Your Guide to Consenting & Compliance for Racking Installation

If you are looking to build, reconfigure, or refit a warehouse in New Zealand, you need to ensure that you carry out the appropriate consenting and compliance to meet the New Zealand Building Code. To do this, you need to take into consideration a number of factors that could get a little confusing. With this guide to consenting and compliance for racking installation, you will quickly get an idea of what is involved and how we can help you to make the whole process a breeze.

What is involved in getting a Building Consent?

Whether you own your warehouse yourself or rent a space, the law now requires you to get consent for racking installation.

You will need to get consent from your local council through an application that includes a site plan, a certificate of title, and a letter of approval from your landlord if applicable, along with any other supporting documents they require. The site plan should also include detailed diagrams of your proposed racking layout with any elevations, as well as your requirements for loading and bracing.

Typically, your local council will need to see producer statements from relevant experts as evidence that your racking complies with the New Zealand Building Code. You will need to submit three or four producer statements, each completed at different stages of the installation. These producer statements are:

• PS1 – This producer statement is supplied by a structural engineer. It contains evaluations of relevant aspects including building condition, site zoning, and your racking plan.
• PS2 – This is a peer review of PS1 and may or may not be required. Your local council will advise on whether this producer statement is needed.
• PS3 – This producer statement is completed by your racking installation company and will confirm that standards, as decided in the PS1, are met.
• PS4 – This producer statement is issued by a registered engineer after an onsite inspection of the racking installation. They will sign off on the project as long as they are satisfied that the installation has been completed as the PS1 outlines.

After you have received your building consent, within 24 months you will need to apply for a Code of Compliance Certificate (CCC) from your local council. This is issued to you as long as your racking installation complies with the building consent and is needed if you will have members of the public in your facility at any point.

Other Documentation That May Be Required

Along with these producer statements, your local council may need to see a number of other documents to support your application. These are likely to include:

• Fire Report – this will outline sprinkler requirements (paper/flammable products are likely to need an in-rack system), where the fire department is able to access water, flue spaces, and egress paths.
• Emergency Lighting Report
• Slab Report – this shows that the floor can handle loads as specified on your PS1
• Building Warrant of Fitness

To avoid any costly errors, you should look to a pallet racking specialist to help you through the consenting and compliance system. Shelving Shop Group will ensure that you have an expert warehouse site plan that will make the most out of your floor space and save you money.

We use an independent structural engineering professional to ensure that your racking is fully up to code and will carry out the whole consent application process on your behalf from collecting reports and producer statements, right the way through to applying for your Code of Compliance Certificate. If you’re looking for specialist shelving or storage for your warehouse space, don’t hesitate to contact us today.