What is a Risk Assessment – Complete UK Guide

A risk assessment form on a desk

Risk assessment are essential to workplace safety, but what are they exactly?

Without a risk assessments, your workplace could well be breaking the law. Yet, the reason you might not have performed a risk assessment might not be because you’re trying to be dangerous. It could simply be because you don’t know what a risk assessment is.

So, what is a risk assessments? And how can businesses perform them?

What is a Risk Assessment and What is a Ssafety Inspection?

A risk assessment is not just a safety inspection. A risk assessment is an evaluation of all the potential dangers in your workplace, followed by a series of planned actions designed to remove, reduce and minimise those risks. Every business in the UK with more than five employees is legally required to perform a risk assessments – from a local bakery to the BBC.

A workplace safety inspection is a different thing entirely, though it’s also important. It involves checking for damage on a specific piece of work equipment and figuring out whether or not that piece of work equipment needs some kind of repair.

How is a Risk Assessment Performed?

Now that you can answer the question “What is a risk assessment?”, it’s time to actually perform one. A risk assessment involves five simple steps and none of these are designed to create unnecessary paperwork.

Rather, the aim is to make your workplace as safe as possible. Some of it might involve common sense, and that’s okay. Apply that common sense to come up with some common sense safety regulations.

1. Identify Potential Hazards

If you know what is a risk assessment and what is not a risk assessments, the first step should be very obvious. However, just in case, the first stage of a risk assessment is to well assess risks. Though, what does that mean in practice?

Have a look at your workplace and figure out where accidents could happen. Start by looking at the manufacturers’ recommendations on work equipment and the hazards they highlight. Then, take a look at your injury log book. Seeing how people have been injured in the past gives you a pretty clear idea of what’s dangerous about your workplace.

Next, consider some of the non-routine things you do in your workplace. If you have a delivery from a certain company only once every three months, there might be many ways in which you are unprepared for it. Then, consider the long-term health effects of your workplace. A long-term exposure to noise or cold could be a problem for your employees.

2. Consider Who These Hazards Might Impact

Your employees will be the first people who come to mind, but certain workers might be in more danger than others. People with pre-existing health conditions, people with disabilities, or pregnant women might be affected by a potential hazard which doesn’t affect the rest of your workforce.

Beyond your workforce, there are customers, clients, and even neighbouring businesses or members of the public that could potentially be injured by some of the hazards in your workplace. If they are, you are the one at fault.

3. Decide What to do About The Hazard

Once you have identified all the potential dangers in your workplace and who they might endanger, you need to try and remove all of those dangers, but only as much as is reasonably practicable.

For example, a set of stairs might have many dangers, so the safest thing to do would be to remove the stairs entirely and replace them with a lift, or do your entire business on one floor. However, doing either of those things would not be reasonable at all. So, consider the reasonable actions you could take instead.

You could make sure that no items are stored on the stairs, that people don’t run on the stairs, that there are no wet surfaces on the stairs, and that the stairway is well lit. This sort of thinking needs to run throughout your entire workplace. If it’s possible to remove a risk, remove it, If it’s possible to restrict access to a risk, restrict. If it’s possible to reduce a risk, reduce it.

4. Record and Evaluate Your Risk Assessment

Doing all of the above steps means that you know what risk assessment and what is not a risk assessment. That’s great. However, you will need to legally prove that you know what a risk assessment is. In order to do that, you’ll need to record your findings.

Although, if you have less than five employees, you will not need to provide proof that you performed a risk assessment in order to stay within the law. For businesses of that size, you are still expected to know what a risk assessment is and to have performed one, but you don’t need to write anything down.

According to HSE, in order to have performed a suitable risk assessment in the eyes of the law, the following needs to have happened:

  • A proper check was made
  • You asked who might be affected
  • You dealt with all the obvious significant hazards, taking into account the number of people who could be involved
  • The precautions are reasonable and the remaining risk is low
  • You involved your employees or their representatives in the process

If you can prove all of that in a short written risk assessment report (a template for one can be downloaded from HSE). Then you will have done enough to perform a risk assessment within the eyes of the law.

The final thing to do is to make sure that you review your risk assessments. If anything changes about your workplace (if new employees are hired, new equipment is brought it, or the layout of the workplace changes), make sure that you update your risk assessment accordingly.

What is a Risk Assessment For?

A risk assessment is for you, your employees, and anyone else who has any contact with your workplace. It’s for all of you and all of your safety. Contrary to opinion, it’s not for HSE. Yes, if you have more than five employees, the paperwork needs to be there so that HSE can prove you have performed a risk assessment. Yet, that should not mean that you imagine a risk assessment as something which needs to be done for the sake of doing.

A risk assessment exists as a record of workplace safety and as a way of guaranteeing that workplace safety is a priority.

I have a Warehouse. Can You Help Me With My Risk Assessment?

At Storage Equipment Experts, we offer Racking inspections by SEMA Approved inspectors and racking inspection training for businesses across the whole of the UK and Ireland. If you want your staff to have the skills to help you with your warehouse’s risk assessments, our racking inspection training course will give them the tools they need to identify all of the hazards associated with storage equipment and what they can do about those hazards.

What’s more, our racking inspections can also help to identify all of the hazards associated with storage equipment and what they can do about those hazards. This service consists of a visit from a SEMA approved racking inspector and is a service recommended by HSE once every 12 months.

In short, our racking inspection services can help you with your risk assessments. So, if you don’t know where to begin, contact us today for a FREE consultation about our racking inspection services.

FAQ

1. What is a risk assessment?

A risk assessment is a systematic process of identifying workplace hazards, evaluating the level of risk they pose, and implementing suitable control measures to reduce or eliminate those risks. It helps create a safer working environment and supports legal compliance.

2. Why is a risk assessment important?

A risk assessment helps prevent workplace accidents, protects employees and visitors, reduces financial losses, and ensures compliance with health and safety regulations. It also enables businesses to identify potential hazards before they cause harm.

3. What are the five steps of a risk assessment?

The five key steps are:

  • Identify hazards
  • Determine who may be harmed and how
  • Evaluate the risks and implement control measures
  • Record the findings
  • Review and update the assessment regularly
4. When should a risk assessment be reviewed?

A risk assessment should be reviewed regularly and whenever significant changes occur, such as introducing new equipment, changing work processes, relocating the workplace, or following an accident or near miss.

5. Who is responsible for carrying out a risk assessment?

Employers are legally responsible for ensuring suitable and sufficient risk assessments are completed. They may carry them out themselves or appoint a competent person with the necessary knowledge and experience.

6. What is the difference between a hazard and a risk?

A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm, such as machinery, chemicals, or working at height. Risk is the likelihood that the hazard will cause harm and the severity of its consequences.

7. Is a risk assessment a legal requirement in the UK?

Yes. Under UK health and safety legislation, employers must carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments to identify workplace hazards and implement appropriate control measures.

Is Racking Inspection Legislation Different Across the EU?

europe racking inspection legislation

The EU is made up of some common laws, but not every country follows the exact same laws. So, how does racking inspection legislation factor into this?

When the UK leaves in the EU in 2019, it will be free to change racking inspection legislation without the EU’s influence. However, that assumes that the EU has already influenced racking inspection legislation in the UK. It has, but it’s hard to say exactly how much it has.

When people imagine how the EU works, they imagine a top-down approach. The EU tells the governments of EU member states what to do and those member states tell organisations within their countries what to do. In practice, this is not what happens. Or, rather, it’s not always what happens.

In the case of racking inspection legislation, one of the most influential European Standards across the EU, EN 15635 — was based on SEMA Load Notices Code of Practice 2004. So, rather than the EU telling SEMA what to do, SEMA told the EU what to do…

…But not quite.

Racking Inspection Legislation in the EU: Laws, Standards, Directives, and More

One of the many reasons that people who voted to leave the EU chose to do so was because of the idea that EU is responsible for such a large percentage of British laws. However, depending on who you asked, this percentage varied wildly. How exactly such a seemingly simple question can vary so wildly is down to the way the EU works.

EU guidelines — for racking inspections and for everything else — come in many different forms. As such, it’s hard to say what’s counts as an “EU law”. Some class all these guidelines as laws, and some just class some as laws. Not all of these guidelines are legally binding, but some are required for trade within the EU.

With regards to racking inspection legislation, the most influential EU guideline is EN 13565. This guideline is a European Standard, which is created and enforced by the European Standards Organisation. This organisation creates standards which EU member states must meet if they want to trade within the EU.

However, not every EU member state needs to follow every standard if they don’t want to. This is because a given standard might only affect an area of trade which that particular member state does not care about. As such, they might choose to ignore that standard. The European Standards Organisation is one of the many bodies which the UK may choose to remain part of in the instance of a so-called “soft Brexit” because it’s not technically part of the EU.

EN 13565 affects storage equipment, which is why it was based on SEMA’s Load Notices Code of Practice 2004. If an EU member state wants to make sure that it can trade with other EU member states, it probably needs to have a warehouse which meets European Standards. Businesses which don’t have warehouses will not need to meet this standard because it won’t apply to them.

So, Is Racking Inspection Legislation Different Across the EU?

Yes and no. Yes, all businesses with warehouses in European countries will need to follow EN 13565 in order to trade with each other. However, EN 13565 is quite vague. It’s a standard rather than legislation and different countries interpret this standard differently.

In the UK, EN 15635 led to the creation of BS EN 15635 and HSE HSG76. The first is a British standard and the second is a list of guidelines from HSE. The HSE guidelines refer to laws and define terms used in EN 13565. For example, EN 13565 recommends an inspection once every 12 months from an “expert” rack inspector. In HSE’s HSG76, it echoes this advice, but it gets specific by mentioning SEMA approved inspectors as an example of a SEMA approved inspector.

Though other member states don’t specify SEMA approved inspectors as an example of an expert, many SEMA approved inspectors operate across the EU anyway because of the similarity of racking inspection legislation across the EU due to EN 13565. After all, EN 13565 was inspired by SEMA anyway, so it makes sense that other EU countries would consider SEMA approved racking inspectors as experts.

Wherever you are in the EU, a SEMA approved racking inspector is exactly the sort of “expert” racking inspection you need at least once every 12 months. We can perform racking inspections anywhere in the UK or Ireland, so contact us today for a FREE consultation.

Why You’ll Need a Racking Inspection Course in 2018?

SEMA racking inspection course 2018

2018 is a year which promises a lot, so be sure to be prepared when it comes to sema racking safety

If you’re a small business owner in charge of a storage system, 2018 is the perfect year to make sure that you and your staff are prepared with regards to racking safety. There are many ways to do this and a racking inspection course is one of those ways.

Of course, not all racking inspection courses are the same, so there are other reasons why you might need a racking inspection course this year.

Three Reasons to Get a Racking Inspection Course in 2018…

1. You Want to Become a SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI)

Becoming a SARI is a big commitment, and the first part of that commitment is taking the SEMA Approved Inspector Qualification. So, if you want to start work as a SARI in 2018, this is the racking inspection course you’ll need to take.

However, not just anyone is able to take the course. Would-be SARIs need to complete a pre-course assessment to see if they are able to train to be a SARI. Most who wind up being SARIs have a background in engineering or something similar. The pre-course assessment is designed to separate the people who are sincerely ready for the commitment and the people who are not.

After the pre-course qualifier comes the course itself. This is an intensive three-day course with a very high rate of failure. It’s why there are only 109 SARIs as of 2018. The reason for this is to ensure the best possible standards. After the course, SARIs need to commit to continuous development by attending courses and top-up seminars when needed. Not doing so means that someone could lose their status as a SARI.

If that level of commitment sounds right for you, 2018 could be the year you take a racking inspection course and become a SARI.

2. You Are an End User Who Wants to Learn More about Racking Safety

There are a variety of reasons why the end users of a racking system would want to learn more about racking safety or would want their staff to learn more about racking safety. Some are looking to adhere to the law, some are looking to improve employee engagement, and some are just interested.

The CDM Regulations mean that the idea of “competence” is more important than ever. In short, if you own a warehouse, it is your legal responsibility to make sure that the staff working in it are competent. What’s more, HSE’s HSG76 stresses that “technically competent” staff perform an internal, staff-led racking inspection regularly. This is alongside the annual inspection from a SEMA approved racking inspector.

Both the CDM Regulations and HSE’s HSG76 are a reason that you might want you and your staff to attend a racking inspection course. Doing so will likely ensure that you and your staff are competent both in the eyes of HSE and the CDM Regulations.

3. You Are an End User Concerned About Brexit

With the lack of knowledge surrounding Brexit, investing in you and your staff’s knowledge and overall engagement with a racking inspection course is a great response. Moreover, without the EU’s influence, British safety organisations such as SEMA may become much more influential players in terms of racking safety legislation post-Brexit.

Put all that together and end users have a pretty compelling reason to learn more about SEMA’s take on racking safety with a racking inspection training course in 2018. As well as SEMA’s course for would-be SARIs, SEMA also offers a rack safety awareness course aimed at end users.

Alternatively, you could take our racking inspection course. Delivered by a SEMA approved racking inspector, the racking inspection course at Storage Equipment Experts can be delivered at our training centre in London or at your workplace anywhere in the UK or Ireland. This is unlike the SEMA course, which can only be delivered at its training centre.

During our course, our SEMA approved racking inspector will tell you everything you need to know about SEMA’s approach to racking safety, as well as all of the relevant British and Irish legislation which affects racking safety.

To book a racking inspection course led by a SEMA approved racking inspector, contact us today for a FREE consultation.

HSE Guidelines for Racking Inspection Safety

racking inspection

To some, the HSE guidelines and HSE racking inspection regulations might seem complex, but they are logical and easy to understand when you are armed with a bit of knowledge.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the branch of the British government that is responsible for all things to do with health and safety. As such, HSE guidelines are often seen as very important. This is not just the case for racking safety; it’s the case for workplace safety in general. So, what are HSE guidelines? Here’s a brief summary…

HSE Guidelines & HSE Guidance Documents

HSE guidelines come in the form of HSE guidance documents. These are best practice documents which offer pragmatic — rather than legal — advice on matters of occupational safety. A common misconception is that HSE guidelines and HSE guidance documents are the law. However, they are not, and this short paragraph at the start of every HSE guidance document makes this clear:

“This guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Following the guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law.”

A full version of this same caveat can be found on the HSE website.

Not following HSE guidelines is legal. However, following the guidelines is normally “enough to comply with the law”. What’s more, because the advice is from the British government, it’s advice which is as objective and trustworthy as you can get in occupational safety.

Why Aren’t HSE Guidelines Legally Binding?

HSE does also create laws and offer legal advice, but these documents are much more dense. The reason HSE guidelines aren’t legal advice is that they are intended to be used as easy-to-understand reference guides for people who already have a working knowledge of the legislation relevant to their industrial racking.

HSE guidelines are also a good introduction to occupational safety legislation within a particular industry. When HSE refers to the law or to legal guidance, this is made explicit.

HSG76: The HSE Guidance Document for Racking Safety

Every booklet of HSE guidelines is labeled HSG followed by a number. As of January 2018, there are 103 HSGs numbered from HSG17: Safety in the use of abrasive wheels to HSG279: Making paper safely.

The list of HSGs is being constantly updated as HSE seeks to improve the standards of its guidelines. As such, there are some gaps between numbers. For example, there is an HSG173 and an HSG175, but there is no HSG174.

Since 2007, the HSG most relevant to guidance with regards to HSE racking regulations has been HSG76. Its full title is HSG76 Warehouse and storage: A guide to health and safety.

To learn more about HSG76 and how you should operate your warehouse, subscribe to our free newsletter for our racking inspection checklist and our three-part guide to racking inspection maintenance.

So, what does HSG76 have to say about warehouses? What are the HSE guidelines for racking safety? Well, here’s a brief look at their general thoughts on the topic.

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A Summary of HSG76 and HSE Racking Regulations

1. Has Your Contractor Attended a SEMA Course?

Lazy assumptions are enemies of safety — and HSE knows that this is definitely the case when it comes to racking safety. If there is third-party racking maintenance, or any third party work in your warehouse, the HSE guidelines for warehouse safety state that “it is not sufficient to assume that they are competent and working safely”. Rather, you should be vigilant and rigorous in this respect.

According to HSE guidelines, it is recommended that your contractor is a SEMA approved racking inspector if they are performing a third party racking inspection. Furthermore, this person should be some other kind of SEMA approved expert if they are installing, repairing, or working on your racking system in any way.

In 2015, the HSE CDM regulations made a warehouse owner’s duty to ensure that people working in their warehouse are “competent” a legal one. In other words, if you have reason to believe that the person working in your warehouse is not “competent” and you do nothing about it, you are breaking the law.

Are the techniques that your contractor is using safe? Are they SEMA approved? Is you following HSE’s advice with regards to the definition of “competent”? Your role and your legal responsibility is to make sure that you are absolutely confident that you know the answers to those questions.

2. Installing Warehouse Racking Requires Careful Planning

Plan, plan, and then plan some more is what the HSE guidelines have to say about racking system installations. At best, failure to do this will lead to an inefficient workspace. At worst, it will lead to a dangerous one. Layout of your racking system and the layout of your warehouse are two things that need to be planned together.

Business writer Stefan Topfer argues that “planning is one of the most important parts of running a business” and this advice applies to your warehouse, too. Your newest marketing campaign won’t be worth anything if your warehouse cannot store enough of your product due to uneven surfaces, badly spaced aisles, or bad maneuverability within the warehouse. Even business giants such as Anheuser-Busch have made huge mistakes because they didn’t pay attention to warehouse safety.

To make sure that your racking is installed properly and that the layout is planned effectively, HSE guidelines recommend that warehouse owners use people who have undergone the relevant training.

3. Follow HSE Guidelines with Regular Expert Racking Inspections

Once your racking has been installed, it needs to be maintained. One way of doing this is through proper use: racking should be highly visible, protected physically, never climbed on and never overloaded. However, beyond that, HSE recommends having a racking inspection by a SEMA approved racking inspector (a SARI) at least once a year.

This advice is echoed by law in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998. In which section six highlights the importance of regular and thorough inspections for work equipment. All racking systems, including mezzanine floors, qualify as work equipment, so they are subject to this legislation.

4. Consider Racking Inspection Training for Regular Internal Racking Inspections

HSE guidelines also advise that racking inspections are done regularly by employees within the business itself. Here at Storage Equipment Experts, we provide racking inspection training delivered by SEMA approved racking inspectors, so that your business can take racking safety into its own hands as well.

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Other Questions about HSE Guidelines and Racking Safety…

1. Will Brexit Affect HSE Racking Inspection Regulations?

Without the EU’s input, the people within the industry in the UK will look to organisations like HSE and SEMA even more than they already do. However, none of that means that HSE racking Inspection regulations or HSE guidelines with regards to warehouse safety will change. It just means that they could change.

The regulations as they are haven’t changed since HSE published its HSG76 guidance document in 2007. A lot of that HSE guidance document is based on EU Directive EN 15635, including the part about an expert inspection at least once every 12 months.

As such, post-Brexit, HSE could completely overhaul HSG76. Yet, this isn’t likely to happen, as there are no calls for HSE to do so. Instead, what is likely to happen is that all existing HSE legislation will remain the same.

The Great Repeal Bill will copy over everything over from EU law to British law in the UK. Of course, the contentious issues such as the border with Ireland and freedom of movement. It will need to be sorted out, but HSE racking regulation is not a contentious issue. So, it’s unlikely to change.

2. Where Can I Get The Best Racking inspections by SEMA Approved inspectors and SEMA Racking Inspection Training?

Look no further than Storage Equipment Experts! Our SEMA approved racking inspectors are one of the few people in the world to be approved by SEMA to inspect both pallet racking and cantilever racking. We deliver both racking inspections by SEMA Approved inspectors and racking inspections training courses.

Is your warehouse due a racking inspection?
Follow HSE’s sound advice and contact Storage Equipment Experts today for a quote on a racking inspection by SEMA Approved inspector.

HSE Racking Inspection Requirements

HSE racking inspection guidance recommends a structured approach to inspecting workplace racking. Warehouse operators should have arrangements for immediate reporting of damage, regular internal inspections and an expert inspection by a technically competent person.

HSG76 provides guidance on warehouse and storage safety, including the safe use and maintenance of storage equipment. HSE guidance is not itself law, but following relevant HSE guidance can help businesses comply with their legal duties.

For pallet racking, SEMA describes a three-level inspection approach: immediate reporting of damage, regular inspections carried out by a suitably trained person, and an expert inspection at least annually by a technically competent person.

How Often Should Pallet Racking Be Inspected?

Pallet racking should be monitored through a structured inspection regime:

  • Immediate reporting: Warehouse staff should report damage or concerns as soon as they are identified.
  • Regular internal inspections: The PRRS should ensure that regular inspections are carried out and documented. The frequency should be based on the warehouse’s risk assessment and operating conditions.
  • Expert inspection: An expert inspection should be carried out at least every 12 months by a technically competent person. SEMA’s SARI scheme provides a recognised qualification for professionals carrying out expert racking inspections.

FAQs

1. What is HSE racking inspection guidance?

HSE racking inspection guidance refers to the Health and Safety Executive’s recommendations for keeping warehouse racking safe and properly maintained. HSG76 provides guidance on the safe use of warehouse and storage equipment, including arrangements for identifying damage, carrying out regular inspections and arranging expert inspections where appropriate.

2. How often should pallet racking be inspected?

Pallet racking should be monitored regularly as part of a structured inspection system. Damage should be reported immediately, regular inspections should be carried out by a suitably trained person, and an expert racking inspection should take place at least every 12 months by a technically competent person.

3. What is HSG76?

HSG76 is the HSE guidance document titled “Warehousing and storage: A guide to health and safety.” It provides practical guidance on managing health and safety risks in warehouses and storage environments, including the safe use and maintenance of storage equipment.

4. Who is responsible for racking safety?

The Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS) oversees the safe use and inspection of racking within the workplace. Their responsibilities can include ensuring regular inspections are carried out, inspection findings are recorded, damage is reported and assessed, and appropriate corrective action is taken.

5. What should happen when racking damage is identified?

Racking damage should be reported and assessed promptly. Where damage creates a serious safety risk, the affected racking should be taken out of use and appropriate corrective action taken before it is safely returned to service. Regular inspections and proper record keeping help ensure that identified damage is dealt with appropriately.

Become a SARI & 4 Other Benefits of Racking Inspection Training

SEMA Racking Inspection Training

Racking inspection training is the industry standard for rack safety.

Racking inspection training plays an important role in maintaining warehouse safety standards. In the UK, industry guidance including that published by the Storage Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (SEMA) outlines recognised pathways for developing competent third-party racking inspectors.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), within its guidance document HSG76, references industry-recognised inspection schemes when discussing warehouse racking safety. As a result, structured and professionally delivered racking inspection training is widely regarded as best practice for engineers and safety professionals looking to develop specialist inspection competence.

However, the benefits of racking inspection training go beyond adhering to HSE’s recommendations…

1. SEMA Racking Inspection Training Creates SARIs

The most obvious benefit of taking racking inspection training is that you become a SEMA approved racking inspector (SARI). Though, not all racking inspections training qualifies people to become SARIs.

Other courses such as the SEMA Cantilever Racking Awareness Course is designed for SARIs who want to improve their knowledge of cantilever racking safety. Taking this course doesn’t make you a SARI, but it makes you a better SARI. That’s why our SEMA approved racking inspectors are some of the only SARIs in the world to be SEMA approved pallet racking inspectors and a SEMA approved cantilever racking inspectors.

2. Racking Inspection Training Creates Trainers

For end users of racking — such as business owners and their employees, the racking inspection training courses designed for SARIs are not useful. It is for this reason that we developed our racking inspection training course. This course is delivered by our highly qualified SARI.

We can do our racking inspection training at our London training or at your workplace. Whatever option best suits your business’ needs, we can deliver.

3. Which Creates More Potential Trainers

The beauty of knowledge is how it can spread. As such, once someone has taken one of our racking inspection training courses, that person likely qualifies as “technically competent” in the eyes of HSG76 and the CDM Regulations 2015.

This person should be your business ’Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS)’. Their job should be to perform the regular internal racking inspections which HSG76 recommends are performed by someone “technically competent”.

This person can then help to train others on matters of racking safety as well through basic demonstrations. While this is no substitute for a racking inspection training course, it’s helpful to have as many people as possible in your company who are familiar with racking safety.

4. Racking Inspection Training Saves Taxpayers’ Money

Without getting too tangled in the weeds about politics and the decisions of politicians, it is a fact that HSE funding has been decreasing under both the coalition and the Conservative governments. Some see this decrease as a good thing. Others see this decrease as a bad thing.

Regardless of your opinion, it is also a fact that racking inspections training courses are a way to cut down on government spending. In the past, HSE was the organisation responsible for interceding in the operation of many businesses across the UK.

With less money to spend, HSE now focuses on being the voice of health and safety instead. It helped to create public safety legislation and it also creates guidance documents which explain this legislation in layman’s terms. Organisations like SEMA are private organisations that act as a liaison between HSE and end users. As HSE spending goes down, SEMA’s role grows in importance.

5. Racking Inspection Training Makes Britain and Ireland Safer

SEMA racking inspections training may only play a small part in the safety of the UK. As part of the EU, yearly inspections from an “expert” racking inspector in Ireland are also recommended under EN 15635. What’s more, HSA specifically refers to HSE’s HSG76 — which recommends yearly inspections from an “expert” racking inspector and identifies SEMA approved racking inspectors as “experts”.

Over the past few years, workplace fatalities and injuries have both been on a general downward trend in the UK. This can’t be pinned down to one phenomenon, but SARIs and safety inspectors of all kinds have certainly contributed greatly to this.

For racking inspection training from a SEMA approved racking inspector:
Either at your workplace or at our training centre in London — contact SEE today for a FREE consultation.

What Are SEMA Racking Inspector Guidelines?

SEMA racking inspection guidelines

SEMA racking Inspector guidelines are the gold standard of the racking safety industry.

Without SEMA racking Inspector guidelines, guaranteeing the safety of any warehouse would be impossible. The advice laid down by SEMA is often echoed by HSE and in some cases it becomes law. So, what are the SEMA racking Inspector guidelines?

SEMA Racking Inspectors Guidelines: SEMA Codes of Practice

However, most SEMA racking Inspector guidelines come in the form of SEMA Codes of Practice. These can be downloaded from the SEMA website for a fee, so it’s worth knowing which codes of practice you will need — if any at all!

The best way to do that is to read through HSE’s HSG76 Warehouse and storage: A guide to health and safety. HSE is the British government branch responsible for occupational health and safety. As such, theirs is the first and final word on any issue relating to warehouse safety.

In cases where this general guide on warehouse safety lacks details, it often refers to specific SEMA Codes of Practice. Using HSG76, you can then figure out which SEMA Code of Practice HSE is referring to specifically and search that particular code of SEMA racking Inspector guidelines.

SEMA Racking Inspector Guidelines: Technical Bulletins

As well as SEMA Codes of Practice, SEMA also releases technical bulletins which act as supplements, updates, clarifications, or corrections. These bulletins are not mentioned in HSG76, but they contain some good advice nonetheless. What’s more, considering SEMA’s position in the industry, it’s advice worth following. SEMA’s full list of technical bulletins can found on its website.

SEMA Racking Inspector Guidelines: Training Courses

Designed for end users of storage systems and racking Inspector professionals, SEMA offers a wide range of training courses. All of these contain various racking Inspector guidelines from SEMA — as well as racking maintenance and racking installation guidelines.

This training is referenced by HSE in HSG76, so you know that the guidelines from this training are authoritative. Specifically, the guide refers to the Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme (SEIRS) and the SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI) scheme.

SEMA Load Notices Become UK and EU Legislation

In one instance, SEMA guidelines became UK and EU law because of SEMA’s authority. This was the case with load notices.

SEMA created the first load notices back in the 1980s with the first SEMA Code of Practice for Use of Static Pallet Racking. However, because of the EU’s Directive 92/58/EEC, the legal requirements for signage in the UK would change in 1996 with the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.

Due to this, SEMA had to change its advice on load notices accordingly. Then, SEMA updated its stance on load notices again with the SEMA Load Notices Code 2004. The EU then developed EN 15635. This was inspired by the SEMA Load Notices Code 2004.

In short, the EU influenced SEMA’s stance on load notices and in turn SEMA influenced the EU’s stance on load notices. This relationship goes to show how important SEMA racking Inspector guidelines are. Even though they are not the law, they can help to create the law in the long run and they are often referenced by lawmakers such as HSE and the EU.

If you want to learn more about the SEMA racking Inspector guidelines from the SARI scheme, contact Storage Equipment Experts for racking inspection training from a SARI.

What are the HSE Guidelines for Racking Safety? 2018 Update?

HSE guidelines document

To some, the HSE guidelines and HSE racking regulations might seem complex, but they are logical and easy to understand when you are armed with a bit of knowledge.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the branch of the British government that is responsible for all things to do with health and safety. As such, HSE guidelines are often seen as very important. This is not just the case for racking safety; it’s the case for workplace safety in general. So, what are HSE guidelines? Here’s a brief summary…

HSE Guidelines & HSE Guidance Documents

HSE guidelines come in the form of HSE guidance documents. These are best practice documents which offer pragmatic — rather than legal — advice on matters of occupational safety. A common misconception is that HSE guidelines and HSE guidance documents are the law. However, they are not, and this short paragraph at the start of every HSE guidance document makes this clear:

“This guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Following the guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law.”

A full version of this same caveat can be found on the HSE website.

Not following HSE guidelines is legal. However, following the guidelines is normally “enough to comply with the law”. What’s more, because the advice is from the British government, it’s advice which is as objective and trustworthy as you can get in occupational safety.

Why Aren’t HSE Guidelines Legally Binding?

HSE does also create laws and offer legal advice, but these documents are much more dense. The reason HSE guidelines aren’t legal advice is that they are intended to be used as easy-to-understand reference guides for people who already have a working knowledge of the legislation relevant to their industry.

HSE guidelines are also a good introduction to occupational safety legislation within a particular industry. When HSE refers to the law or to legal guidance, this is made explicit.

HSG76: The HSE Guidance Document for Racking Safety

Every booklet of HSE guidelines is labeled HSG followed by a number. As of January 2018, there are 103 HSGs numbered from HSG17: Safety in the use of abrasive wheels to HSG279: Making paper safely.

The list of HSGs is being constantly updated as HSE seeks to improve the standards of its guidelines. As such, there are some gaps between numbers. For example, there is an HSG173 and an HSG175, but there is no HSG174.

Since 2007, the HSG most relevant to guidance with regards to HSE racking regulations has been HSG76. Its full title is HSG76 Warehouse and storage: A guide to health and safety.

To learn more about how HSG76 and how you should operate your warehouse, subscribe to our free newsletter for our racking inspection checklist and our three-part guide to racking inspection maintenance.

So, what does HSG76 have to say about warehouses? What are the HSE guidelines for racking safety? Well, here’s a brief look at their general thoughts on the topic.

A Summary of HSG76 and HSE Racking Regulations

1. Has Your Contractor Attended a SEMA Course?

Lazy assumptions are enemies of safety — and HSE knows that this is definitely the case when it comes to racking safety. If there is third-party racking maintenance, or any third party work in your warehouse, the HSE guidelines for warehouse safety state that “it is not sufficient to assume that they are competent and working safely”. Rather, you should be vigilant and rigorous in this respect.

According to HSE guidelines, it is recommended that your contractor is a SEMA approved racking inspector if they are performing a third party racking inspection. Furthermore, this person should be some other kind of SEMA approved expert if they are installing, repairing, or working on your racking system in any way.

In 2015, the HSE CDM regulations made a warehouse owner’s duty to ensure that people working in their warehouse are “competent” a legal one. In other words, if you have reason to believe that the person working in your warehouse is not “competent” and you do nothing about it, you are breaking the law.

Are the techniques that your contractor is using safe? Are they SEMA approved? Is you following HSE’s advice with regards to the definition of “competent”? Your role and your legal responsibility is to make sure that you are absolutely confident that you know the answers to those questions.

2. Installing Warehouse Racking Requires Careful Planning

Plan, plan, and then plan some more is what the HSE guidelines have to say about racking system installations. At best, failure to do this will lead to an inefficient workspace. At worst, it will lead to a dangerous one. The layout of your racking system and the layout of your warehouse are two things that need to be planned together.

Business writer Stefan Topfer argues that “planning is one of the most important parts of running a business” and this advice applies to your warehouse, too. Your newest marketing campaign won’t be worth anything if your warehouse cannot store enough of your product due to uneven surfaces, badly spaced aisles, or bad maneuverability within the warehouse. Even business giants such as Anheuser-Busch have made huge mistakes because they didn’t pay attention to warehouse safety.

To make sure that your racking is installed properly and that the layout is planned effectively, HSE guidelines recommend that warehouse owners use people who have undergone the relevant training.

3. Follow HSE Guidelines with Regular Expert Racking Inspections

Once your racking has been installed, it needs to be maintained. One way of doing this is through proper use: racking should be highly visible, protected physically, never climbed on and never overloaded. However, beyond that, HSE recommends having a racking inspection by a SEMA approved racking inspector (a SARI) at least once a year.

This advice is echoed by law in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998, in which section six highlights the importance of regular and thorough inspections for work equipment. All racking systems, including mezzanine floors, qualify as work equipment, so they are subject to this legislation.

4. Consider Racking Inspection Training for Regular Internal Racking Inspections

HSE guidelines also advise that racking inspections are done regularly by employees within the business itself. Here at Storage Equipment Experts, we provide racking inspection training delivered by SEMA approved racking inspectors, so that your business can take racking safety into its own hands as well.

Other Questions about HSE Guidelines and Racking Safety…

1. Will Brexit Affect HSE Racking Regulations?

Without the EU’s input, the people within the industry in the UK will look to organisations. Like HSE and SEMA even more than they already do. However, none of that means that HSE racking regulations or HSE guidelines with regards to warehouse safety will change. It just means that they could change.

The regulations as they are haven’t changed since HSE published its HSG76 guidance document in 2007. A lot of that HSE guidance document is based on EU Directive EN 15635, including the part about an expert inspection at least once every 12 months.

As such, post-Brexit, HSE could completely overhaul HSG76. Yet, this isn’t likely to happen, as there are no calls for HSE to do so. Instead, what is likely to happen is that all existing HSE legislation will remain the same.

The Great Repeal Bill will copy over everything over from EU law to British law in the UK. Of course, the contentious issues such as the border with Ireland and freedom of movement. It will need to be sorted out, but HSE racking regulation is not a contentious issue. So, it’s unlikely to change.

2. Where Can I Get The Best Racking Inspection by SEMA Approved inspector and Racking Inspection Training?

Look no further than Storage Equipment Experts! Our SEMA approved racking inspectors are one of the few people in the world to be approved by SEMA to inspect both pallet racking and cantilever racking. We deliver both racking inspections by SEMA Approved inspectors and racking inspection training courses.

Is your warehouse due a racking inspection?
Follow HSE’s sound advice and contact Storage Equipment Experts today for a quote on a racking inspection.

SEMA Safety: Being Safe According to SEMA

SEMA safety

Safety is important to SEMA, and the organisation has spent countless years developing its own safety protocols.

SEMA safety is the safety standard for the storage equipment industry. SEMA stands for the Storage Equipment Manufacturer’s Association, and this self-appointed title is hard-earned. If something is safe according to SEMA, it should be considered safe by everyone using any kind of storage system. Here are some of the key tenants of SEMA safety.

SEMA Safety Tip #1: Read The Codes of Practice

Codes of Practice are the backbone of SEMA safety. In these documents, SEMA codifies the laws of safety as it sees them and some of the documents have even helped to influence both British and European legislation.

Of course, these Codes of Practice aren’t always the law. As such, the best place to start for a guide on safety is HSE’s HSG76. This guide also isn’t the law, but it’s a best practice guide from the British government and following it is usually enough to stay within the law. For certain specific issues, the HSE guide will direct to relevant parts of the SEMA Code of Practice.

SEMA Safety Tip #2: Check Load Notices

One such Code of Practice which influenced European and British legislation is SEMA’s stance on load notices. A big part of SEMA’s influence on storage equipment safety the world over are these load notices which the organisation has been developing since the 1980s. Paying close attention to them is a key part of SEMA safety.

Load notices usually look something like this.

A safety load notice

On the left-hand side, warnings are issued in yellow, instructed actions are issued in blue, and prohibited actions are issued in red. This colour coding system falls in line with the EU Directive on safety signs and the corresponding British law on safety signs.

On the right-hand side, the top right-hand corner contains information about the date the system was supplied and the product reference number. Below that, a pictogram of a storage system indicates the maximum storage capacity for the system. Note that this storage capacity will be different for different systems. Below all this on the right-hand side, the supplier is listed.

Checking a load notice is not designed to replace racking inspection training or other safety protocol. Rather, it acts as a handy reminder of some the most important aspects of storage equipment safety.

SEMA Safety Tip #3: Use SEMA Approved Suppliers and Installers

As a standard maker for the whole industry, there is a list of SEMA approved racking suppliers and SEMA approved installers or installation companies. These three kinds of approval can be checked with a variety of badges and cards.

SEMA is an acronym which loves to create acronyms. So, prepare yourself…

Firstly, there are SEMA Distributor Companies (SDCs). These are companies which produce and supply storage equipment systems and have been approved by SEMA to do so. SDCs are part of the SEMA Distributor Group (SDG). As part of the SDG, SDCs have to maintain the highest possible standards in the storage equipment industry.

Secondly, there are SEMA Approved Installation Companies (SAICs). These are companies which have been approved by SEMA to install storage systems. Just likes SDCs, SAICs have to maintain the highest possible standards in the storage equipment industry in order to call themselves SAICs.

Finally, there are members of the Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme (SEIRS). These are individuals — rather than companies — who have been approved by SEMA to install storage systems. The same usual high standards are required for members of the SEIRS to remain members.

In summary, in order for end users of racking systems to properly adhere to SEMA safety. They should buy all their storage equipment from SDCs and make sure it is installed by a SAIC or a member of the SEIRS.

SEMA Safety Tip #4: Use SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors

However, in order to really follow SEMA safety, the most important acronym for end users is SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors (SARIs). Both SEMA and HSE recommend that end users book a visit from a SARI at least once every 12 months. SARIs can also perform racking inspection training for your staff so that they are competent, as recommended by the CDM Regulations 2015. What’s more, racking inspection training also helps your staff to perform the regular staff-led racking inspections which HSE recommends.

SARIs have to pass pre-course qualifier, complete a rigorous and intense training course, attend multiple seminars on SEMA safety, and receive continuous assessment in order to become a SARI and to remain a SARI. As SEMA approved schemes, though, the aim of this rigorousness is the upkeep of the highest possible safety standards.

Follow SEMA safety with a visit from a SARI today. Contact Storage Equipment Experts for nationwide coverage of the UK and Ireland!

Pallet Racking in London

Pallet Racking in London

London is home to thousands of businesses. If yours is one of them — and you have pallet racking — contact us for an inspection.

Storage Equipment Experts is based all over the UK and we’re happy to travel across the country — and even Ireland — for inspection or for training. However, our first base was in London. Inside the M25, our London training centre is the best place to go within the capital for racking inspections or racking inspection training.

Pallet Racking in London? We Inspect!

HSE recommends an inspection of pallet racking systems at least once every 12 months. What’s more, HSE recommends that SEMA approved racking inspectors (SARI) perform these inspections because they are experts.

Our London-based SARI has years of experience inspecting pallet racking in London. It’s because of this that Storage Equipment Experts has great testimonials from small London businesses like Belvedere Carpets and world-famous London institutions like the Tate Modern.

Come to London to Learn How to Inspect Pallet Racking…

Inspecting pallet racking in London is what we do, but it’s not all we do. We also offer racking inspection training from our base in London. We do this because we recognise the need for London businesses to have staff competent enough to perform regular pallet racking inspections themselves. This is something recommended by HSE, but it’s also backed up by the CDM Regulations 2015.

Of course, it’s not just London businesses who need staff competent enough to perform regular pallet racking inspections. Every British and Irish business needs it. That’s also why our training centre is based in London; London is an incredibly accessible city.

You can get to London from Cardiff in just over two hours. You can get to London from Glasgow in less than four a half hours and for less than £40. Even from Dublin, London is a short flight away. Getting to London is easy, but we also understand that it’s not easy enough for everyone..

Can’t Make It to London? No Worries. We’ll Come to You!

If you can’t make it to London, that’s not an issue. We’re happy to travel anywhere in the UK or Ireland to deliver racking inspections or racking inspection training.

HSA — the Irish government’s health and safety authority approve of HSE’s recommendations regarding racking inspections by SEMA Approved inspectors and regular inspections by staff. What’s more, EU standard EN 15635 also recommends inspections from an expert once every 12 months. It’s because of this that we also work with Irish businesses in order to deliver our racking inspection services.

Why Are Our Pallet Racking Services London-Based?

Even with Brexit looming, London still has over a million world businesses headquartered there. As such, it is a magnet for would-be entrepreneurs from all over the UK. Many of these London businesses have pallet racking systems, and our business is based there in order to help inspect them.

However, our base in London is about more than pallet racking in London. The city is an unrivalled transport hub for the rest of the UK and to Europe. It’s why people can travel to us, but it’s also because of our base in London that we are able to travel to you.

We offer our service to the whole of the UK and Ireland. The fact that we also have SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors (SARIs) best in the Midlands, the North, Wales, and Scotland also helps with our UK and Ireland coverage.

For pallet racking services in London and for complete coverage of the UK and Ireland, contact Storage Equipment Experts today. Call us now for a FREE consultation on your warehouse safety needs.

What Is SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association)?

forktrucks in a warehouse SEMA

Health and safety is full of acronyms as SEMA, so let’s explain what one of those acronyms means.

So, What is SEMA?

SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association) is a private organisation which helps to advise HSE, the EU, and the general public about storage equipment safety. It does this through training courses and Code of Practice documents on the installation, use, inspection and disassembly of storage equipment. Some of this advice has become legal practice, but most of the advice remains best practice.

And What is SEMA’s role?

SEMA is the voice of the storage equipment industry in the sense that it talks to the British government on the behalf of the whole industry. When the government makes laws which affect the storage equipment industry, they turn to SEMA to get the industry’s opinion. Equally, if the industry feels that the government can do something for the industry, it is SEMA’s aim and its duty to talk to the government on behalf of the industry in order to do this.

What is SEMA’s History?

Since its formation, SEMA has been providing advice on best practice for people in the storage equipment industry. Since then, it’s reached many milestones on the way. One of these is the SEMA Code of Practice: a series of documents which has been helping the industry since the 1980s. This series of documents — which has been updated throughout the years — explains what end users of racking systems should do in a whole variety of situations.

Another milestone for SEMA was when the SEMA Code of Practice’s stance on load notices helped to shape European and British law in 2004. How this happened all started back in the ‘90s. After EC Directive 92/58/EEC was announced by the EU in June 1992, the UK introduced the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations in 1996. These regulations meant that there was now a legal requirement for how load notices should be.

SEMA modified its Code of Practice in accordance with this legislation. It then updated its stance on load notices again in 2004 with the SEMA Load Notices Code 2004. In 2008, EN 15635 was developed by the EU and it was based on the SEMA Load Notices Code 2004. EN 15635 is a standard which has influenced not just British law, but law across the EU. All of this shows how powerful SEMA’s influence can be.

What is a SEMA Approved Installation Company?

Another milestone in SEMA’s history is the development of training and registration schemes for the storage equipment industry in order to improve standards. There is the Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme (SEIRS), which helps end users to make sure that person installing their storage equipment is qualified.

There are also SEMA Approved Installation Companies (SAICs), which help end users to make sure that the company installing their storage equipment is qualified. Their are even SEMA Distribution Companies (SDCs), which help end users to make that the company they are buying their racking system from is qualified.

What Is a SEMA Approved Racking Inspector?

Finally, when your racking is installed and you are using it day to day, you will need to make sure that a qualified person can inspect your system at least once every 12 months — as recommended by HSE. This is why SEMA developed its SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI) scheme.

In order to become a SARI, you need to have enough of a background in engineering or health and safety to complete a pre-course qualifier. After that, you need to complete an intense training course, pass a final exam and continue to attend top-up sessions and seminars to make sure that your knowledge of the storage equipment industry is up to date.

The failure rate for SARI examinations is high and it’s also high for another one of training courses: the SEMA Cantilever Rack Safety Awareness course. Cantilever racking is a specialist type of racking system. As such, only 42 SARIs in the world are also qualified by SEMA’s to inspect cantilever racking. Our SARI at Storage Equipment Experts is part of this exclusive club.

For rack inspection training or a rack inspection from a SARI who is qualified by SEMA to inspect both pallet racking and cantilever racking, contact Storage Equipment Experts today.