Load Notices, Pallet Placement and Operational Racking Issues
When people think about racking inspections, they tend to think about structural damage — bent uprights, damaged beams etc. And those are important. But a thorough inspection covers more than structural defects.
Load notices, pallet placement, and operational issues are a significant part of what a SEMA Approved Rack Inspector (SARI) looks for — and they can have just as much impact on the safety and capacity of your warehouse.
Load notices
A load notice specifies the maximum load capacity for a bay. It tells your team — and anyone else working in the warehouse — how much weight that bay can safely hold.
Load notices should be present, legible, and accurate. In practice, they're often missing, damaged, or out of date. Racking that's been reconfigured since the original installation may have load notices that no longer reflect the current specification. Racking that's been in use for many years may have notices that have been written over, removed, or simply lost.
During an inspection, we check whether load notices are present and whether they're consistent with the racking specification. Where they're missing or inaccurate, we note this in the report and advise on what's needed.
This matters particularly before peak, when stock volumes are higher and the temptation to load bays beyond their rated capacity is greatest. A warehouse heading into Q4 without accurate load notices is a warehouse where overloading is more likely to go unnoticed.
Pallet placement
How pallets are placed on the racking matters. Overhanging loads — pallets that extend beyond the beam — create uneven loading and can cause beams to deflect or fail. Incorrectly placed pallets can also obstruct access and create handling difficulties that increase the risk of impact damage.
During an inspection, we look at how pallets are being stored across the warehouse. Consistent overhanging or incorrect placement is noted in the report, along with recommendations for addressing it. In some cases, this is a training issue — the team hasn't been shown the correct placement standard. In others, it's a configuration issue — the racking isn't set up in a way that makes correct placement straightforward.
Operational issues
Beyond structural damage and load management, a thorough inspection also looks at how the warehouse is being operated. That includes:
Forklift impact damage — Evidence of repeated impact in the same locations suggests an operational issue, not just a maintenance one. Fitting upright protectors in high-risk locations can reduce the frequency of damage.
Aisle widths — Insufficient aisle width for the forklifts being used increases the risk of impact damage. This is worth reviewing if you're seeing repeated damage in the same areas.
Housekeeping — Debris, damaged pallets, and obstructions in aisles all increase risk. A well-maintained warehouse is a safer warehouse.
Weekly checks — SEMA guidance recommends that a trained member of your team carries out weekly visual checks of the racking. If this isn't happening, we'll note it in the report and can advise on what a weekly check should cover.
Why this matters before peak
Peak season increases the pressure on every part of your warehouse operation. Higher stock volumes mean more load on the racking. More forklift movements mean more risk of impact damage. More pressure on your team means less time for the careful housekeeping and checking that keeps problems from developing.
Heading into peak with a clear picture of your operational racking issues — not just the structural damage — means you can address them before the pressure arrives, rather than managing them under it.