stillage inspection under PUWER

Independent inspection of your stillage as work equipment, against the PUWER duties, by a competent engineer surveyor.

A stillage is a steel pallet with sides or posts, built to stack, and a stack is only as safe as its corner posts. A bent post or a failed stacking foot can let a loaded column topple, which is why PUWER treats the humble stillage as work equipment.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Risk basedInterval set by how the stillages are used, not a fixed date
Load ratedChecked against the capacity marked on the unit
A written recordA dated inspection record, not a certificate
Stacked safelyCorner posts and feet that must locate when stacked
Work equipment we inspect

Why your stillage needs PUWER inspection

A stillage is a steel pallet or skid fitted with a cage, sides or corner posts, tailored to what it carries and built to stack. Post-pallet stillages carry the load on vertical corner posts so units can stack without crushing the goods below, cage stillages add mesh sides and fold-down gates, and mesh stillages are open on every side. Powder coating or galvanising keeps the corrosion off.

Under PUWER it is work equipment, so it must be suitable, in good condition and inspected at sensible intervals. The risk that matters most is the stack: the corner posts and stacking feet have to locate securely, one unit onto the next, because a distorted post or a failed foot can bring a stacked column down. We work through the frame, posts and feet, the sides and gates, the base and the load rating.

Frame and welds
Corner posts
Stacking feet
Mesh and sides
Drop-fronts and gates
Base and fork entry
Load-rating label
Corrosion and distortion
How it works

How we inspect your stillage

A competent engineer surveyor works through a stillage as a stack, not a single unit: the frame and welds that hold its shape, the corner posts and stacking feet that have to seat when units are placed on top, the mesh, sides and gates, and the base and fork-entry points. The load-rating label is checked against the way the stillage is actually loaded.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us the stillages you run, what they carry and how high they are stacked.

  • 2

    On-site inspection

    A competent engineer surveyor inspects the frame, posts, feet, sides and load rating, in the way they are used and stacked.

  • 3

    Your record

    You receive a clear, dated inspection record, anything that needs attention flagged and the next date to plan around.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we inspect the stillages, we do not sell or hire them
  • Competent engineer surveyors used to steel handling and storage equipment
  • Inspection of the stillage as a stack, not a generic checklist
  • Clear records issued promptly, with the next due date flagged
What we check

Stillage: what a thorough inspection covers

Corner posts

The vertical posts that carry a stacked load, examined for bending and distortion, because a leaning post throws the weight off line and can fold under the unit above.

Stacking feet and location

The feet that locate into the posts of the unit below, checked so they seat securely, since a foot that does not engage lets a stacked column shift and topple.

Frame and welds

The base and frame welds that hold the stillage square, examined for cracks and fatigue where units are dropped, dragged and knocked.

Mesh, sides and gates

The mesh, removable sides and fold-down gates, checked for damage, secure latching and missing infill that lets contents spill.

Load rating and overload

The capacity label against the load carried, with the signs of overload, bowed bases and splayed posts, that say a stillage is being asked to do too much.

Corrosion and base

The base, fork-entry points and any corrosion under coating or galvanising, particularly on stillages stored or used outdoors.

Intervals and your record

How often, and what you receive

PUWER sets no fixed interval for a stillage. Under Regulation 6 the frequency follows the risk: at suitable intervals because stillages are dropped, dragged, stacked and exposed to weather, and again after any event that could have affected one, such as a heavy knock or an overload. Most operators settle on a regular cycle, often annual, with more frequent visual checks where stillages are stacked high or used hard. A stillage that fails should be withdrawn until repaired or scrapped.

No fixed intervalFrequency set by risk and how the equipment is used
After assemblyRe-inspected where safe use depends on correct assembly or relocation
A written recordA dated inspection record, not a statutory certificate
Where it liftsAny powered lifting function is examined under LOLER

Anyone selling a PUWER certificate is using a marketing word, not a legal one. We issue a clear, dated inspection record you can hand to an HSE inspector or your insurer.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full PUWER inspection service

Stillage is one of the many kinds of equipment we cover. We inspect the full range, across every sector, as an independent provider, one item or a whole site, anywhere in the UK.

See our full PUWER inspection service
Other services

Other statutory inspections we carry out

Many sites run more than one regime. We can examine all of it, under one independent provider.

LOLER inspectionThorough examination and certification of lifting equipment and accessories. PSSR examinationWritten Schemes and certified examination of pressure systems. LEV testingLEV thorough examination and test of your extraction systems.
PUWER FAQs

Stillage inspection: common questions

Does a stillage need a PUWER inspection?
Yes. A stillage is work equipment, so PUWER applies: it must be suitable, kept in good condition and inspected where it is exposed to conditions that cause deterioration. Steel units that are stacked, dropped and worked hard sit squarely in that category. The duty is set out in the HSE guidance on PUWER.
Is it a PUWER certificate or a record?
A record. PUWER produces a written inspection record, not a statutory certificate, kept at least until the next inspection. There is no such thing as a PUWER certificate. We issue a clear, dated record you can hand to an HSE inspector or your insurer, and our guide to PUWER explains the difference.
How often should stillages be inspected?
There is no fixed interval. The frequency follows the risk and how the stillages are used: heavy handling, high stacking and outdoor use pull the date in, while light use lets it out. Most operators settle on a regular cycle, often annual, with more frequent visual checks on hard-worked units.
What is the main hazard with stillages?
A collapsing stack. Stillages are designed to stack, and the corner posts and stacking feet have to locate securely one onto the next. A bent post or a foot that does not seat can let a loaded column lean and topple, so those parts are at the centre of our inspection.
What does the inspection cover?
The frame and welds, the corner posts and stacking feet, the mesh, sides and gates, the base and fork-entry points, the load-rating label and the signs of overload and corrosion. We assess the stillage in the way it is loaded and stacked.
Who is competent to inspect stillages?
PUWER requires a competent person, someone with the knowledge and experience to know what to look at, what to look for and what to do about anything found. Our engineer surveyors inspect steel handling and storage equipment regularly.
Do you inspect cage and post-pallet stillages?
Yes, all common types. We inspect post-pallet stillages, mesh and cage stillages and their fold-down gates, checking the parts each type relies on, the posts and feet on a post-pallet, the mesh and latches on a cage, against the load it carries.
Do you inspect stillages across the UK?
Yes. Our engineer surveyors travel to warehouses, factories and yards nationwide, a sample or a full fleet of stillages. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit around your operation.

Is your stillage due a PUWER inspection?

Talk to an engineer surveyor, get a quote and book your inspection anywhere in the UK.

0330 043 8191 Request a quote