We see it far too often. Stacking pallets on top of pallets is still happening in warehouses, and the answer to whether it’s compliant is very clear. Absolutely not.
It’s one of those practices that can feel convenient and harmless at the time, but it carries serious risk if it becomes a normal way of operating.
Why Pallet-on-Pallet Stacking Is a Problem
The real risk comes when stacking pallets on pallets becomes common practice. If that practice continues and there’s a workplace injury, the penalties can be significant. If the risk has been identified as part of a workplace health and safety investigation and no action is taken, and someone is seriously injured or killed, there is a real risk of industrial manslaughter, which is now law in Queensland.
That’s not theoretical. That’s the legal framework businesses are operating under today.
Who Carries the Responsibility?
It’s a collective responsibility, but ultimately the responsibility sits with the business owner. Warehouse managers, supervisors and forklift drivers also share in that risk, particularly if unsafe practices are allowed to continue or workers are instructed to operate that way.
This is something we used to see a lot more of. Thankfully, it’s less common now, but it still happens, particularly in busy warehouses where space is tight and speed is prioritised.
Where This Usually Happens
Most often, we see pallet-on-pallet stacking with one-tonne bulk bags, feed stock, grain, or similar products. A bag gets stacked on another bag, and over time everything slowly starts to move off to one side.
You can see how it happens. It’s quick. It’s easy. It feels efficient. But it’s an environment that is fraught with risk.
What Can Go Wrong
The most common outcome we see is product loss.
A one-tonne bag is stacked on another pallet. The top bag falls, splits open, and the product goes everywhere. You’ve lost the product, you’ve got a clean-up job, downtime, and if someone is hurt, you’re dealing with a full workplace health and safety incident and reporting process.
There’s been a degree of complacency around this practice in the past, but the reality is that for not a great deal of cost in racking, you can eliminate essentially all of that risk with an appropriate pallet racking solution.
“Can I Just Stack One on Top?”
If a forklift driver asks whether they can stack a pallet on top of another pallet, the answer is simple: don’t.
A pallet is designed to sit on the floor or on racking beams. It is not designed to sit on top of whatever the pallet is carrying, whether that’s a bag, a spool, netting, or any other product.
You might argue that a pallet of bricks or blocks is relatively stable, and maybe it is. But height matters. Two pallets at around 800 mm each is one thing. Start stacking higher and you quickly end up with a four-metre-high stack. That’s not a sustainable or safe way to operate a warehouse.
The Legal Risk People Don’t Think About
This is where things become very murky.
I’m not a lawyer, but my understanding is that workers are expected to apply good practice. Pallet-on-pallet stacking is not considered good practice. If a worker is instructed to do it and complies, they may be considered complicit. The supervisor who gave the instruction also carries liability.
Where it becomes very serious is when the risk has been highlighted, attempts have been made to change the practice, and nothing changes. At that point, it becomes a question of negligence. Repeated negligence, particularly where someone is killed, can put people in court.
Every warehouse carries risk. You can manage that risk well, or you can manage it poorly. That decision sits with the business.
A Better Way to Do It
Pallet-on-pallet stacking usually happens because the warehouse has outgrown its storage system. In most cases, a relatively small investment in proper racking removes the need for this practice entirely.
If pallet-on-pallet stacking has become a normal part of how your warehouse operates, it’s a sign the storage system is no longer keeping up with the business. Leaving it in place exposes the business, management, and staff to unnecessary risk.
Contact the Team at QLD Storage Systems Today
QLD Storage Systems works with warehouse operators to assess existing storage practices, identify where risks are being created, and design racking solutions that remove the need for unsafe stacking altogether. Whether it’s adding selective pallet racking, reconfiguring an existing system, or planning for future growth, addressing it early is far simpler and far less costly than dealing with the consequences after an incident.
About Mennolt Regtien
Mennolt Regtien brings more than 20 years of hands-on experience in the storage and pallet racking industry in Australia, backed by a broader career spent helping businesses grow, improve productivity and solve operational challenges. Before moving into pallet racking and storage systems, he spent around 10 years consulting to small and medium businesses on growth and development, and earlier worked in venture capital and startups, including helping Australasian companies expand into Asian and US markets.
His experience helps him look beyond the racking itself to understand each client’s wider business goals, identify operational issues quickly, and recommend storage solutions that support both efficiency and future growth.
