PVC Weight Load Notices
Weight load notices are vital in warehouses or other storage locations that use racking structures.
They provide guidance to your team on the amount of weight that can be safely stacked on various storage systems and how it should be distributed, including shelf/pallet racking, cantilever racking, drive-thru racking, and mezzanine floors. The clear and concise information reduces the risk of overloading and accidents, helping to keep your staff and assets protected.
These weight load signs are manufactured from durable PVC. This ensures longevity and sustained visibility in tough industrial environments.
Weight Load Notices – Options
Blank
Supplied from stock, our blank weight load signs can be delivered next-day. The blank spaces allow for maximum shelf and bay weights to be labelled or written on with a permanent marker pen.
Black and White Print
Our price includes any black and white printing to your selected design – please supply weight load information in the order notes.
Coloured Print
We can also provide coloured overprinting. There is an additional cost for this depending on your requirements – please contact us for details.
Branding
We can overbrand the weight load notice with your company logo, address, and contact details. Please contact us for details.
FAQ
Are weight load notices a legal requirement in the UK?
According to SEMA:
There is no specific legislation that requires a load sign to be placed on racking. However, there is an obligation on an employer to ensure that employees have all the information that is needed to operate the racking system safely… Without the load notice you would need to find an alternative means of transmitting all the information given on the load notice to the employees.
As such, while not an explicit legal requirement, weight load notices are the easiest and most popular way for businesses to remain compliant.
What should a weight load notice look like?
While different racking systems have different load notices, they follow a similar structure. HSE refer to SEMA as an example of how weight load notices should be designed, and our weight load notices follow this example.
- Red circular signs with white backgrounds and black pictograms are used for prohibition.
- Yellow triangular signs with yellow backgrounds and black pictograms or text are used for warning.
- Green rectangular signs with white pictograms or text are used for instruction (though these are not used on load notices as they don’t provide instructions).
- Blue rectangular signs with white pictograms or text are used for mandatory actions.
What does a weight load notice need to include?
Weight load notices should display the following information:
- Safe working load for each shelf/level
- Number of levels per bay
- Safe working load for the bay – this advises the safe limit for the whole system at one time and can often be less than the total of each shelf limit
- Height to first beam level – this is vital to determine the bay load as the bay load will reduce if the first beam is raised or removed
- Beam pitch thereafter – another key piece of information in bay load as the bay load will reduce if the pitch is increased
- Suppliers name, date supplied, and contact information
- Any other required safety information
Do I need a new weight load notice sign if I change the beams on my racking?
Potentially! Whenever racking is altered, the system should be inspected and the weight load notice updated if required.
What do I do if my racking system doesn’t have a load notice?
To ensure compliance with Health and Safety and PUWER regulations, racking should have weight load notices installed before use.
However, if you’re racking doesn’t have a load notice, you should cease using the racking and contact the supplier of your racking system. They will have information on the type, strengths, and configuration of the racking, which will impact the load capacities.
Once you’ve calculated safe working load limits, you should organise for weight load notices to be installed on the racking before using it again.
How do I calculate the safe working load limits?
To accurately calculate safe work load limits, you’ll need:
- Width of the bay
- Type of beam (open or box)
- Beam dimensions (width and depth)
- Frame dimensions (height and width)
- Vertical beam pitch (height of each beam from the floor)
- Upright duty (commonly stamped on the upright)
However, depending on the particular design of your racking, other information may be required.
As a matter of best practice, you should always refer to your racking manufacturer/supplier for details and assistance in calculating safe load limits.
Shipping & Returns
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