Explain what EN 15635 requires for the application and maintenance of steel static storage equipment.
Warehousing & Procurement
Pallet Racking Inspection and Damage Assessment to EN 15635
Learn to inspect pallet racking, classify damage against EN 15635 and manage a three-tier inspection regime, from daily operator checks to independent expert inspection, records and remedial repair.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
A distorted upright that looks minor from a passing forklift can already have lost a significant share of its rated load capacity, and the difference between a monitored defect and a collapse risk is rarely obvious without a structured inspection method. EN 15635 sets out how static steel storage equipment should be inspected and maintained once it is in service, building on the rack manufacturer's original design and safe working load notice. This course works through the standard's three-tier inspection regime, from continuous operator-level visual checks through a periodic inspection carried out by a person trained and appointed within the organisation, to an independent expert inspection at a longer interval. Delegates practise a systematic walk-the-aisle inspection method, learn to measure damage against manufacturer tolerance limits, and apply a red, amber and green style rating to decide what can be monitored and what must be isolated immediately. The course finishes with records, repair decisions and a damage-prevention programme that traces recurring collision points back to aisle layout, truck type and driver behaviour.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Set an inspection regime that combines operator-level checks, an internally trained periodic inspection and an independent expert inspection.
Carry out a structured walk-the-aisle inspection of racking, beams, connectors and floor fixings against manufacturer tolerances.
Classify racking damage by urgency and know when a bay must be off-loaded and isolated immediately.
Produce inspection records and reports that track defects through to closure with a named owner and date.
Choose between straightening, component replacement and full frame replacement, and apply change control to layout changes.
Build a damage-prevention programme that targets recurring collision points and feeds into driver training and site design.
Who Should Attend
Warehouse and health and safety managers responsible for racking safety compliance.
Facilities and maintenance staff appointed to carry out periodic internal rack inspections.
Warehouse supervisors and team leaders who need to recognise reportable racking damage.
Third-party logistics and distribution centre operators managing racking across multiple sites.
Health and safety advisers auditing storage equipment inspection programmes.
Racking installers and reconfiguration contractors working alongside a live inspection regime.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Understanding EN 15635 and the Racking Safety Regime
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Scope and Structure of EN 15635
- Identify what EN 15635 covers for the application and maintenance of steel static storage equipment already in service.
- Relate ongoing inspection duties back to the rack manufacturer's original design certificate and safe working load notice.
- Define the duties EN 15635 places on the operating company's own responsible person for racking safety.
- Position racking inspection within the wider work equipment and workplace health and safety obligations of the site.
Session 2The Three-Tier Inspection Regime
- Build continuous operator-level visual checks into daily picking, replenishment and forklift working practice.
- Set up a periodic, more structured inspection carried out by a person trained and appointed within the organisation.
- Commission an independent expert inspection at a longer interval from a specialist outside daily site operations.
- Set inspection frequency using risk factors such as traffic density, product weight, rack height and past damage history.
02Carrying Out a Rack Inspection and Damage Assessment
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Conducting a Structured Rack Inspection
- Apply a systematic walk-the-aisle method covering upright frames, diagonal and horizontal bracing, beams and connectors.
- Measure visible distortion in uprights and beams against the manufacturer's stated damage tolerance limits.
- Check beam locking devices, safety clips, base plates, floor fixings and any anti-collapse mesh or netting fitted.
- Record a location reference for every defect so the same component can be found and re-checked quickly later.
Session 2Classifying and Rating Damage
- Apply a red, amber and green style rating to classify each defect by how urgently it needs action.
- Distinguish cosmetic paint or surface damage from deformation that reduces the frame's load-carrying capacity.
- Recognise combination damage, where several minor defects on one upright together raise the overall risk rating.
- Decide when a bay must be off-loaded and isolated immediately rather than scheduled for later repair.
03Records, Reporting and Remedial Action
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Inspection Records and Reporting
- Maintain a written inspection record for every tier of the regime, as required by EN 15635.
- Produce a rack inspection report that a non-specialist site manager can act on without further explanation.
- Track open defects through to closure against a named owner and a target repair date.
- File load notices, rack layout drawings and manufacturer documentation alongside current inspection records.
Session 2Repair, Replacement and Change Control
- Choose between straightening, single-component replacement and full frame replacement for a given type of defect.
- Source replacement beams, uprights and connectors that match the original rack manufacturer's specification.
- Apply change control whenever racking layout, beam levels or the stored load type change from the original design.
- Brief warehouse teams on an updated load notice immediately after any repair or reconfiguration is completed.
04Building a Sustainable Racking Safety Programme
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Preventing Damage at Source
- Analyse damage location data to find recurring collision points and their root causes across the warehouse.
- Install physical protection, such as upright guards and barrier rail, at the highest-risk collision points.
- Feed racking damage trends into forklift truck operator training and site traffic management reviews.
- Trigger a load notice and safe working load review whenever the pallet type or product profile changes.
Session 2Governance and Continuous Improvement
- Define roles, responsibilities and competence requirements for each tier of the racking inspection regime.
- Audit the inspection programme itself, not only the racking, to confirm it is running as designed.
- Benchmark defect rates and repair backlog across sites to prioritise investment and maintenance resource.
- Report racking safety performance to site leadership as a routine part of health and safety governance.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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