Structural safety of industrial pallet racking

Background

Static pallet racking is not subject to CE marking, as there is no specific product directive, but it falls fully under Italian Legislative Decree 81/2008: ensuring its safety is a non-delegable duty of the employer. The relevant UNI and EN technical standards (UNI EN 15512, 16681, 15620, 15629, 15635 and UNI 11636) are the references for the “presumption of safety” under art. 105(3) of the Italian Consumer Code.

The INAIL 2026 publication (Pallet racking — Selection, use and maintenance) reaffirms that, in the absence of the manufacturer's documentation, the employer may engage a qualified professional to characterise the structural behaviour of the equipment through calculations and tests. Stefano Luise Engineering S.r.l. operates in this field, providing structural engineering expertise, FEM modelling and seismic verification to the Italian code NTC 2018.

Services offered

• Seismic adequacy verification of existing racking — characterisation of components, structural modelling and verification of the capacity to withstand the seismic action expected for the installation site (NTC 2018, UNI EN 16681), covering the employer's obligations on equipment already in use.
• UNI 11636 validation — static, assembly, documentation and use validation of storage equipment, also acting as expert validator.
• Periodic inspections by an expert technician — supporting the racking safety officer (PRSES) in the annual inspection required by UNI EN 15635, with a written report, observations and proposed actions (§ 9.4.2.3).
• Used racking and reconfigurations — structural characterisation, verification calculations and preparation of the technical documentation (instruction manual, load notice) for the employer who effectively takes on the manufacturer's role.
• Documentation and training support — drafting of technical specifications for the supplier (UNI EN 15629), setting up the inspection register, integrating the racking section into the risk assessment document (DVR), training the racking safety officer.
• Cases subject to CE marking — support in the special cases of racking integrated into automated warehouses (EU Reg. 2023/1230) or supporting external roofing and walls (EU Reg. 2024/3110).

Regulatory references

Italian Legislative Decree 81/2008  •  NTC 2018  •  UNI EN 15512  •  UNI EN 16681  •  UNI EN 15620  •  UNI EN 15629  •  UNI EN 15635  •  UNI 11636  •  EU Reg. 2023/1230  •  EU Reg. 2024/3110

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