Pallet Racking: Loose Parts and Components

In Ireland, pallet racking in a forklift-served warehouse is work equipment under Part 2, Chapter 2 of the General Application Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299/2007), implementing the EU Work Equipment Directive (now Directive 2009/104/EC). installed and located correctly (Reg. 28); stabilised by clamping or some other means where necessary for safety (Reg. 33), in practice erected as per the manufacturer’s instructions with the uprights anchored to the floor; maintained throughout its working life (Reg. 31); and inspected by a competent person after installation and re-assembly, then periodically and by special inspection after an accident, a modification or any other exceptional event, with records kept for 5 years (Reg. 30). Traffic routes must be dimensioned for the number of users and the type of undertaking, pedestrians given sufficient safety clearance where trucks share them, and areas where objects could fall clearly indicated and access controlled (Reg. 14). Health and Safety Authority guidance asks for the maximum safe load prominently marked on all racks, racking checked regularly for damage and uprights protected from impact; its Code of Practice on the Safe Use of Industrial Trucks adds that features of the operating area such as racking should be clearly marked and protected against accidental damage. EN 15635, the European standard on the use and maintenance of storage equipment, is a technical reference for organising those checks, not a legal obligation.