Racking damage: red, amber and green explained
Racking damage: red, amber and green explained
Racking damage is graded red, amber or green so everyone knows how fast to act. Red means serious damage, more than twice the SEMA limits, and the racking must be offloaded and isolated immediately; amber means repairs are needed within four weeks and the affected positions are emptied; green means the damage is within limits but must be recorded and watched.
The traffic-light system comes from SEMA guidance and the damage classification approach in BS EN 15635. It is used by SEMA Approved Rack Inspectors and by trained in-house staff. This article explains what each colour means, how damage is measured, and how to repair it properly.
Key takeaways
- Red: offload immediately and keep the racking out of use until repaired with original equipment manufacturer parts.
- Amber: empty the affected positions and do not refill them; if repairs are not done within four weeks the item becomes red.
- Green: within SEMA limits, recorded and reviewed at the next inspection, but not the same as no risk.
- Upright bends are measured over a 1,000 mm length: 3 mm or 5 mm depending on direction, and 10 mm for bracing.
- SEMA advises replacing damaged components, not straightening them.
What do red, amber and green mean?
Each colour is a risk level tied to a fixed response. The definitions below follow SEMA's description of the SARI grading system (SEMA, what is a SARI) and a SEMA Technical Committee article on green risk (Logistics Matters).
| Category | What it means | Immediate action | Timescale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red | Severe damage, greater than twice the SEMA limits | Offload the affected area and isolate it | Now; no reloading until repaired |
| Amber | Damage needing remedial work, but not immediate offloading | Empty the affected positions; do not refill | Repair within four weeks or it becomes red |
| Green | Within SEMA limits | Record the item and monitor it | Review at the next inspection |
The categories are about the structure's remaining safety margin. Racking is designed with a safety factor; damage eats into it. Green damage reduces that margin but should not on its own cause a collapse. Red damage means too much margin has gone for the rack to stay loaded.
How is racking damage measured?
Bends in uprights and bracing are measured against a straight edge held along the member. SEMA's recommended maximum distortion, measured over a 1,000 mm length, is 3 mm or 5 mm for uprights depending on the direction of the bend, and 10 mm for bracing members (Warehouse News, a simple racking damage measure). Damage greater than twice those limits is red risk (Logistics Matters).
Measurement is only part of the assessment. A competent inspector also looks at:
- Splits, tears and creases in the steel, which are not acceptable at any size.
- Beam connectors and safety locks: a missing lock or a distorted connector can let a beam lift out when struck from below.
- Baseplates and floor fixings: a lifted or missing anchor changes how the frame carries load.
- Beam deformation: permanent bends, twisting or a beam that does not return to straight when unloaded.
- Bracing welds and bolts at the connection to the upright.
Our racking inspection checklist for in-house checks turns these into a weekly walk-round format.
Where does racking damage come from?
Most damage is impact from handling equipment, and most of it is low down. HSE guidance notes that damage is generally at the lower levels of the racking and that corner uprights are especially at risk (HSG76, quoted in SEMA Technical Bulletin 03). The usual causes are:
- Trucks clipping uprights when turning into or out of an aisle, or when reversing.
- Forks or pallets striking beams from below while a load is lifted into place.
- Overloading a beam level beyond the figure on the load notice, or storing damaged or oversized pallets.
- Unauthorised changes, such as moving beam levels or removing a beam, without new load data.
Knowing the cause matters because the grade only tells you how fast to act. The cause tells you how to stop the same item turning amber again next quarter.
Why green does not mean safe
Green damage is often misread as acceptable. The SEMA Technical Committee article makes the point directly: green risk does not mean no risk (Logistics Matters). Green items have used up some of the structure's spare capacity. Two green bends in the same upright, or a green bend on a frame with a missing floor anchor, can add up to more than either alone.
Three habits keep green items under control:
- Log each one with its exact location so the next inspector can see whether it has grown.
- Look for clusters. Several green items in one aisle point to a clearance or driving problem.
- Replace green-damaged uprights when you are already offloading the bay for another reason.
What to do with amber damage
Amber means a repair is needed, but the bay does not have to be cleared that minute. Empty the affected pallet positions as soon as practical, do not refill them, and get the replacement part ordered. SEMA says that if repairs are not carried out within four weeks, an amber item automatically becomes red (SEMA, what is a SARI).
The four-week window is the reason lead times matter. If a replacement upright frame has to be made and shipped, order as soon as the item is graded and isolate the bay until the part arrives. Keeping a small stock of spare uprights and beams for your most-hit aisles is often cheaper than losing pallet positions for weeks. Label the isolated positions clearly with the date and grade so that a driver on another shift does not refill them before the repair is signed off.
What to do with red damage
Offload first, then repair. HSE guidance says that where damage affects safety the racking should be offloaded (HSG76, quoted in SEMA Technical Bulletin 04), and INDG412 adds that controls should stop it being used until remedial work is done (HSE, INDG412).
- Stop putting pallets into the bay and the bays either side.
- Unload from the top down, using a trained driver and a planned sequence.
- Isolate the area with a physical barrier and a dated label.
- Tell the PRRS and record the item.
- Replace the damaged components, then have the repair checked before reloading.
SEMA describes repair methods that avoid offloading as a high-risk procedure (SEMA Technical Bulletin 04). Do not let the pressure to keep pallet positions in use push you into one.
Repair or replace?
Replace. SEMA quotes BS EN 15635 that damaged components should be replaced rather than repaired, and warns that straightening by a third party voids the manufacturer's warranty and rated capacity (SEMA Technical Bulletin 04). Welded repairs are not recommended, and bending material back into shape is not endorsed (SEMA Technical Bulletin 01). Cutting out a section of upright and splicing in a new one is not considered an acceptable alteration (SEMA Technical Bulletin 14).
Replacement parts should match the original profile, hole pattern and connector design. Mixing components from different manufacturers is one of the compatibility issues a SARI will flag, as our SEMA racking inspection guide explains. We make pallet racking upright frames and beams to the drawings held for each order, so a replacement fits the existing bay without improvised fixes.
If the same uprights keep turning amber, the fix is upstream: check aisle widths against your truck type (see warehouse aisle widths for each forklift type), retrain drivers, and fit upright post protectors where hits concentrate. Our rack protection guide covers where guards and barriers belong.
Frequently asked questions
Who decides whether damage is red, amber or green?
A competent person. The annual expert inspection is usually done by a SEMA Approved Rack Inspector, and a trained PRRS grades damage found between inspections using the same limits.
Can we keep using a bay with amber damage?
Not the affected positions. SEMA guidance is to empty them and not refill until the repair is done, and the repair must happen within four weeks or the item becomes red.
Is a bent beam graded the same way as a bent upright?
Beams are judged on permanent deformation, connector condition and safety locks rather than the upright straight-edge limits. Your inspector will grade beam damage on the day.
Does green damage need to be reported?
Yes. Green items are recorded with their location and reviewed at the next inspection. Reporting them lets the PRRS see whether damage is growing or clustering in one aisle, which is often the first sign of a clearance or driving problem.
Can a damaged upright be straightened?
SEMA advises against it. BS EN 15635 says damaged components should be replaced, and straightening by a third party voids the manufacturer's warranty and rated capacity.
Need replacement uprights or beams to clear amber or red items? Send us the inspection report and bay references and we will quote matched parts with a drawing.
Sources
- SEMA: What is a SEMA Approved Racking Inspector
- Logistics Matters: Rack inspections, green risk doesn't mean no risk (SEMA Technical Committee)
- Warehouse News: A simple racking damage measure
- SEMA: Technical Bulletin 03, rack protection
- SEMA: Technical Bulletin 04, straightening damaged uprights
- SEMA: Technical Bulletin 01, straightening bent material in racking repairs
- SEMA: Technical Bulletin 14, rack upright cut and replace
- HSE: Warehousing and storage, keep it safe (INDG412)
- BSI Knowledge: BS EN 15635:2008 Steel static storage systems, application and maintenance of storage equipment
