Metal Shelving on Wheels

In Ireland, a shelving unit fitted in the garage, attic or utility room of a private home is not governed by workplace safety law: the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the General Application Regulations 2007 bind employers, not householders. What does apply is general product safety. Regulation (EU) 2023/988 (GPSR), applicable since 13 December 2024, requires that only safe products be placed on the market (art. 5) and that a distance-selling offer clearly shows the manufacturer's name, postal and electronic address and any safety warnings (art. 19); in Ireland it is enforced by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission under S.I. No. 726/2024, which also requires that this information, and the safety information supplied with the product, be in English (Reg. 5).. The Consumer Rights Act 2022 adds that goods must come with the installation instructions a consumer may reasonably expect (s. 18) and that an incorrect installation due to shortcomings in those instructions is a lack of conformity (s. 19). Our advice: lock the castor brakes while loading and unloading and whenever the unit is in place, move it only across smooth, level floors, never exceed the stated maximum load per shelf and keep heavy items at the bottom.

In Ireland, shelving in a workshop, shop or stockroom with employees is work equipment: the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299/2007) define that as any installation for use at work (Reg. 2) and set the employer’s duties in Part 2, Chapter 2, giving effect to the EU Work Equipment Directive, now codified as Directive 2009/104/EC: installed and located correctly and suitable for the work (Reg. 28); stabilised by clamping or some other means where necessary for safety (Reg. 33), for a tall unit fixed to the wall; kept safe by adequate maintenance throughout its working life (Reg. 31); and erected or dismantled following the manufacturer’s instructions (Reg. 28(o)). Because a bolted unit’s safety depends on how it is installed, Reg. 30 requires an initial inspection after installation and after re-assembly at any new location, plus periodic inspections by a competent person where it is exposed to conditions causing deterioration, with results kept for 5 years. The Health and Safety Authority’s Work at Height / Falling Objects information sheet asks for the maximum safe load prominently marked on all racks, no overloading, and racking checked regularly for damage and not used until repaired or replaced. EN 15635, the European standard on use and maintenance, is a reference, not a legal obligation.