Weight Load Notices – Essential Warehouse Load Capacity Signage
Beaverswood® Weight Load Notices are highly visible racking signs that clearly show the maximum load capacity per shelf and per bay. They help you avoid overloading, prevent structural failures, and comply with SEMA, HSE, and PUWER guidelines.
These durable signs are available in eight semi-rigid designs to suit all racking systems. Custom printing is included in the price – simply enter your loading information at checkout, or order blanks to write in manually with a permanent marker.
What is a weight load notice?
It’s a racking sign that shows how much weight each shelf and bay can safely carry.
By displaying clear working load limits, weight load notices inform your team and prevent unsafe practices – protecting staff, stock, and infrastructure.
Why Choose Beaverswood® Weight Load Notices?
- Heavy-Duty Racking Load Signs – Manufactured from durable, long-lasting PVC to withstand industrial environments.
- Clearly Displays Safe Working Load Limits – Helps prevent rack failures, product damage, and workplace accidents.
- Ensures Compliance with Health & Safety Regulations – Meet warehouse safety standards with official racking weight limit signs.
- Versatile Design Options – Choose from a blank sign (no loading information), or add your company logo along with weight loading details.
- Custom Branding Available – Overprint your company logo, address, and contact details to reinforce professionalism and safety compliance.
- Optional Magnetic Fixing Strip – Easily attach storage rack weight limit signs to any metal surface for secure and flexible placement.
What’s included in the price?
- Full-colour printing of your company details, logo, and weight load data (or we can send it blank!)
- Semi-rigid PVC sign in your chosen format
- Fast turnaround
Simply enter your loading info during checkout or email us your artwork – we’ll take care of the rest.
Product Options
- Blank Signs – Write in your own data with a permanent marker
- Printed Signs – Professionally printed with your weight loading details
- Magnetic Backing (optional) – Add flexibility for repositioning or temporary racks
- Overbranding – Add your logo and safety contact info (contact us)
What racking systems are these suitable for?
These load signs can be used with:
- Pallet racking
- Shelving and longspan racking
- Cantilever racking
- Mezzanine floor supports
- Any warehouse storage requiring load signage
Order your Weight Load Notices today
Ensure your warehouse is safe, compliant, and clearly marked. Whether you need one sign or one hundred, we’ve got you covered.
Prevent racking failure. Comply with regulations. Protect your people.
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?
Yes - any change to beam levels or layout can affect load capacity. Always update your signs to reflect the current configuration.
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.
