Recently, I came across an article by Scott Giles about educating users on pallet racking, and I couldn’t agree more with his message. It inspired me to share my experiences in this space, including some concerning real-world incidents that emphasize why safety and compliance are non-negotiable.
One of the things we encounter far too often is racking systems that have been purchased second-hand or installed without proper guidance. Almost Weekly, we respond to clients who have mixed different racking brands and attempt to install it themselves without knowing that there are design requirements and Australian Standards. Their supplier hasn’t informed them about compatibility or compliance requirements. Thankfully, we catch it before it becomes a serious problem, most of the time, but the risks are significant.
This is why educating clients and ensuring proper safety measures is at the core of what we do at SSO Handling & Storage.
It isn’t just about providing a product—it’s about ensuring the solution is safe, compliant, and properly installed. We’ve seen enough examples of why this matters, like the tragic case in Canberra where a company and its branch manager were fined due to a racking collapse that left a worker seriously injured and their entire life changed (ABC News, 2024). This Incident served as a big wake-up call for me; we were pretty close to the business and manager and had been assisting previously and rectified everything post-incident.
Incidents like these should serve as a wake-up call for the entire industry – a reminder that the consequences of cutting corners can be devastating.
Compliance with Australian Standards, like AS4084:2023, isn’t shouldn’t be taken as a suggestion – it’s a critical safeguard. We see our job at SSO as making sure that any racking solution meets those standards or greater, ensuring that the only thing getting lifted in your warehouse is stock, not risk levels. We don’t cut corners, and we won’t approve any installations that aren’t safe and sound. Last week I refused to perform an Install that I know will be unsafe for the end users. The safety of the people working around these systems every day is too important for that.
In our experience, the education gap is a critical factor in compliance issues. Many warehouse managers and team members don’t know what to look for regarding racking safety, and that’s on us as an industry to fix. We take a hands-on approach – offering not just inspections and damage reports but also full compliance audits, training, and ongoing support so that our clients can feel confident in their systems.
I want to shout out Scott Giles for encouraging the industry to educate rather than just sell.
It’s an approach we’ve always embraced, and we’re committed to helping improve safety standards across the board—whether it’s our client or even a competitor’s client in need of help.
At the end of the day, everyone deserves to go home safely.
If you’re unsure about the safety of your racking or if you’ve recently purchased a system and need guidance, reach out. I’m here to help – whether it’s assessing compliance, performing installations, or just answering questions about safe practices.
Let’s make sure your warehouse is as safe as it can be. Contact SSO
If your looking for a system to manage your pallet racking compliance, management and reporting, Check out PRMS and the RAMS system
If your an inspector, make sure to check out the Racking Inspectors Group Australia and NZ
