Pallet racking inspections — EN 15635, damage classification and documentation

Short answer: every racking system should display a visible load notice with the permissible unit load (per pallet or item), the permissible load per beam level, the total bay load, and the manufacturer and system type. Loading racking beyond the notice values is a formal breach even if the structure looks sound.

A missing notice or illegible values is a frequent finding during inspections. If the racking has been reconfigured (beam levels changed, beams replaced), the notice values may no longer match the structure — verification by the supplier or an assessor is then needed. It is worth storing a photo of each bay's notice together with the installation documentation.

Short answer: EN 15635 divides damage into three risk levels. Green — damage within tolerance; the rack only needs marking and monitoring at subsequent checks. Amber — damage exceeding tolerance: offload as soon as practical, do not reload, and arrange repair or expert assessment. Red — serious damage: offload the bay immediately and take it out of service until repaired.

It is crucial that people reporting damage do not have to judge the colour themselves — a forklift operator reports the impact, and a trained person classifies it using simple measurement criteria (for example upright dent depth measured with a gauge). The boundary criteria come from the standard and the racking manufacturer's documentation.

Short answer: the EN 15635 scheme has two levels. Visual inspections — weekly (or more often with heavy traffic), performed by a trained person from the site, with results recorded. Technical expert assessment — at least every 12 months, performed by an independent expert, ending with a report classifying the damage.

On top of that, damage must be reported continuously — forklift operators should have a simple way to report every impact without fear of consequences. A hidden impact surfacing at the annual assessment is the worst scenario. Extra inspections are also worth planning after layout changes, new bay installation or floor repairs.

In the Registers and inspections module each racking bay has a card with its location, load notice (with photo) and inspection schedule. Weekly visual checks are ticked off on a phone checklist, and the annual expert assessment lands in the register together with the report and damage classification.

Every amber or red finding can immediately become a report in the Hazard reports module with an assigned owner and a deadline for offload or repair — the system shows which bays are awaiting action instead of losing notes by the rack. The Inspections and walkthroughs module links warehouse rounds with verification of reported defects. VIMS organises the register and deadlines — load-bearing assessment is always done by a qualified person.

EN 15635 covers the use and maintenance of steel static storage systems; structural requirements for pallet racking are set out in EN 15512, and installation tolerances in EN 15620. The PRSES (Person Responsible for Storage Equipment Safety) is appointed by the warehouse user to organise inspections, decide on offloading and follow up repairs.

The standard distinguishes immediate/regular checks (daily or weekly observations by operators and supervisors), periodic inspections by the PRSES or a competent person at intervals set by risk assessment, and an expert inspection by a technically competent person at least once every 12 months.

Damage risk levels: green — damage within limits, to be monitored and recorded; amber — damage requiring repair; once offloaded, the location is not reloaded, and repair should follow within about 4 weeks; red — immediate offloading and isolation of the bay. Typical damage includes bent uprights, cracked base plates, missing beam locks and damaged bracing.

The load notice shows the permissible level and bay loads and the supplier details; if it is missing, do not load the location until the supplier or designer confirms capacity. Changing beam heights requires capacity to be reconfirmed. Upright protectors limit forklift impact damage — see forklift inspections and the site safety map.