Although Racking is not singled out in any particular legislation, it is classed as ‘work equipment’.

The following ‘Acts’ & ‘Statutory Instruments’ do cover this subject largely, whereby employers have a responsibility to ensure “so far as reasonably practicable” that any ‘work equipment’ and ‘systems of work’ are safe and without risks to health.

Current legislation stipulates that among the “General duties of employers to their employees” :-.

• arrangements for ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances. [H&S@W - 1974].

The Regulations require risks to people's health and safety, from equipment that they use at work, to be prevented or controlled.

In general terms, the Regulations require that equipment provided for use at work is :-

• safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and, in certain circumstances, inspected to ensure this remains the case;
• You must ensure that the work equipment you provide meets the requirements of PUWER. In doing so, you should ensure that it is:
• suitable for use, and for the purpose and conditions in which it is used;
• maintained in a safe condition for use so that people’s health and safety is not at risk; and
• inspected …to ensure that it is, and continues to be, safe for use. Any inspection should be carried out by a competent person and a record kept until the next inspection. [PUWER - 1998].