In brief
Under Annex III of the Regulation on Work Equipment, industrial racking is inspected at least once a year against the TS EN 15635 criteria by a competent person registered in EKİPNET. The annual inspection alone is not enough: every racking run needs a load sign, daily observation of forklift impacts, upright protectors and a written decision rule saying when a damaged bay must be unloaded.
Industrial racking safety: racking is work equipment
Pallet racking is often seen as a fixed part of the building; in legal terms, however, it is work equipment. Annex III of the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements for the Use of Work Equipment, renewed on 23 December 2025, lists industrial racking and doors as a separate group and names the TS EN 15635 standard as the periodic inspection criterion. Industrial racking safety is therefore built in three layers: a sign showing what the racking can carry, observation during use and an expert inspection at least once a year.
Most damage to racking is caused by forklifts and stackers hitting uprights (columns) or beams. A dent in a single upright reduces the capacity of all the beam levels that upright carries; a bay that collapses under load can pull neighbouring bays down with it. Every warehouse with shift-based forklift traffic carries this risk, from automotive supplier warehouses in Bursa and the surrounding provinces to logistics facilities around the port and free zone in Gemlik.
Racking load sign: what should it say?
A racking load sign stops the operator from guessing. TS EN 15635 requires load information showing the limits of use of the racking system to be displayed visibly. Place the sign at the start of each racking run, at a height the forklift operator can easily read.
| Information the sign should contain | Why does it matter? |
|---|---|
| Maximum load per beam level (kg) | The limit on the total load that can be placed on one beam level |
| Maximum load per bay (between two uprights) (kg) | Shows the total the uprights can carry; the sum of the level loads cannot exceed it |
| Number of beam levels and their spacing | If the beam position changes, the capacity changes too |
| Assumed pallet and load type | Shows which pallet size and load distribution the sign applies to |
| Manufacturer or supplier and installation date | Provides traceability for spare parts and capacity confirmation |
The moment a sign most often becomes invalid is when beam levels are moved to “fit in one more level”. When beam spacing changes, the buckling length of the upright also changes and the bay capacity may fall. Do not make such a change without written confirmation from the manufacturer or supplier; if it has been made, update the sign as well.
Who sees the damage, and when?
Annex III requires work equipment to be visually inspected for cracks, loose connections and deformation before each start of work, and for this to be recorded. Equipment showing cracks or excessive damage is taken out of use. For racking, this work is divided into three levels:
- Immediate reporting: Every operator who hits the racking or notices damage reports it to the shift supervisor at once. The aim is not to find someone to blame but to close the damaged bay before it receives a new load. A system that punishes those who report impacts leads to damage being hidden.
- Weekly observation: The warehouse manager walks the aisles with a checklist: dents or bends in uprights, beam locking pins, anchor bolts, sagging beams, overhanging or damaged pallets.
- Annual expert inspection: The periodic inspection carried out by a competent person under Annex III.
Appoint a person responsible for the safety of warehouse equipment. In a small warehouse, this can be the warehouse supervisor; what matters is that damage reports are collected by one person and that this person makes the decision to close a bay. Increase the frequency of observation in high-traffic aisles and add the racking area to the forklift operator’s daily check.
Upright protection and aisle layout
Upright protection is the most economical way to prevent damage before it happens. In practice, the following arrangements are used together:
- Upright protectors: Steel or polymer protectors fitted in front of the upright that absorb an impact without transmitting it to the upright. The first uprights at aisle entrances and turning points take priority.
- End-of-aisle barriers: Barriers fixed to the floor that separate the end of a racking run from the forklift’s turning path.
- Floor anchoring: Fixing the upright base plates to the floor as specified by the manufacturer. Missing or loose anchors are a frequent finding at the annual inspection.
- Beam locking pins: Prevent the beam from coming out of its slot when the forklift lifts a pallet. A missing pin is not a minor gap.
- Traffic and visibility: Adequate aisle width, a speed limit and mirrors at blind spots. We explained the details in our article on forklift and pedestrian traffic plans in warehouses.
A protector does not replace the upright: if the protector has taken an impact, check the upright behind it as well.
Annual periodic inspection: what does Annex III require?
According to Table 5 of Annex III, the periodic inspection of industrial racking is carried out at least once a year, unless the standards set a shorter period, against the criteria in TS EN 15635. Those authorised to carry out the inspection are mechanical, mechatronics, metallurgical and materials, manufacturing and civil engineers, technical teachers who graduated from construction, mechanical and metal education departments, and civil or mechanical technicians and senior technicians. Non-destructive testing methods may be used in the inspection; their reports are kept as an annex to the periodic inspection report.
The person carrying out the inspection must be registered in EKİPNET (the Ministry’s register of persons authorised for periodic inspections), and the contract must be set up through ISG-KATİP (the Ministry’s online OHS registration system) at least 1 day before the inspection. The contract steps are in our article on ISG-KATİP contract approval, and the full Annex III table is in our article on periodic inspection intervals for work equipment.
Before the inspection, prepare these documents: the racking layout plan, the manufacturer’s capacity information or assembly instructions, the previous year’s report and the records of closed findings, and the damage reports from the past year. These documents speed up the inspection and allow the inspector to assess capacity correctly.
A good racking inspection report includes the location of the racking runs, the number of bays and levels, the location and severity of each item of damage, missing signs and pins, and a clear “usable” or “not usable” conclusion. A section with major defects is not used until the defect is rectified.
Damaged racking: how is the decision to unload made?
The most dangerous attitude to damaged racking is to say “it will hold for a while longer”. TS EN 15635 assesses damage using measurable deformation limits; sector guides based on the standard classify damage into three risk levels and attach an action to each level. Turn this classification into a written instruction for your warehouse:
| Level | Situation | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Damage within acceptable limits | Recorded and reassessed at the next inspection |
| Amber | Hazardous damage; does not require immediate unloading but must be repaired | The bay is unloaded as soon as possible and not reloaded until repaired; if not repaired within the 4 weeks commonly specified in guides, it is escalated to red |
| Red | Very serious damage | The bay is unloaded immediately, the area is cordoned off and not used until the repair is complete |
When making the decision, do not change these rules:
- Damage is measured and classified by a competent person; the operator reports it.
- While a seriously damaged bay is being unloaded, nobody works beneath it or in the adjacent aisle.
- A bent upright or beam is not straightened in place or repaired by welding; it is replaced with the manufacturer’s original part.
- After the repair, the bay is checked before being reloaded and the record is closed.
Short checklist for the warehouse
- Does every racking run have a legible load sign consistent with the beam levels?
- Is the last annual inspection report less than 12 months old; have the amber and red findings in the report been closed?
- Are the upright protectors and end-of-aisle barriers in place; have those that took impacts been replaced?
- Are all beam locking pins and anchor bolts present?
- Are damage reports collected by a single responsible person?
- If the pallet type or load on the racking has changed, has the capacity been reconfirmed?
By entering racking inspection dates in the OHS renewal calendar, you can combine them with forklift and industrial door inspections in the same visit. For inspection planning, see our periodic inspection service, and for reflecting racking damage in the risk assessment and site inspections, see our OHS specialist service. Other warehouse-specific risks are on our logistics and warehousing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is the periodic inspection of industrial racking carried out?
At least once a year, unless the relevant standard sets a shorter period. The inspection is carried out against the TS EN 15635 criteria, by a competent person registered in EKİPNET and under an ISG-KATİP contract. If there is heavy forklift traffic or frequent damage, increase interim inspections based on the risk assessment.
Can our own warehouse staff carry out the racking inspection?
Trained warehouse staff can and should carry out daily and weekly observation. The annual periodic inspection under Annex III, however, is carried out and reported only by a competent person from the professional groups listed in the regulation who is registered in EKİPNET.
Can racking be used without a load sign?
TS EN 15635 requires load information showing the limits of use to be visible on the racking, and the annual inspection is carried out against this standard. Racking without a sign is recorded as a deficiency in the inspection report; more importantly, the operator cannot know the capacity of the bay.
Can we straighten a slightly bent upright?
No. A damaged upright or beam is not straightened in place or reinforced by welding. The damage is classified by a competent person, the bay is unloaded if necessary, and the part is replaced with the manufacturer’s original part.
Equipment inventory and an inspection calendar under the new Annex III, with inspections carried out through our solution partners, plus report and defect follow-up.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.