NTC 2018: What It Is and Why It Matters for Industrial Shelving Safety

In Italy, the Technical Standards for Construction (NTC 2018, or Norme tecniche per le costruzioni) represent the cornerstone for the design, execution, and testing of construction works—including industrial shelving systems.

The regulation defines the general safety criteria to follow throughout the entire lifecycle of a construction.

According to NTC 2018, each structural work must ensure:

• Structural strength
• Stability
• Long-term durability

NTC 2018 requires the assessment of all external actions that can affect structural safety and stability, including:

• Seismic activity: one of the most critical factors, particularly in earthquake-prone regions.
• Wind loads: can cause dangerous lateral forces, especially in outdoor or semi-open warehouses.
• Snow loads: typically affect roofs but can indirectly impact shelving under certain conditions.
• Temperature variations: fluctuations can alter the material behaviour of steel shelving over time.

The Core of Seismic Design: Design Life, Use Categories, and Reference Period

One of the main elements in NTC 2018 is the concept of design life, defined as “the number of years during which the structure is expected to maintain specific performance levels, as long as maintenance is carried out.”

Depending on the kind of structure, the minimum design life differs:

Design life influences:

• The choice of materials
• The safety coefficients to apply
• The analytical methods for structural calculations

Another key concept is the use category, which defines the structure’s importance in terms of public safety.

Each use category is associated with a use coefficient (CU in Italian) which, when multiplied by the design life (VN in Italian), results in the reference period—the timeframe in which a seismic event of a certain intensity is considered likely.

Thus, design life, use category, and reference period are the fundamental parameters for seismic design in structural works.

In Italy, every new structure must account for the local seismic risk. But what about existing structures?

Chapter 8 of NTC 2018 establishes a seismic vulnerability assessment to evaluate and classify the seismic safety level of an existing structure.

The goal is to identify structural weaknesses and plan appropriate seismic strengthening or retrofitting actions.

Seismic Interventions: Retrofit and Improvement

• Shelving seismic retrofit: aims at bringing the structure up to the safety levels required for new structures, minimising seismic risk.
• Shelving seismic improvement: aims at improving the existing structural safety, without necessarily meeting the full requirements for new structures.

According to NTC 2018, adjustment is mandatory in some specific cases:

1. Change of use that increases loads or risks to people
2. Structural modifications that change the structural system
3. Vertical extensions or expansions
4. Changes in the use category

Even if these interventions only involve single parts of the structure, compliance is still required.

NTC 2018 provides a comprehensive regulatory framework to ensure the safety, durability, and longevity of structural works—including industrial shelving systems. Aligning with these standards throughout the entire lifecycle—from design to installation and ongoing maintenance—is essential to reduce the risk of accidents, failures, and costly interruptions.

In the industrial sector, where warehouse efficiency is key, implementing proper safety measures is a valuable investment to prevent future issues.

Need to ensure your industrial shelving meets the latest safety standards under NTC 2018? Contact us for a tailored technical consultation and compliance assessment.