PUWER 1998 · Work equipment

Storage racking inspection under PUWER

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

Pallet racking holds tonnes overhead in a busy aisle, and a forklift knock to an upright is the start of most collapses. PUWER makes racking work equipment, and the recognised answer is an expert inspection each year backed by your own regular checks.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Expert and visualAn annual expert inspection plus your regular checks
Damage ratedFindings risk-rated red, amber or green
A written recordA dated inspection record, not a certificate
Load noticesCapacity plaques are a legal duty to display
Work equipment we inspect

Why your storage racking needs PUWER inspection

Storage racking is work equipment, and because its safety depends on how it is installed and used, PUWER expects it to be inspected after installation and at sensible intervals thereafter. HSE guidance HSG76 and the standard BS EN 15635 set the pattern: regular visual checks by your nominated Person Responsible for Racking Safety, and an expert inspection by a competent person at intervals of no more than twelve months.

The annual expert inspection is the one the HSE will ask to see. A competent inspector, in practice at SEMA approved level, works through the uprights, beams and bracing, the baseplates and floor fixings, the beam connectors and their safety locks, and the load notices, and rates every fault red, amber or green so you know what to unload now and what to monitor. Forklift impact to uprights and beams accounts for most of the damage found.

Uprights and frames
Beams and connectors
Beam safety locks
Bracing and ties
Baseplates and fixings
Load notices
Upright plumb
Pallet and load condition
How it works

How we inspect your storage racking

A competent inspector walks the bays the way damage builds up: the uprights and their bases where forklifts strike, the beams and the safety locks that keep them seated, the bracing and floor fixings, and the load notices that set the safe limits. Every fault is measured against the SEMA tolerances and rated red, amber or green, with the action each rating calls for.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us the racking you run, its type and layout and how busy the aisles are.

  • 2

    On-site inspection

    A competent inspector works through every bay, uprights, beams, locks, bracing and load notices, and rates each fault red, amber or green.

  • 3

    Your record

    You receive a clear, dated report with the risk-rated findings, the action each calls for and the next date to plan around.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we inspect the racking, we do not sell or install it
  • Inspection at SEMA approved level, to HSG76 and BS EN 15635
  • Every fault measured to tolerance and rated red, amber or green
  • Clear records issued promptly, with the next due date flagged
What we check

Storage racking: what a thorough inspection covers

Uprights and frame damage

The upright sections at floor level where forklifts strike, measured against the SEMA limit, because a bent upright loses much of its load capacity.

Beam connectors and safety locks

The connectors that hook beams to the uprights and the safety clips that stop a beam lifting out when a forklift catches it, often missing or sprung.

Baseplates and floor fixings

The baseplates and anchors that tie the frame to the floor, checked for strain and missing bolts, since an unanchored upright topples easily under a knock.

Bracing, ties and plumb

The diagonal and horizontal bracing and the verticality of the frame, so the bay stands square and is not leaning out of plumb.

Load notices

The capacity plaques that state the safe load per beam and bay, a legal duty to display, checked as present, correct and matched to how the bay is loaded.

Red, amber and green rating

Every fault classified: green to monitor and record, amber to offload and repair soon, red to unload and isolate at once before the racking is used again.

Intervals and your record

How often, and what you receive

PUWER requires racking to be inspected after installation, where its safety depends on how it was fitted, and at suitable intervals thereafter. HSE guidance HSG76 and BS EN 15635 translate that into a clear pattern: regular visual checks by your Person Responsible for Racking Safety, logged in writing, and an expert inspection by a competent person at intervals of no more than twelve months. The annual expert inspection, with its red, amber and green risk rating, is the one an HSE inspector will expect to see.

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.

The price follows your equipment, not a rate card: see what drives a PUWER inspection quote.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full PUWER inspection service

Storage racking 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

Storage racking inspection: common questions

Does storage racking need a PUWER inspection?
Yes. Racking is work equipment, and because its safety depends on how it is installed it must be inspected after installation and at suitable intervals. HSE guidance HSG76 and BS EN 15635 set out an annual expert inspection plus regular visual checks. The general duty is 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, risk-rated report you can hand to an HSE inspector or your insurer, and our guide to PUWER explains the difference.
How often should racking be inspected?
HSG76 and BS EN 15635 call for an expert inspection by a competent person at intervals of no more than twelve months, supported by regular visual checks, usually weekly, by your nominated Person Responsible for Racking Safety. The annual expert inspection is the one the HSE expects to see.
What is the red, amber and green system?
It is the SEMA risk classification used to prioritise repairs. Green is minor damage to monitor and record, amber is damage to offload and repair soon, and red is serious damage that means unloading and isolating the bay at once. An amber fault left unactioned for a month escalates to red.
What does the inspection cover?
The uprights and frames, the beams, connectors and safety locks, the bracing and ties, the baseplates and floor fixings, the load notices and the verticality of the bays, with the pallets and loads. Every fault is measured to tolerance and rated red, amber or green.
Who is competent to inspect racking?
A competent person, in practice an inspector at SEMA approved level, who can identify and categorise racking damage against the standard. Our inspections are carried out to HSG76 and BS EN 15635, with risk-rated findings.
Do you also brief our racking safety person?
Yes. We are happy to set out what your Person Responsible for Racking Safety should look for on the regular visual checks between expert inspections, so the day-to-day defence on the warehouse floor is as strong as the annual report.
Do you inspect racking across the UK?
Yes. Our inspectors travel to warehouses and distribution centres nationwide, a single bay or a full warehouse. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit around your operation.

Is your storage racking 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