"The rack will hold" – many racking failures begin with exactly this sentence. Anyone placing pallets or containers into storage must be able to tell two key figures apart with confidence: the shelf load (Fachlast) and the bay load (Feldlast). Both appear on the load notice, both limit the permissible loading – but they do not mean the same thing. Confusing them means overloading the rack without noticing.
This guide explains the two terms as defined in DGUV Information 208-061, shows you how to read a load notice correctly, and why the way the load is distributed within a shelf level matters just as much as its weight. How to determine and dimension a rack's load capacity by calculation is covered in the separate article Heavy-duty racking: calculating load capacity – this article focuses on the terminology and its correct application in day-to-day warehouse operations.
Shelf load and bay load: definitions according to DGUV 208-061
The authoritative rule is DGUV Information 208-061 "Lager- und Regaleinrichtungen" (storage and racking equipment, November 2023, updated July 2024). It replaced the former DGUV Regel 108-007. Section 4.2.7.1 defines the two figures as follows: "The shelf load (Fachlast) is the load that can be placed into one shelf level. The bay load (Feldlast) is the sum of the shelf loads in one bay, generally assuming a uniformly distributed load."
Translated into practice: a shelf level is a single storage level between two adjacent upright frames – in pallet racking, that means a pair of beams with the pallets placed on them. A bay comprises all shelf levels stacked between the same upright frames, from the floor to the top level. The shelf load limits the beams of one level; the bay load limits the upright frames that carry the entire bay.
A numerical example of the order of magnitude comes from the DGUV's model inspection protocol: it shows a pallet rack with a maximum shelf load of 2.25 t and a maximum bay load of 20 t. Both values apply at the same time – neither may be exceeded.
Why bay load is not shelf load times number of levels
A common misconception: "Five levels with a shelf load of 2.25 t each – so I may put 11.25 t into the bay." That may be true, but it does not have to be. The bay load is an independent limit derived from the structural design of the upright frames – not from adding up the shelf loads.
The reason: the uprights carry the sum of all levels and are additionally subject to buckling. In tall racks with many levels, the permissible bay load is therefore often lower than the arithmetic product of shelf load and number of levels. In the example from the DGUV model protocol, ten levels at 2.25 t each would come to 22.5 t – but only 20 t are permitted in the bay.
For everyday practice this means: always check both values before placing goods into storage. A shelf level may still have reserve capacity while the bay is already at its limit – for instance when all other levels are fully occupied with heavy unit loads.
Reading the load notice correctly
According to DGUV Information 208-061, section 4.2.7.1, stationary racking must carry the following information, permanently attached and clearly visible:
- manufacturer or importer of the rack
- type designation
- year of manufacture or commission number
- permissible shelf and bay loads
- maximum weight of the unit load
As an alternative to the shelf load, the manufacturer may state the maximum number of unit loads per shelf level together with the maximum weight per unit load – in total this amounts to the same limit, but it is often easier for warehouse staff to check.
On newer notices based on DIN EN 15512, one piece of information many people expect may be missing: the standard requires the maximum weight of the unit load and the maximum bay load; a shelf load figure is no longer mandatory for adjustable pallet racking (DGUV Information 208-043, section 4.11). The background: with adjustable beams, the shelf load depends on the actual beam height. Important: if beam levels are repositioned later, the structural situation changes – the notice must then be reassessed by the manufacturer or a competent person.
If the load notice is missing altogether or illegible, the rule is: do not store anything – request the values from the manufacturer or have the rack assessed by a competent person.
The 200 kg / 1,000 kg threshold: when no notice is required
DGUV Information 208-061 names one exception: hand-loaded racks and cabinets with a shelf load below 200 kg or a bay load below 1,000 kg – typically office shelving – do not require the information listed above. In warehouse and workshop environments this exception rarely applies: a shelving unit with small parts reaches these limits quickly, and any rack served by forklift trucks exceeds them in any case.
Special case: cantilever racking
For cantilever racking holding long goods such as pipes, profiles or sheets, the shelf/bay scheme does not fit, because there are no enclosed shelf levels. Section 4.2.7.2 of DGUV Information 208-061 therefore requires instead the permissible load per cantilever arm and per column. The two-limit principle applies here as well: individual arms may still have reserve while the column as a whole is already at capacity.
Load distribution within the shelf level: how the load sits matters too
The shelf load on the notice is not an unconditional figure. It applies to a uniformly distributed load – as the DGUV definition itself states. How the load sits within the shelf level changes the stress on the beams considerably.
Distributed load vs. point load: why only half the shelf load may apply
A load spread evenly along the beam length (distributed load) is the design case for which the shelf load applies. If, however, the weight is concentrated as a pure point load at mid-span, the bending stress in the beam doubles – only half the shelf load is then permissible. This follows from the beam load factors in Table F.1 of DIN EN 15512:2010-09 and is explicitly addressed in DGUV Information 208-043, section 4.12.
This becomes practically relevant with heavy individual items: a tool case containing a machine, a mesh box placed centrally in the shelf level, a single heavy unit. Uniformly loaded pallets, by contrast, may be treated approximately as a distributed load – the normal case in pallet racking is therefore covered.
Equally critical: pallets placed too deep. If a pallet does not rest correctly on both beams but sits too far into the aisle or into the rack, the load shifts – inner uprights and beams become overloaded even though the total weight is within limits (DGUV Information 208-043).
EPAL pallet weights as a reference
For checking unit loads, the standardised EPAL Euro pallet provides a useful reference. Its payload is 1,500 kg with a uniformly distributed load; with a compact load resting on the full surface, up to 2,000 kg are permissible. When pallets are stacked, the bottom pallet may carry a superimposed load of no more than 4,000 kg. Knowing these figures makes it easy to see whether a unit load is even compatible with the "maximum weight of the unit load" stated on the load notice.
Detecting overload: measuring beam deflection
Beams deflect under load – that is normal and accounted for in the design. What matters is the amount. According to DGUV Information 208-043, section 4.4 (based on DIN EN 15635), the maximum beam deflection at nominal load is 1/200 of the span, i.e. 5 mm per metre. For a 2.7 m beam that is 13.5 mm.
The check can be done with basic equipment: a 1 m spirit level and two 5 mm spacers. Place the spacers at the ends of the spirit level and hold it under the loaded beam – if the beam touches the spirit level in the middle, the permissible deflection has been exceeded.
Three further limit values belong in every visual inspection:
- Permanent deformation: an unloaded beam must spring back. If more than 1/1000 of the span (1 mm per metre) of deformation remains in the unloaded state, the beam has been overloaded – unload it and have it inspected.
- Horizontal plastic deformation: laterally bent beams are tolerable up to 2.5 mm per metre – 50% of the nominal vertical deflection.
- Plumb of the uprights: the deviation may not exceed 1/200 of the upright height under full load (DIN EN 15620 and DGUV Information 208-061, section 4.2.6, respectively).
How to classify identified damage and which consequences follow is described in the guide to the damage classes green/amber/red. And since deformed uprights frequently result from impact damage, intact rack impact protection belongs on every rack run served by forklift trucks.
The family of standards at a glance
Shelf load and bay load do not stand in isolation but form part of a coordinated set of standards for pallet racking:
- DIN EN 15512 – structural design: specifies how beams and upright frames are dimensioned.
- DIN EN 15620 – tolerances, deformations and clearances: defines, among other things, the tolerances for plumb and deflection.
- DIN EN 15629 – specification of storage equipment: governs the coordination between operator and manufacturer before ordering.
- DIN EN 15635 – application and maintenance: the basis for inspections and safe operation.
For operation, § 14 Abs. 2 BetrSichV (German Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health) adds the obligation of recurring inspection. DIN EN 15635 specifies this further: expert inspection at least every 12 months plus regular visual checks by in-house staff. Details and procedure can be found in the guide to rack inspection according to DIN EN 15635.
Checklist: 7 points before placing goods into storage
- 1. Load notice present and legible? No valid information, no storage.
- 2. Weight of the unit load known? It must not exceed the maximum unit load weight stated on the notice.
- 3. Shelf load observed? Check the sum of all unit loads on the level against the value on the notice.
- 4. Bay load observed? Add up all levels of the bay – do not look at one shelf level alone.
- 5. Load uniformly distributed? With a point load at mid-span, only half the shelf load applies.
- 6. Pallet positioned correctly? Do not place it too deep – otherwise inner uprights and beams become overloaded.
- 7. Rack undamaged? Deflection within limits, uprights plumb, impact protection intact, no open defects from the last inspection.
FAQ: frequent questions on shelf load and bay load
What is the shelf load (Fachlast)?
According to DGUV Information 208-061, the shelf load is the load that may be placed into a single shelf level of a rack – i.e. one storage level between two upright frames. It applies to a uniformly distributed load; with a point load at mid-span, only half the shelf load is permissible.
What does bay load (Feldlast) mean?
The bay load is the sum of the shelf loads in one bay, i.e. in all shelf levels stacked between two upright frames. It is an independent limit derived from the structural design of the uprights and can be lower than shelf load times number of levels. Both values must be observed at the same time.
From what point does a rack need a load notice?
According to DGUV Information 208-061, stationary racking must carry information on the manufacturer, type, year of manufacture or commission number, shelf and bay loads, and the maximum weight of the unit load. The only exception covers hand-loaded racks and cabinets with a shelf load below 200 kg or a bay load below 1,000 kg – office shelving, for example. Any rack served by forklift trucks requires the notice in every case.
Unsure whether your load notices match the actual configuration, or planning a reconfiguration? Our consulting team supports you in assessing and dimensioning your racking installation.