Daily Cycle Counting
Daily cycle counting of assigned storage locations, covering count list generation, blind count discipline, recount rules and variance thresholds, safe access to upper rack locations without climbing, and the approval required before an inventory adjustment is posted.
- Audience
- Cycle counters, inventory control associates, and inventory control supervisors
- Review cycle
- quarterly
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-14
- Revision
- 1
What is in the procedure
8 sections. Regulatory language is fixed and passes through verbatim. Sections marked customized get rewritten around your facility, your equipment, and your job titles.
- 01
Purpose
FixedThis procedure establishes how assigned storage locations are counted each day, how variances are recounted and researched, and how inventory adjustments are approved and posted.
- 02
Scope
CustomizedThis procedure applies to routine daily cycle counting of storage and pick locations during normal operations.
- 03
Responsibilities
CustomizedCycle counters count only what they can see and reach safely, record the count blind, and never adjust inventory themselves.
- 04
Procedure: Count List Generation and Blind Count Discipline
CustomizedThe value of a cycle count comes entirely from the counter not knowing the expected quantity, so the blind discipline is the procedure, not a formality.
- 05
Procedure: Safe Access to Upper Locations
FixedMost cycle count injuries come from a counter trying to see or reach a location that is not accessible from the floor.
- 06
Procedure: Recount, Variance Research, and Adjustment Approval
CustomizedA first count that disagrees with the system is a question, not an answer.
- 07
Exception Handling
CustomizedStop and escalate rather than working around the problem whenever any of the following is found: a location that cannot be counted safely from the floor and for which approved access is not available, a location that is...
- 08
References
Fixed29 CFR 1910.22 Walking-working surfaces, general requirements.
OSHA references
Daily Cycle Counting: 29 CFR 1910.22(a)
Every SOP generated from this template cites the paragraphs below, with a plain-language summary of what each one requires. Citations are informational and are not legal advice.
| Standard | Title | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1910.22(a) | Walking-working surfaces: general requirements | Walking-working surfaces must be kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition, free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, spills, and debris that create slip, trip, or fall hazards. |
| 29 CFR 1910.176(a) | Materials handling: use of mechanical equipment | Where mechanical handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearances must be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways, and wherever turns or passage must be made. Aisles and passageways must be kept clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard, and permanent aisles must be appropriately marked. |
Compliance checklist
What an inspector looks for
Count aisles, the base of access equipment, and walking surfaces are kept clean, dry, and free of debris and protruding objects
29 CFR 1910.22(a)
Aisles and passageways stay clear and passable while counting is in progress
29 CFR 1910.176(a)
Counters never climb on rack, pallets, product, or carts and never ride on forks or a raised pallet to reach an upper location
Counts are performed blind, with the expected quantity hidden from the counter through the first count and any recount
Every adjustment is researched, documented with a cause, and approved by someone other than the person who counted the location
Waitlist
Generate this SOP for your facility
At launch you answer the facility questionnaire once and this template comes back with your equipment, your titles, and your sign-off sheet attached.
This page is informational and is not legal advice. Have a qualified safety professional review any procedure before it goes into service at your facility.