A pallet racking inspection is how you find out whether your racking is still safe to load. Forklift knocks, overloaded beams and small layout changes build up over time, and much of the damage is easy to walk past until a beam drops or an upright gives way. In NSW, keeping racking safe is a work health and safety duty, and a documented inspection is the main way businesses show they are meeting it.
This guide covers how often racking should be inspected, who can do it, what a formal inspection looks at, and what to do after a forklift strike. It focuses on standard adjustable pallet racking. If you are still choosing a system, start with our guide to choosing a pallet racking system for your Sydney warehouse.
The short version
- A competent person should carry out a formal inspection at least every 12 months
- Staff should report damage the day it happens and do routine visual checks in between
- Inspect again after any impact, and get layout changes approved before loading a modified bay
- Keep the inspection report, repair records and load signs current
How often should pallet racking be inspected in NSW?
SafeWork NSW says formal pallet racking inspections must be carried out by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months. Between those inspections, staff should report damage straight away, and any bay that has been hit, modified or loaded differently should be checked again before it goes back into normal use.
Twelve months is the maximum gap, not a target. Sites with heavy forklift traffic, narrow aisles or frequent layout changes usually need closer attention between formal inspections. The table below shows how the different checks fit together.
| Check | Who does it | When |
|---|---|---|
| Routine visual check | Trained warehouse staff | Regularly, as often as your forklift traffic and risk justify |
| Damage report and assessment | Supervisor first, then a competent person if needed | The same day damage is spotted |
| Formal inspection | Competent person | At least every 12 months |
| Change check | Competent person, with supplier or manufacturer approval | Before loading after a reconfiguration, new pallet type or heavier loads |
Is a pallet racking inspection a legal requirement in NSW?
NSW work health and safety law requires the business running a workplace to keep plant and structures, including racking, free of risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable. AS 4084 is the benchmark SafeWork NSW points to, so a documented annual inspection is how most businesses show they have met that duty.
Racking in Australia is covered by AS 4084, which was reissued in 2023 in two parts. Part 1 deals with design. AS 4084.2:2023 covers operation and maintenance, including inspection and damage assessment. The standard is not legislation in itself, but regulators treat it as the accepted benchmark, so an inspection history that follows it gives you a documented answer if an auditor, an insurer or a SafeWork NSW inspector asks how you manage your racking.
The SafeWork NSW fact sheet is worth keeping on file. It also covers rated capacities, modifications, pallet selection, collision protection and reporting damage.
Who can carry out a pallet racking inspection?
Formal inspections must be done by a competent person, meaning someone with the training, qualifications or experience to assess racking against AS 4084. That is normally a racking specialist or engineer rather than a warehouse worker. Your own staff still have a part to play through routine checks and damage reporting.
WorkSafe Victoria’s pallet racking guidance describes a competent person as someone who has gained the knowledge and skills for the task through training, qualification or experience. When you compare inspectors, look for:
- Experience with your racking type. Standard pallet racking, drive-in, double-deep and shelving systems all have different weak points.
- A written report. Each defect should be rated by location and severity, with clear next steps.
- Access to approved parts. Replacements should come from the racking manufacturer, or with an engineering report confirming that an alternative is compatible.
- Tagging and records. You should be able to hand an auditor a register that matches what is tagged on the racking.
- Local support. A Sydney-based team can assess and repair a damaged bay promptly.
Cantilever systems are a special case. The SafeWork NSW fact sheet is written for standard pallet racking and notes that other types can need extra safety measures. Cantilever design has its own considerations, which we cover in our cantilever racking guide.
What does a formal pallet racking inspection cover?
A formal inspection covers beams and connectors, uprights and footplates, bracing, floor fixings, plumb and load signs, plus the protection fitted around the racking. The inspector records each defect by location and severity, so you know what must be fixed now and what can be monitored.
| Component | What the inspector checks | Warning signs |
|---|---|---|
| Beams and connectors | Deflection, weld condition, connector alignment, safety clips and locking pins | Sagging beams, connectors forming a V shape, missing clips, a beam sitting on only one connector |
| Uprights and footplates | Dents, twisting, cracks, splits and the condition and position of splices | Any upright that is twisted, cracked or visibly bent |
| Bracing | Straightness of horizontal and diagonal braces | Braces bent out of line. SafeWork NSW’s benchmark is no more than 10 mm of deviation over a 1 metre straight edge |
| Floor fixings | Anchor bolts present, tight and undamaged, with at least two anchors per footplate | Loose, missing or damaged anchors |
| Plumb | Whether the frames are vertical | Racking leaning after an impact, overloading or settling of the floor slab |
| Load signs | Rated capacity signs are legible and match the current layout | Faded or missing signs, or signs that no longer match a reconfigured bay |
| Protection | Upright protectors, end-of-rack protectors, and rear protection where people can reach the back of single rows | Protectors missing or damaged |
Load signs catch a lot of businesses out. Safe working loads depend on the configuration, so changing beam heights or adding a level changes the rating, and the sign has to change with it. Get any layout change approved by the supplier, manufacturer or a competent person before you load the bay.
Pallet racking inspection checklist for your own staff
Staff checks should be quick, visual and regular. Look for bent uprights, sagging beams, missing clips, loose anchors and unreadable load signs. They do not replace a formal inspection. Anything that looks wrong goes to a supervisor the same day and gets tagged, so the location and severity are recorded.
- Uprights at the base. Look for dents, twisting and scuffs, especially on end-of-aisle frames.
- Beams. Check for sagging, or beam ends that no longer sit level with the connectors.
- Safety clips and locking pins. Confirm one is fitted at every beam end.
- Footplates and anchors. Bolts should be tight, with no gaps or damage.
- Load signs. They should be visible, legible and match what is stored on the bay.
- Pallets. They should sit squarely on the beams, in good condition, not overhanging, and be the type the racking was designed for.
- Protection. Upright and end-of-rack protectors should be in place and undamaged.
For anything serious, such as a beam that has popped out of its upright or a visibly bent upright, stop using the bay and keep people and forklifts away until a competent person has assessed it.
What should you do if a forklift hits the racking?
Report the impact straight away, keep people and forklifts clear of the bay, and have the damage assessed before loading resumes. Minor scuffs may only need checking, while a bent upright or dislodged beam needs a competent person. If a collapse exposes anyone to serious risk, SafeWork NSW must be told immediately on 13 10 50.
Record the damage on the spot. SafeWork NSW suggests coloured stick-on tags that show the location and level of damage, which also gives the inspector a clear starting point. Repairs should use parts from the racking manufacturer, or come with an engineering report confirming that alternatives are compatible. Never weld on extra cleats or bend an upright back into shape without a competent person’s approval.
Prevention costs less than repair. Upright protectors and end-of-rack protectors on the lower part of frames that forklifts can reach are the standard safeguard, and a clear traffic and pedestrian plan reduces strikes in the first place.
What happens after a pallet racking inspection?
You should receive a written report that lists each defect by location and severity, with recommended actions. Damaged components are repaired or replaced with approved parts, tags are updated, and the report goes on file ready for the next inspection.
Many inspectors rate findings red, amber or green, so urgent items stand out from those that can be scheduled. Keep the report, repair records, load documentation and any engineering advice together. It is the record an auditor, insurer or SafeWork NSW inspector is most likely to ask for, and it gives the next inspector something to compare against.
Pallet racking inspection FAQs
Does pallet racking need to be certified?
SafeWork NSW’s fact sheet does not describe a single racking certificate. It expects racking to be designed and installed for the loads it carries, marked with its rated capacities, and formally inspected by a competent person at least every 12 months. A written inspection report is the record to keep on hand if an auditor, insurer or SafeWork NSW inspector asks.
How much does a pallet racking inspection cost?
It depends on the number of bays, the height and type of racking, site access and whether repairs are quoted at the same visit. Ask for a written quote that states what the report includes and whether follow-up repairs are priced separately.
Can we inspect our own racking?
Your staff should carry out routine visual checks and report damage the same day. The formal annual inspection needs a competent person, which in practice means a trained racking inspector or engineer rather than a supervisor without that training.
Does used pallet racking need to be inspected?
Yes. Used racking follows the same 12-month cycle once it is installed, and each component should be assessed for damage before it goes in. Mismatched brands and parts are a common problem, so used stock should be matched to a consistent system. You can see the options on our used pallet racking page.
Who is responsible for racking inspections, the business or the supplier?
The business that runs the workplace carries the ongoing duty for its racking. A supplier or installer can carry out inspections for you, but making sure they happen and that damage is fixed stays with the business.
Summary: keeping your racking inspection ready
A pallet racking inspection is not a one-off compliance task. It is a routine of regular staff checks, prompt damage reporting and a formal inspection by a competent person at least every 12 months, backed by records you can produce on request. Keep load signs current, get layout changes approved before loading, and protect the frames where forklifts can reach them.
At DRS Racking Solutions we supply and install new and used pallet racking in Sydney, and we provide rack safety and inspection, repairs and relocation. If you are not sure when your racking was last inspected, request a quote and we will go through the system with you.
