Have you got racking out in your yard or warehouse? When it works as intended, it can help to increase your stock requirements and efficiency, better inventory management, reduce costs and keep your employees and customers safe. But, as a complex piece of equipment, how can you ensure your racking is safe and compliant? Failing to implement best practices throughout the lifetime of your racking can come at a financial, reputational and safety cost you don’t want to ignore.
This is where SEMA can help. As the leading voice for the storage equipment industry, we provide impartial advice on the dos and don’ts for racking structures.
Here are the five areas you need to check when working with racking:
- Know your racking
In any business, there are plenty of health and safety regulations to follow, covering everything from manual handling to working at height. But, did you know there are specific safety guidelines for racking systems?
The first is HSG76 Warehousing and Storage which outlines an owner’s responsibility in ensuring best practice and prevention steps to avoid accidents. The guide advises on safe warehouse management, covering workforce safety, electrical hazards, manual handling, working at height and site transport.
You also have SEMA Codes which are crucial for anyone managing storage equipment. These Codes ensure that racking products are designed, installed, maintained, and repaired to meet quality and safety standards.
Be aware, that following these documents is not a legal requirement but implementing their steps is often enough to meet your requirements.
- Chose reliable suppliers
A racking supplier who understands your business requirements and meets industry standards is essential for keeping employees safe and reducing unnecessary costs. Yet, in a crowded market, how do you know which supplier to trust?
SEMA Members include industry-leading storage equipment manufacturers and suppliers. Membership with SEMA isn’t bought—it’s earned. Members must pass an independent audit that checks the quality of their work, that legal and insurance documentation is in place, and that their work meets the highest industry standards.
We take the quality of our members very seriously, which is why they must retake the audit every three years. Any company failing to maintain our high standards is asked to leave.
- Don’t fail on your installation.
When your racking company supplies your equipment, the design will come with critical information that ensures the stability and safety of your structure. The racking installers must accurately follow this specification.
As the client, it’s easy to use the installers recommended by your supplier. But you should take care – it’s not uncommon for suppliers to subcontract installation work. While many work to high standards, there are still those who haven’t undertaken the appropriate training and therefore does not guarantee they have acquired the correct skills and knowledge of build methods.
To provide a benchmark for the industry, SEMA developed the Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme (SEIRS). This training initiative raises installation standards by instructing installers on safe and correct installation methods in line with SEMA standards.
- Racking training
To reduce unnecessary repair costs and uphold the safety of your equipment, once in place your racking must continue functioning as intended. Any damage to the structure can significantly reduce its load-carrying capacity which is why you need to undertake repairs undertaken quickly.
Your employees are the first line of defence when reporting issues but, this is only possible if they know what to look for. A course like our Rack Safety Awareness programme, which is referenced in HSG76, provides guidance ….instructs on correct loading methods and damage identification.
This training also prepares a nominated member of your team for undertaking the Regular Inspections. Usually conducted weekly/monthly, this visual inspection is a health and safety requirement. It will check for damage, correct usage and ensure maximum loads are not exceeded. They also make a formal report of their findings and required actions. Their findings will be reported as part of your official maintenance documentation.
- The importance of inspection
At least once a year, your racking needs an Expert Inspection by a trained professional such as a SEMA Approved Rack Inspector (SARI). The inspector issues a written report outlining observations, recommendations and proposals for required remedial work. Not all inspections are equal. A “damage only” inspection provides a list of damaged items and possibly their location, while a SARI report offers far more detail, including colour-coded damage and repair timescales. Be aware of inspectors falsely claiming to conduct SARI inspections but haven’t been through our training course. Always check their credentials by asking to see their SARI card.
Bringing racking safety to your business
For over 50 years the association has led the way in ensuring the highest safety and reliability standards in storage equipment. Our guidance covers the lifetime of your equipment and provides a framework for safe storage systems. Everything starts with industry-leading guidance developed by our Technical Committee and continues through the work of our SEMA members. Everything we do is supported by SEMA’s training, installation and inspection initiatives.
If you’d like more advice about working with a SEMA member, contact us by emailing enquiry@sema.org.uk or visiting sema.org.uk.
