What are the Costs of a Dangerous Warehouse?

Costs of a Dangerous Warehouse

Operating in a dangerous warehouse is the fastest way to make sure that your business fails. Without regular pallet racking inspections, your warehouse ceases to be a storage solution and instead becomes a storage problem. How much does all of this cost a business? Is it something that you can even measure in dollars, pounds, or euros?

Bad Safety Unravels Trust

An unsafe warehouse can be like a jumper with frayed cotton threads. If you pull just one loose end, then the whole thing can start to unravel. After the disastrous explosion in the warehouse in Tianjin, Greenpeace began investigating more warehouses in the same region. This mistrust is fatal for businesses and, in this case, the mistrust was entirely appropriate as the investigations led to the discovery of more warehouses violating rules on toxic materials.

Racking Inspection Courses and Pallet Racking Inspections vs. Cutting Corners

The government recommends that warehouses undergo a SEMA approved pallet racking inspection at least once a year and that every warehouse employs “technically competent” staff. Racking inspection training is a great way to ensure that your staff are “technically competent”. Investing a little money in racking inspection and racking inspection training is a much better use of your finances than spending a huge amount of money dealing with an inefficient warehouse, or worse, a workplace accident.

For this reason, it makes no sense to cut corners on safety training. Ignoring HSE advice is dangerous, expensive, and makes your warehouse harder to use. By contrast, staff who are “technically competent” are better at their job, as well as safer. Investing in your staff will earn you money in the long term, leaving them untrained will cost you big.

The Cold Hard Facts

The human and economic costs of dangerous British businesses are enormous. According to HSE’s most recent figures, 142 people were killed at work last year and 1.2 million people are currently suffering from a work related illness or injury. The monetary cost, of course, is not as important as the human cost. Though, at £14.3 billion per year, it is yet another reason why businesses should invest in safe workplace practice and safe warehouses.

Don’t let a dangerous warehouse cost your business. Call Storage Equipment Experts Ltd for a racking inspection training course from a SEMA qualified racking inspector.

A Summary of the SEMA Safety Conference: 5th November, 2015

SEMA Safety Conference UK

The November 2015 SEMA Safety Conference was an event that had been highly anticipated by both the private and the public sectors. The day itself saw many talks from a range of people across the world of health and safety who helped to clarify what was happening in the present as well as give some insight into the future.

Who Was There and What Did They Say?

The event comprised of nine talks, and three of those were about racking. Specifically, racking inspections, racking protection, racking inspection training, cantilever racking, pallet racking, and the future of racking inspections were all subjects that were addressed on the day. Aside from racking, there was much else to talk about.

After some preliminary introductions from president Matt Grierson, Nina Day delivered the first talk of the conference and discussed ways to prevent supply chain accidents on the road. Following this, Craig O’Dea discussed how to best manage a modern warehouse and gave hints as to what technologies might be used in future warehouses. Rob Shaw then discussed slips, trips, and falls, detailing the difference between them.

Shaw, who literally wrote the book on slips, trips, and falls, criticised the “what can you do?” attitude of some businesses with regards to this issue. He argued that there was actually an awful lot that businesses can do to prevent these types of accidents.

Richard Heath spoke about the importance of recording accidents and near misses and how these reports are helping the health and safety industry towards its goal of a zero harm workplace. Stewart Howard added to this with his presentation on accident investigation. The final talk of the event was from Neil Sheehan, a nominee for Asda’s Act With Integrity Award. He spoke on behalf of Asda, and private business in general, as he outlined the responsibilities that retailers have with regards to “end user” warehouse safety.

The Importance of Racking Inspection Training and The Future of Pallet Racking Inspections

The second of the three talks on racking was from Steve Cowen of SEMA’s technical committee. In his talk, he championed the importance of SEMA approved racking inspectors (SARIs) and how they are there to spot the things that others may miss. Without racking inspection training, it is quite easy to miss rust on pallet racking if it’s been painted over.

Towards the end of his talk, he mentioned how SEMA are considering working with drones in order to perform racking inspections in the future. The benefits of using a drone are that SARIs can perform racking inspections in areas that they might otherwise consider too dangerous to approach. However, he conceded there are several legal and logistical hurdles to get over before this future dream of racking inspections becomes a reality.

Contact the SEMA approved racking inspectors who never miss a thing! Get in touch with Storage Equipment Experts Ltd for racking inspection training or for a racking inspection from a SEMA approved racking inspector.

The Future of Pallet Racking and Warehouses

Future of Pallet Racking and Warehouses

Legal writer and academic Peter Drucker once said, “Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window”. The quote has two morals: the first is that predicting the future is hard, perhaps dangerous, and the second is that to predict the future we need to look at the past or “look out the back window”.

With regards to the modern warehouse and the future of pallet racking, those who wanted to predict the future would have to take note of its role in the Industrial Revolution. If another revolution is on its way, as some generational theorists predict, will the modern warehouse and pallet racking play a part? And what part will it play?

Safe and Sustainable: Pallet Racking Inspections, Racking Inspection Courses, and the Environment

The environment is the key issue of our times, and so the future of warehousing and logistics will need to recognise this. The recent warehouse explosions in Tianjin, China are a sign of what the warehouses of the future will look like if warehouse safety and the environment are ignored in the name of profit. Unsafe production and environmental disaster usually go hand in hand, as the lethal air pollution caused by palm oil production in Indonesia has made clear.

Future warehouses should be ones that invest in sustainable practices. More racking inspection courses and pallet racking inspections will ensure that businesses are safer and are looking to the future. Alongside this, businesses will need to be more environmentally friendly. After all, just as the problems related to workplace safety and the environment go hand in hand, so too do the solutions. As researcher Doug Morrow points out, sustainable business is a multifaceted concept.

Safe and cybersafe: pallet racking inspections, racking inspection courses, and digital technologies

The use of robots and digital technologies to increase the efficiency of warehouses is already happening. Amazon uses countless programs, codes, and machines to do a large amount of the work in its warehouse. This effect will only become more pronounced, and more widespread, in the future. Online shopping has lead to increased demand and increased supply. However, the speed of all of this has come at a cost. Online retail companies like Amazon rely on a system that is literally known as “chaotic storage” and workers have complained about mistreatment and lack of safety.

The future of warehouse use depends on combining the best elements of new technologies with a safe and sustainable business model. Whatever the future warehouse looks like, we at SEMA racking inspections will be there to ensure that it operates as safely and efficiently as possible. Just as pallet racking inspections have been a vital part of our warehouses in the past, pallet racking inspections are a vital part of our warehouses’ future.

Is your warehouse ready for the future? Contact Storage Equipment Experts Ltd today for racking inspection training or a pallet racking inspection from a SEMA approved racking inspector.

The History of Pallet Racking and Warehouses

History of Pallet Racking and Warehouses

From the industrial revolution to the rise of Amazon, warehouses have always been behind the scenes of a much greater historical narrative of business. But where did it all begin? How did we come to live in a world where warehouses and pallet racking are so essential to companies and economies?

The year 15,000 BW (Before Warehouses)

Warehouses, in different forms, have arguably been around as long as humans have had agriculture. Settling down in one spot meant that humans could harvest food rather than hunt for it. All this harvested food needs to be stored and so, in that sense, humans have been using warehouses for 15,000 years. Still, the warehouse as we know it today is a much more recent invention.

The Modern Warehouse, Pallet Racking Systems, and the Industrial Revolution

A planned and efficient warehouse with organised pallet racking systems that categorically stores items en masses has its roots in the industrial revolution. The modern warehouse meant that humans could produce huge surpluses that allowed for jobs beyond farming and making things from raw materials. This surplus has been hugely important in human history. As John Green puts it, if you live somewhere other than a farm, enjoy free education, eat blueberries during the winter, or live anything even resembling a modern lifestyle, then you have the Industrial Revolution to thank. And without warehouses or pallet racking systems, the Industrial Revolution could not have happened.

Warehouses Today and the Importance of SEMA Approved Pallet Racking Inspections

Since the Industrial Revolution, warehouses have gone through many changes. The first is that they became more functional, rather than being the aesthetically pleasing buildings that they once were. This increase in functionality is a sign of how warehouses have multiplied. Now, warehouses have a variety of uses. Some of the oldest once have become part of history, their architecture making them perfect for art installations or museums. More technologically advanced warehouses have helped fuel the rise of online shopping. Amazon, for example, prides itself on a well maintained warehouse and an excellent pallet racking system.

The current challenge for warehouses is not rapid growth, but steady growth. In less economically developed regions, we have seen the disastrous costs of valuing efficiency of business over safety when it comes to warehouse use. This is why SEMA approved pallet racking inspections and racking inspection courses are so important. The warehouse of today, and the warehouse of the future, should aim to be smart and safe in order to be profitable.

Make sure your business has the warehouse of the future! Contact Storage Equipment Experts Ltd today for a pallet racking inspection from a SEMA approved racking inspector.

How to do a Pallet Racking Inspection?

Pallet Racking Inspection UK

Pallet racking inspection cannot be performed by just anybody. HSE state that only people who are “technically competent” can perform pallet racking inspections, but there has been confusion in the past about what this means. Before the new CDM regulations came into place, the loose definition of “competence” led to the rise of over 300 different card schemes.

Pallet Racking Inspections and Racking Inspection Training

HSE have identified SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors (SARIs) as “expert inspectors” and recommend a pallet racking inspection from an “expert inspector” at least once every twelve months. HSE also recommends that the regular inspections are performed by a business’ staff. The best way to ensure that your staff are “technically competent” enough to do this is through racking inspection training and racking inspection courses.

Pallet Racking Inspection Checklist

If you are qualified to inspect pallet racking, you then need to consult a racking inspection checklist. The checklist details what parts of the pallet racking system you should be looking at, what counts as safe, and what counts as unsafe. There are many things to consider, but the most common sign of damaged racking is if it is bowed in the middle from too much weight. The level of bending should be measured, taken note of, and marked as safe or unsafe according to the regulations laid out on your racking inspection checklist.

It is important to be accurate as the difference between an acceptable and an unacceptable amount of bending can sometimes be less than a millimetre. However, if something is on the very edges of safe, then that “near miss” should not be ignored either. A pallet racking inspection requires constant diligence and high standards.

Pallet Racking Inspection LogBook

As you go through your checklist, you should mark each piece of racking as either red, amber, or green. HSE recommend using this system to avoid ambiguity: green means safe, amber means repairs are needed as soon as possible, and red means repairs are needed instantly. Ambiguity can cause a company to “suffer from inaction” and, when it comes to racking safety, inaction is toxic.

Contact Storage Equipment Experts Ltd today for racking inspection courses and racking inspections from a a SEMA approved “expert racking inspector”.