Does OSHA require a rack’s load rating be posted?

OSHA does not have a standard that specifically requires the load rating on racking. However, employees placing loads in racks should know the weight of the load as well as if the racks can handle it. OSHA typically cites racking hazards under the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act, often referencing the industry standard ANSI MH16.1.

As an example, the following is an excerpt from an 11/15/2009 Federal OSHA General Duty Clause citation regarding load ratings and what should be on the signage/plaque: “Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to a struck by hazard from failing storage racks: a) Dry Good Warehouse - The steel storage racks did not have plaques posted indicating the maximum permissible unit load and/or maximum uniformly distributed load per level and the maximum total load per bay. An accident occurred when the racking storage ... collapsed, crushing an employee’s ankle between racking material and the forklift, on or about July 28, 2009. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among others, one feasible and acceptable method of abatement to correct the hazard is to comply with ANSI MH16.1:2008, entitled Specification for the Design, Testing and Utilization of Industrial Steel Storage Racks, Section 1.4.2 Plaque, which states, “The owner is responsible for displaying in one or more conspicuous locations a permanent plaque(s). Each plaque shall have an area of not less than 50 square inches. Plaques shall show in clear, legible print (a) the maximum permissible unit load and/or maximum uniformly distributed load per level, (b) the average unit load (PL average, See Section 2.6.2) if applicable and (c) maximum total load per bay. The unit load is usually a single pallet or container and its contests mechanically transported. Storage levels having multiple stacking of unit loads shall be so identified. It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that the rack system is not altered so that the plaque information is invalidated ...”

The above would apply to industrial steel storage racks. Something like a small shelf wouldn’t be covered under the above. OSHA to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on something of that nature (which likely explain the capacity but may not explicitly require labeling). The industry best practice is to identify load ratings on racks through signage or labels.