Product Overview

This Warehouse Racking Storage and Stacking Safety SWMS is a fully editable Safe Work Method Statement designed to control hazards associated with warehouse storage, racking systems and stacking activities, helping you maintain strong WHS compliance on site. It provides comprehensive, task-specific guidance covering multiple aspects of warehouse racking, stock stacking, material handling and storage operations to minimise the risk of collapse, impact, and manual handling injuries in High Risk Construction Work and warehousing environments.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Cargo storage operations, including safe placement, segregation and retrieval of palletised and loose goods
• Cold storage operations, including racking use in refrigerated and freezer environments and managing slip and visibility hazards
• Development and implementation of safe material storage procedures for different load types and packaging
• Preventing overloading of racks through correct load rating identification, signage and weight distribution controls
• Securing unstable racks and stock using bracing, restraints, pallet wrapping and housekeeping controls
• Safe stacking of finished panels, sheet products and long materials to prevent tipping, crushing and damage
• Stock stacking and storing methods, including maximum stack heights, stability checks and access clearances
• Storage and stacking of mixed materials, including hazardous, fragile and odd-shaped items
• Identifying and correcting unsafe stacking and storage handling practices before incidents occur
• Unstacking racking and de-racking activities, including step-by-step controls for safe removal of stock
• General warehousing tasks such as replenishment, order picking and put-away around racking systems
• Interaction of forklifts, pallet jacks and other mobile plant with racking aisles and pedestrian walkways
• Inspection, reporting and isolation of damaged or suspect racking components
• Emergency procedures for racking impact, partial collapse, product spills and restricted access areas

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for warehouse operators, logistics and distribution centres, cold storage facilities, manufacturing sites with racking systems, and site supervisors managing storage and stacking operations.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
• Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice: Guidance on using forklifts, pallet jacks and other plant around racking systems
• Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace Code of Practice: Requirements for segregated and secure storage of hazardous substances within racking and storage areas
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice: Framework for identifying, assessing and controlling risks associated with storage, stacking and racking operations
• Manual Tasks Code of Practice: Controls for hazardous manual handling during stacking, unstacking and stock movement
• Safe Work Australia – General Guide for Workplace Traffic Management: Controls for interaction between mobile plant, pedestrians and racking aisles
• AS 4084 Steel Storage Racking: Requirements for design, installation, operation and inspection of steel racking systems