What compliance documents should accompany mobile pallet racking?

The compliance file for mobile pallet racking should show how the system was specified, checked, installed and handed over for use. It should also identify the limits that protect people, stock and the building.

Ask for a controlled document pack containing the following information:

• Design and layout information: Include the mobile carriage arrangement, rack positions, aisle locations, access points, clearances and any fixed obstructions. The latest revision should match the installed layout.
• Load and storage criteria: Record pallet dimensions, pallet weights, load positions, bay capacities and the permitted storage configuration. This gives operators a clear basis for deciding what the system can hold.
• Floor and building information: Include relevant site survey findings, floor-loading assumptions, level checks and any requirements affecting the supporting slab. Mobile systems transfer moving and stored loads through the floor, so these records should be easy to locate.
• Equipment and control details: Identify the carriage controls, travel limits, emergency stops, sensors, interlocks, barriers and other protective measures included in the installation. The information should explain their purpose and the action required if a control operates or fails.
• Installation records: Record what was installed, the installation date, any agreed changes, and outstanding actions at handover. Keep evidence of checks completed during installation where those checks form part of the project requirements.
• Commissioning information: Confirm that the completed arrangement and controls were checked before use. The commissioning record should identify any restrictions, adjustments or follow-up work that operators need to understand.
• Operating instructions: Provide practical instructions for opening and closing aisles, positioning loads, observing safe clearances, using controls and responding to alarms or obstructions. Include the stated load limits and rules for reporting damage or defects.
• Maintenance information: Set out the checks, servicing tasks and inspection intervals relevant to the equipment. Records should show what was checked, when it was checked, who completed it and what action followed.
• Risk and site-control documents: Depending on the project, the handover file may also need risk assessments, method statements, isolation arrangements, electrical documentation or fire-protection information. These should reflect the actual site and installed equipment, rather than a generic template.

Document control matters as much as document content. Keep the current drawings, load information and instructions together, mark superseded versions clearly, and record changes made after commissioning.

Responsibility should also be clear. The operator needs instructions for daily use and defect reporting. The dutyholder needs arrangements for inspections, maintenance, staff training and managing changes to stock, pallets, traffic routes or the building.

Our consultation can include a site meeting and survey, followed by written proposals and working drawings. For projects requiring broader coordination, we can manage the work from proposal and tender stages through installation and final commissioning.

Before accepting a mobile pallet racking handover, compare the documents against the installed system. Check the aisle arrangement, bay capacities, controls, protection and operating restrictions. Resolve differences before putting the affected area into service.