Technical Bulletin No. 7
Load Notices
Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association
May ‘16
www.sema.org.uk
This bulletin is issued to give clarification regarding load notices and highlight the responsibilities of those
associated with the safe usage of storage systems, giving all parties clear understanding.
Load notices provide essential information for the user to safely use the storage system. A typical load notice
for pallet racking is shown below.
Information that will be required by the supplier
to identify the specific contract details
Allowable loading information
• Maximum loading on a pair
of beams – usually uniformly
distributed along the beam
• Maximum load that can be
stored in a bay of racking
The SEMA logo can only be used by a recognised
SEMA member on a product manufactured by a
SEMA member
Suppliers contact details
Height to first beam level and spacing
between beams. This may not be present on
older load notices.
If either dimension is exceeded the bay
load will reduce – contact your supplier for
loading data.
Responsibilities.
Employers must provide their employees with the correct data to enable them to safely use storage systems to
comply with “The Workplace, Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992,” “PUWER” and “The Provision and
Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998”. This is normally done by the fitting of a load notice on the
equipment.
Employers must also ensure that the racking system is regularly inspected, repaired and maintained.
Employers and employees must adhere to this information and not exceed the limits stated and the guidance
provided.
The supplier of the storage system is responsibile for the data on the load notice. Load notices should be of
sufficient quantity and position to convey necessary safety information to operate the system.
When the user of a racking system requires a modification to the rack, for example moving beams, the effect of
the change must be verified by the original supplier or a competent designer, with access to load tables of the
manufacturer, or a qualified engineer with the technical ability to calculate carrying capacities from first
principles. The load notices must be replaced or updated to show the new limitations of the system.
SEMA Approved Rack Inspectors (SARI’s) should establish as an integral part of an annual rack inspection, that
load notices are fitted and that they are clearly visible.
My racking system does not have a load notice, what should I do?
Two runs of racking that seemingly look identical, may in fact have totally different properties and
consequently have widely differing load capacities.
Frame duty, beam section, material grade and thickness, rack configuration (number of beams in a bay, height
to 1st beam level, beam pitch, number of bays in a run) and floor fixing all have an effect which only those with
adequate training would recognise.
It is unlikely that reliable data for a load notice can be provided without a physical inspection to verify the
configuration and condition of the system.
SEMA Approved Rack Inspectors are trained to identify rack damage and incorrect installation and a small
number, who are employed by companies which design racking systems, may also have the skills and
knowledge to check the loading capabilities of the structure. It is more likely that a system designer will need to
carry out the survey. Following the survey load notices should be fitted in sufficient quantity and position to
convey necessary safety information to operate the system.