Pallet racking rarely gets attention until something goes wrong. A forklift clips an upright, a beam is loaded past its rating, or a safety pin goes missing during a busy shift, and the damage stays in place for months because nobody is looking for it. For companies that run warehouses in the Czech Republic, the European standard EN 15635 (adopted locally as ČSN EN 15635) sets out how storage equipment should be used, checked and maintained. This article explains what the standard expects from a warehouse operator, how inspections work in practice, and what to look for when you hire an inspector.
What EN 15635 covers
EN 15635 deals with the application and maintenance of steel static storage systems. In plain terms, it is the standard that tells a warehouse operator how to keep racking safe once it has been installed. It applies to the common types found in Czech logistics and manufacturing sites: pallet racking, shelving, cantilever racking, drive-in racking and mobile racking.
The standard does not treat safety as a one-off event at installation. It describes an ongoing routine with clear roles, regular checks and a defined way of classifying damage.
The PRSES: one person responsible for storage safety
One of the first things EN 15635 asks for is a named person who is responsible for the safety of the storage equipment. This role is known as the PRSES (Person Responsible for Storage Equipment Safety). The PRSES is usually someone inside the operator's own organisation, such as a warehouse manager or a safety officer.
The PRSES makes sure that inspections happen, that records are kept and that damage is dealt with according to its severity. When an expert inspection is carried out, the PRSES must be made familiar with the resulting report.
Two levels of inspection
EN 15635 works with two levels of checking.
Regular visual inspections. These are carried out by the warehouse operator, typically once a week or at another interval set by a risk assessment. The aim is to catch obvious problems early: bent uprights, displaced beams, missing locking pins or damaged floor fixings.
Expert inspections. At intervals of no more than 12 months, the racking should be inspected by a technically competent person. This means someone with the training, experience and knowledge appropriate to the complexity of the installation. The inspector does not have to be an employee of the operator, and many companies choose an external specialist so that the check is independent.
In the Czech Republic, this annual expert inspection is commonly called revize regálů, and its output is a written inspection report (revizní zpráva).
What an expert inspection looks at
A proper inspection goes through the installation section by section. Typical checkpoints include:
- deformation or damage to uprights, frames and bracing,
- the condition of beams, their deflection and whether they are secured with locking pins,
- floor anchoring, base plates and whether the racking is plumb,
- load notices: whether they are present, legible and consistent with the actual loads,
- protective elements such as upright and corner guards, and signs of impact from handling equipment.
Load notices deserve special mention. Racking must not be loaded beyond the values shown on the load signs, and an inspection that finds missing or unreadable signs has found a real risk, even if the steel itself looks fine.
Green, amber and red: how damage is classified
EN 15635 uses a simple traffic-light system that makes inspection results easy to act on:
- Green: damage that does not require immediate action but should be monitored at the next inspection.
- Amber: hazardous damage that should be repaired within a short period.
- Red: very serious damage. The affected section should be unloaded immediately and repaired before it is used again.
This classification is what turns an inspection report into a practical to-do list. The warehouse manager can see at a glance which issues can wait and which ones need the area cleared today.
What a good inspection report contains
The report is the operator's evidence that the racking has been checked. A useful report should include:
- a list of the sections that were inspected,
- each defect found, with a photo,
- the severity classification of each defect,
- the recommended action and the time frame for repair.
A PDF report with photos is easier to share with maintenance teams and easier to compare from year to year. Between expert inspections, the operator keeps its own records of the weekly visual checks.
After the inspection: repairs
An inspection is only half the job. Red defects need to be handled straight away and amber defects within a short time. Typical repairs include replacing damaged uprights or beams, replacing missing locking pins and refixing anchors. After a repair, the safe condition of the section should be verified before it is loaded again. It is practical to work with a company that can both inspect and repair, so that the defects listed in the report do not sit waiting for a separate contractor.
Choosing a rack inspector in the Czech Republic
If your company operates a warehouse in Czechia, a few questions help when choosing an inspector:
- Competence. Ask for evidence of the inspector's qualification and experience with EN 15635.
- Range of systems. Make sure they inspect the types of racking you actually use, whether pallet, shelving, cantilever, drive-in or mobile, and the brands installed in your building.
- Report format. Ask for a sample report. Look for photos, a clear green, amber and red classification and concrete repair recommendations.
- Repairs. Check whether the same company can carry out repairs after the inspection.
- Pricing. Inspection prices usually depend on the size of the warehouse and the number and type of racks, so expect an individual quote rather than a fixed price list.
SafeRegal is a Czech company that provides racking installation, servicing and certified rack inspections according to ČSN EN 15635 across the Czech Republic, with inspection reports in PDF that include photo documentation and a severity classification for each defect. More information about its EN 15635 rack inspections is available on the company website.
Summary
EN 15635 asks warehouse operators to appoint a PRSES, run regular visual checks, and have their racking inspected by a competent person at least once every 12 months. Damage is classified as green, amber or red, and each level has a clear response. For warehouses in the Czech Republic, an annual revize regálů with a photo-documented report gives the operator a reliable picture of the racking's condition and a clear plan for repairs. A small dent in an upright is cheap to fix when it is found early and costly if it is ignored until the next impact.