Overview
What is AS 4084:2023 and who does it apply to?
AS 4084:2023 is the current Australian Standard titled Steel storage racking — Design, installation and use. It was published in 2023 and supersedes the long-standing AS 4084-2012 edition. Any business that owns, operates or leases warehouses with steel pallet racking — from a single bay to a 50,000-pallet DC — sits inside its scope.
Crucially, the Standard is referenced by SafeWork NSW and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland as the benchmark for what is "reasonably practicable" under the WHS Act. That makes compliance effectively mandatory for any PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking).
What's new
What changed in the 2023 edition
The 2023 edition is not a complete rewrite, but the changes matter. Engineers, installers and inspectors in QLD and NSW have all updated their procedures around the following areas:
- Updated load combination factors aligned with AS/NZS 1170.
- Expanded scope covering drive-in, push-back and cantilever systems.
- Stricter rules on replacing damaged uprights with manufacturer-original components.
- Clearer documentation requirements for annual inspection reports.
- Updated guidance on baseplate anchorage in concrete slabs.
- Tighter language on competent-person qualifications.
Inspection cadence
The four levels of inspection AS 4084 expects
The Standard splits inspection responsibility across four cadences. Each one has a different competence requirement and a different documentation expectation.
| Cadence | Who | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Daily walk-around | Warehouse staff (forklift operators, supervisors) | Verbal escalation of obvious damage |
| Weekly visual | Trained warehouse supervisor | Written log entry |
| Monthly / quarterly internal | Designated competent in-house inspector | Internal report with photos |
| Annual external | Independent competent person (engineer or installer) | Formal AS 4084 report with RAG ratings |
Quick check
Roles
Who is a 'competent person'?
AS 4084:2023 reserves several inspection and sign-off responsibilities for a "competent person". This is one of the most misunderstood parts of the Standard. A competent person is someone with documented training, qualifications and experience — not simply the most senior warehouse staff member.
- Chartered structural engineer (RPEQ in Queensland, CPEng nationally).
- Manufacturer-trained and certified racking inspector.
- QBCC-licensed installer with documented inspection competency.
- Holder of an SARI (Specialist Approved Racking Inspector) credential.
PCBU duties
Your legal obligations under WHS law
Under the WHS Act (mirrored in QLD, NSW and most other states), the PCBU has a non-delegable duty to ensure the workplace is safe so far as is reasonably practicable. For racked warehouses, regulators expect — at minimum — annual external inspections, current load notice signage, an incident reporting procedure and a documented damage-replacement policy.
Failing on any of these exposes officers personally under section 27 of the Act. Penalties for category 1 offences exceed $3 million for body corporates and $600,000 plus imprisonment for individuals.