Pallet racking: key facts
- HSE's guide HSG76 describes adjustable pallet racking as upright frames connected by horizontal beams, with levels that can be adjusted vertically and each pallet position accessed individually.
- Racking should have a clear notice fixed to it stating the maximum load and load configuration. HSG76 says those limits should never be exceeded.
- Beam connector locks should always be fitted, to stop beams being knocked upwards out of the frame, for example by a lift truck.
- Moving the first or second beam from the bottom is normally the most critical change, and HSG76 says it always needs a check on the rack's rated capacity.
- Free-standing racking shouldn't be used where lift trucks or other mechanical handling equipment work. HSG76 links floor fixing to the rack's height-to-depth ratio.
- In the UK, SEMA says racking design quality comes from following either the SEMA design code or EN 15512.
How does adjustable pallet racking work?
Pairs of upright frames stand at intervals along a line. Horizontal beams clip into holes in the uprights to make storage levels, and pallets sit across a pair of beams. Because the beams can be moved up or down the holes, you can change level heights as your stock changes, within the design limits.
HSE's warehousing guide, HSG76, uses a set of standard terms for adjustable pallet racking (its Table 10, reproduced from the industry body SEMA). Knowing them makes quotes, drawings and inspection reports much easier to follow.
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Upright | The vertical steel section, punched with holes at set intervals. |
| Frame | Two or more uprights joined by bracing. Frames carry all the weight down to the floor. |
| Base plate | The plate at the foot of each upright, for floor fixing and spreading the load. |
| Beam | The horizontal member that carries the pallets. It has a connector at each end that hooks into the holes in the uprights. |
| Beam connector lock | A small device that stops a beam being lifted out of the upright by accident. |
| Bay | The space between two frames. |
| Levels | The number of storage levels in the height. |
| Run | A series of bays joined end to end. |
| Aisle / gangway | An aisle gives access to the racking faces. A gangway is for movement only, with no direct access to the faces. |
Pallets sit across the front and back beams of a bay, side by side. The load passes from pallet to beams, beams to uprights, uprights to base plates and base plates to the floor slab. Every link has to be designed for it, including the floor.
HSG76 says racking should be installed and maintained in line with the manufacturer's instructions, with its maximum safe working load and design configuration clearly displayed.
What's the difference between single-sided and double-sided runs?
A single-sided run is one depth of racking, usually reached from one side, often against a wall. A double-sided run is two runs built back to back and served from aisles on both sides. HSG76 says back-to-back runs should be connected and spaced with run spacers.
Most layouts mix the two: single-sided runs along walls, double-sided runs in the middle.
- Run spacers join the two halves of a double-sided run and keep a set gap between them. That gap matters: it stops pallets from one side pushing into the other.
- Wall ties fix racking to a wall for spacing or stability. HSG76 says racking should only be fixed to building members that have been proved, by structural calculations, to resist the forces involved. Don't let anyone bolt racking to the cladding rails or a column because it's handy.
- Aisle width depends on your trucks. HSG76 notes that some trucks turn 90° to put away a pallet, while others stay parallel to the aisle with forks that face sideways. The truck maker's data, not a rule of thumb, sets the width.
- Gangways let people and trucks move between aisles. Plan escape routes from the first sketch.
Why is every pallet individually accessible, and when isn't that the right choice?
In adjustable pallet racking every pallet faces an aisle, so a truck can take any pallet without moving another. That suits stores with many product lines. Dense systems store pallets several deep with fewer aisles, but you can only reach the front pallet of each lane.
That's why it's called selective pallet racking. You give up floor space to aisles and get access to every position, which suits stores with many products or fast-changing stock.
HSG76 describes the main alternatives. In short:
| System (HSG76 Table 9) | How pallets are stored | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Adjustable pallet racking | One pallet deep each side of an aisle | Every pallet individually |
| Drive-in / drive-through | Two or more deep on rails; the truck drives into the lane | Front pallet of each lane. Drive-in: reverse out. Drive-through: may pass through to another aisle |
| Push-back | Block in depth, loaded and picked from the front | First in, last out; one aisle; pallets only |
| Live (flow) storage | Block in depth; loaded at the back, picked at the front | First in, first out; needs two aisles |
| Mobile racking | Racking on base frames that move along rails | Open an aisle where you need it |
Dense systems suit many pallets of the same product. If you're unsure, give the designer your stock profile (product lines, pallets per line, how fast they move) and ask why they chose the system they propose.
What information does a racking designer need from you?
The designer needs your pallet sizes and heaviest weights, how loads sit on the pallet, the trucks you use and how high they lift, the clear height of the building, the sprinkler layout and details of the floor slab. Wrong inputs give a wrong design.
Gather these before you ask for quotes, so every supplier designs to the same brief and you can compare like for like.
- Pallets: every pallet size you use, and the direction the forks enter. Mixed pallet sizes need a design that suits all of them, or separate zones.
- Loaded weights: the heaviest loaded pallet for each product type, not the average. HSG76 says the weight of each palletised load should be established before it goes into the racking, or the racking should be designed for your heaviest load with a system to make sure nothing exceeds it.
- Load height and overhang: total height including the pallet, and whether goods overhang the pallet front, back or sides. Overhang eats into the clearances the design depends on.
- Trucks: the type of each truck (counterbalance, reach and so on), its maximum lift height and its capacity at that height. The truck maker's data sheet is the best source.
- Clear height: the lowest point under the roof, beams, lights, heaters and ducts across the area, not just at the apex.
- Sprinklers: where heads and pipework are. HSG76 says spacing below sprinklers should follow the design code for the sprinkler system, and that information is available from the system installer.
- Floor: what the slab is, its condition, joints and any drawings. HSG76 says racking should stand on sound, level floors able to take the point load at each base plate.
- Building: doors, columns, fire exits and anything fixed the racking must avoid.
If you don't know the slab construction, say so. The designer may need a floor survey before confirming the loads.
What is a racking load notice, and what happens if you exceed it?
A load notice is a sign fixed to the racking stating its maximum safe load and how loads must be placed. HSG76 says the limits on it should never be exceeded. SEMA says a load notice is a safety sign, so it has to meet the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.
HSG76 says racking should have a clear, unambiguous notice securely fixed to it, stating the maximum load together with any specified load configurations.
What SEMA says about load notices
- The notice is a safety sign, so it must follow the safety signs regulations, including rules on shape and colour.
- It should be in colour. SEMA says a SEMA Approved Rack Inspector will categorise a monochrome load notice as an amber risk.
- Where a run has different configurations (for example different beam lengths), you can fit a separate notice for each, or one conservative notice that is safe for all of them.
- On adjustable pallet racking it's commonly fitted to the frame bracing. Check with the manufacturer before drilling or screwing anything to the racking, because unsuitable holes can affect its strength.
Keeping loads within the notice
Overloading usually creeps in: a new product line, a heavier pallet build, a beam moved for a taller load. Weigh new lines before they go in, tell goods-in the heaviest pallet allowed in each zone, and update the notice whenever the configuration changes.
Does pallet racking have to be fixed to the floor?
Where lift trucks or other handling equipment are used, yes. HSG76 says free-standing racking shouldn't be used in those areas. As a minimum, uprights next to aisles and gangways are fixed where the height-to-depth ratio is 6:1 or less, and all uprights where it's above 6:1 up to 10:1.
HSG76 says the main factors in racking stability are its height-to-depth ratio and whether it's fixed to the floor or another suitable part of the building. Its minimum floor fixing requirements, where racking carries stored loads plus the horizontal loads of loading and unloading, are:
| Height-to-depth ratio | Minimum floor fixing (HSG76 paragraph 637) |
|---|---|
| Up to 6:1 | Fix all uprights next to aisles and gangways |
| Over 6:1, up to 10:1 | Fix all uprights |
| Over 10:1 | The manufacturer should provide specific guidance |
Height is measured to the top of the topmost beam. Depth is the overall depth of the frame. For a back-to-back run it can be taken as the depth of both frames plus the run spacer, as long as the spacers are at no more than 2.5 m centres.
Assume a frame depth of 1.1 m, run spacers of 0.3 m at 2.5 m centres, and a top beam at 6.0 m.
- Double-sided run: depth = 1.1 + 0.3 + 1.1 = 2.5 m. Ratio = 6.0 ÷ 2.5 = 2.4:1. Minimum: fix all uprights next to aisles and gangways.
- Single-sided run, same height: ratio = 6.0 ÷ 1.1 ≈ 5.5:1. Minimum: still uprights next to aisles and gangways.
- Single-sided run with the top beam raised to 8.0 m: ratio = 8.0 ÷ 1.1 ≈ 7.3:1. Minimum: fix all uprights.
These are not recommended sizes. Your designer works out the fixing from the real design.
HSG76 adds that many racking suppliers fix all uprights for extra safety, and that fixings must resist the expected horizontal shear and upward pull. That's why the floor matters: an anchor is only as good as the slab it's set in. Drive-in and drive-through racking is a separate case: always designed and fixed to the manufacturer's instructions.
Can you move beams yourself, and why do beam locks matter?
Only after checking the design limits of the new layout. HSG76 says moving the first or second beam from the bottom is normally the most critical change and always needs a check of the rack's rated capacity. Beam connector locks must always be fitted so a truck can't knock a beam upwards out of the frame.
Adjustable racking is meant to be adjusted, but not freely. The load notice and rated capacity apply to the beam layout the racking was designed for. A different layout can carry a different load, so it has to be checked.
- Check the new layout against the manufacturer's technical data or ask the supplier. HSG76 says you should establish the design limits of the new configuration first.
- If either of the bottom two beams is moving, get the rated capacity checked. HSG76 says this always needs a check.
- Unload the affected levels before work starts.
- Refit every beam connector lock. HSG76 says locks should always be fitted to prevent accidental uplift, for example by a lift truck.
- Update the load notice where the change affects capacity.
Other changes to avoid
- No welding, cutting or removing parts without first consulting the manufacturer. HSG76 is explicit about this.
- No pallet stops as a quick fix. HSG76 says stops attached to racking can increase the risk of structural damage, and with correct back-to-back clearances a trained driver doesn't need them.
- No replacement parts from another source without the manufacturer's say-so. Treat a swap like any other alteration and consult the manufacturer first.
HSG76 also suggests high-visibility colours for beams, to help drivers place forks without hitting the racking.
What protection does pallet racking need?
Racking likely to be hit by lift trucks should be protected. HSG76 says damage is usually at the lower levels, recommends renewable column guards, and says corner uprights are especially at risk and need a protective device in a conspicuous colour.
HSG76 describes racking as relatively lightweight: any damage reduces its load capacity.
- Column guards on uprights at aisle ends and in high-traffic spots. They're designed to be replaced when hit.
- End-of-run protection at corners, in a conspicuous colour. These are the uprights trucks clip when turning.
- Clearances first. HSG76 warns that adding upright protectors to an existing aisle can reduce the space trucks have to manoeuvre, which can sometimes cause more damage. Decide case by case, and include protection in the design rather than adding it later.
Once racking is in use, damage has to be found and reported. HSG76 sets out regular inspections, staff reporting damage straight away to a named person responsible for racking safety, and an expert inspection at least every 12 months. Our racking inspection guide covers who can inspect, what the report shows and the red, amber and green damage categories.
Which standards apply to pallet racking?
Three European standards cover most of it: EN 15512 for structural design, EN 15620 for tolerances, deformations and clearances, and EN 15635 for use and maintenance. SEMA says UK racking design quality comes from following either the SEMA design code or EN 15512.
These are paid documents and we haven't quoted their contents. Here's what each covers, from the publisher's own description (BSI, checked November 2026):
| Standard | What it covers |
|---|---|
| BS EN 15512:2020 Principles for structural design | Structural design of steel adjustable beam pallet racking for unit loads, braced and unbraced. It doesn't apply to mobile, drive-in, drive-through, pallet live, push-back or shuttle systems. |
| BS EN 15620:2021 Tolerances, deformations and clearances | Tolerances, deformations and clearances for making, assembling, erecting and loading pallet and cantilever racking, so it works properly with the handling equipment. It excludes the tolerances of the trucks and the floor. |
| BS EN 15635:2008 Application and maintenance of storage equipment | Guidelines on operational aspects of structural safety where heavy handling equipment works close to static storage, to reduce the risk and consequences of unsafe use or damage. BSI lists it as under review. |
SEMA, the UK trade association for storage equipment, publishes its own codes of practice, including ones for the design of adjustable pallet racking, load notices, the use of static pallet racking and racking protection. SEMA says design codes tell suppliers how to do the structural analysis, which loads to consider, how to test components and what factors of safety to use.
These standards and codes aren't laws. They're how suppliers and inspectors show racking has been designed and used properly.
What should you ask a pallet racking supplier or installer?
Ask which design code they use, what load data the design is based on, what the floor fixing is, whether load notices are included, who installs it and what training they hold, and what documents you get at handover.
Quotes for the same building often differ because they rest on different assumptions. These questions bring them out.
- Design code: is it designed to EN 15512 or the SEMA code? Can you see the design basis?
- Load data: what pallet size, weight and load height is each level rated for? Does it match the figures you gave?
- Trucks and clearances: which truck data was used for aisle width and lift height?
- Floor: has the slab been checked for the base plate loads? What fixings, and in which uprights?
- Load notices: are colour notices supplied and fitted for every configuration?
- Protection: which column guards and end-of-run barriers are included, and where?
- Installation: who installs it, and are they SEIRS-trained? SEIRS is SEMA's voluntary installer scheme, set up in consultation with HSE. SEMA says there's no mandatory qualification for racking installers in the UK, so it's worth asking.
- Handover: drawings, load data, the manufacturer's instructions, and a record of what was installed and fixed.
- Future changes: what beam positions are allowed without a re-check, and who to call if you need a change?
HSG76 says racking should only be installed by competent people following the manufacturer's instructions, and SEMA says HSE expects warehouse owners to check installer competence.
We don't publish prices. Our pallet racking cost guide explains what drives the price and how to compare quotes.
Related guides
Pallet racking: frequently asked questions
What is adjustable pallet racking?
HSE describes it as a system of upright frames connected by horizontal beams, giving storage levels that can be adjusted vertically. Each pallet position can be accessed individually. It's also called selective pallet racking.
Does pallet racking need to be bolted to the floor?
Where lift trucks or other handling equipment are used, yes. HSG76 sets the minimum fixing by height-to-depth ratio, and many suppliers fix all uprights anyway.
Can I move the beams in my pallet racking?
Only after checking the design limits for the new layout with the manufacturer or supplier. HSG76 says moving the first or second beam from the bottom is normally the most critical change and always needs a check on rated capacity. Unload first, refit the beam locks and update the load notice if needed.
What should a pallet racking load notice show?
The maximum safe load and any specified load configurations, clearly and unambiguously. SEMA says it's a safety sign, so it must meet the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 and should be in colour.
Are pallet stops a good idea?
HSG76 says pallet stops attached to racking can increase the risk of structural damage. If the layout has correct back-to-back clearances, a trained driver doesn't need them.
Which standard is pallet racking designed to?
In the UK, SEMA says designs should follow either the SEMA design code or the European standard EN 15512. EN 15620 covers tolerances, deformations and clearances, and EN 15635 covers use and maintenance.
Do racking installers need a qualification?
SEMA says there's no mandatory qualification for racking installers in the UK, but HSG76 says they must be competent. SEIRS is SEMA's voluntary installer training scheme, so it's worth asking about.
How often does pallet racking need inspecting?
HSG76 describes regular visual checks by a named person responsible for racking safety, and an expert inspection at intervals of no more than 12 months. Staff should report damage straight away.
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources on 12 November 2026:
- HSE: HSG76 Warehousing and storage: a guide to health and safety
- SEMA: Racking design code
- SEMA: A guide to SEMA racking load notices
- SEMA: SEIRS training
- BSI: BS EN 15512:2020 Adjustable pallet racking systems, principles for structural design
- BSI: BS EN 15620:2021 Tolerances, deformations and clearances
- BSI: BS EN 15635:2008 Application and maintenance of storage equipment