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Racking Damage Types
Understanding how pallet racking gets damaged — and how the SEMA red, amber, green system grades the risk — helps you act fast when it matters most.
Call Now — 0800 2461526Common causes of racking damage
Forklift & vehicle impact
By far the most common cause of racking damage. A reach truck, counterbalance or pallet mover striking an upright or bracing can bend, split or shear the steel. Even damage that looks minor can dramatically reduce the load-bearing capacity of the whole run, so any impact should trigger an immediate inspection.
Overloading
Exceeding the safe working load — through incorrect beam levels, over-heavy pallets or too many pallets per bay — overstresses beams and connectors. This can cause beams to deflect, connectors to fail or the frame to become unstable. Load notices must always be displayed and observed.
Corrosion & wear
In cold stores, chemical environments and older buildings, corrosion weakens steel over time. Rust at the base of uprights, around floor fixings and on beams reduces strength and can hide more serious deterioration. Wear on connectors and safety clips also compromises integrity.
Missing or damaged components
Missing beam-locking clips, damaged foot plates, loose floor fixings and removed bracing all reduce a racking system's designed strength. These faults are easy to overlook but materially affect safety and are a frequent finding during inspections.
Incorrect configuration & modification
Beams moved without recalculating loads, components mixed between manufacturers, or racking altered without engineering sign-off can create unsafe configurations. Racking should only be reconfigured to a proper design specification.
SEMA red, amber, green classification
SEMA's traffic-light system is the recognised way to grade racking damage found during inspections. We apply it to give you a clear picture of the risk and the action required.
Green
Acceptable — monitor
Damage is within acceptable limits. No immediate action beyond continued routine inspection and recording.
Amber
Repair within 4 weeks
Damage requires action. The component should be off-loaded once emptied in the normal course of operation and repaired or replaced within four weeks. Re-inspect to confirm it has not worsened.
Red
Immediate off-load & isolate
Serious damage. The affected bays must be off-loaded and isolated immediately, and not reloaded until repaired. Red-risk damage is an emergency — this is when to call us.
Found red-risk damage?
Off-load and isolate the affected bays immediately, then call our 24/7 emergency line.
Call 0800 2461526