Why You’ll Need a SEMA 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 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 SEMA racking inspection course is one of those ways.

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

Three Reasons to Get a SEMA 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 SEMA 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 SEMA 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 SEMA racking inspection 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.

REQUEST A QUOTATION FOR A RACKING INSPECTION

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 SEMA 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.

REQUEST A QUOTATION FOR A RACKING INSPECTION

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 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 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 by SEMA Approved inspector.

Become a SARI & 4 Other Benefits of SEMA Racking Inspection Training

SEMA racking inspection training benefit

SEMA racking inspection training is the industry standard for rack safety

SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association) racking inspection training has many benefits. One particular SEMA racking inspection course, for example, is the best way for anyone with a background in engineering to become an “expert” third-party racking inspector in the eyes of HSE (Health and Safety Executive). This particular course (the SEMA approved racking inspectors scheme) is the one which HSE references directly in HSG76 and — as such — it’s often seen as the industry standard.

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

1. SEMA Racking Inspection Training Creates SARIs

The most obvious benefit of taking SEMA racking inspection training is that you become a SEMA approved racking inspector (SARI). Though, not all SEMA 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. SEMA Racking Inspection Training Creates Trainers

For end users of racking — such as business owners and their employees — the SEMA 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. SEMA 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 SEMA 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. SEMA 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 Inspection Guidelines?

SEMA racking inspection guidelines

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

Without SEMA racking inspection 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 inspection guidelines?

SEMA Racking Inspection Guidelines: SEMA Codes of Practice

However, most SEMA racking inspection 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 inspection guidelines.

SEMA Racking Inspection 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 Inspection Guidelines: Training Courses

Designed for end users of storage systems and racking inspection professionals, SEMA offers a wide range of training courses. All of these contain various racking inspection 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 inspection 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 inspection 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 SEMA 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 th 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 SEMA’s 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.

Who Performs Rack Inspections at Santa’s Warehouse?

Rack Inspections at Santa’s Warehouse

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it would be a dangerous time if Santa didn’t have some kind of safety system

Being Santa can’t be easy. The man in red isn’t just the CEO of the biggest non-profit organisation in the world; he’s also the face of Christmas itself. The bulk of his work happens on Christmas Eve, but Santa’s operational facility would need to work all year round in order for supply to meet demand.

And demand is high! According to the World Bank, children under the age of 14 make up 26% of the total population. Not all of those children will get presents, of course. Some will be on Santa’s naughty list and others might not believe in Santa. Even still, that still leaves Santa with 1.5 billion presents to make a year.

How Does Santa Do It? Making the Numbers Work?

Making that many presents in a year is doable with the right workforce size. Over the course of 10 years, Apple has sold over 1.2 billion iPhones. With a workforce ten times the size of Apple’s, Santa could create a similar number of a iPhones in 10 years. The issue, however, is that Apple only makes Apple products. Santa’s elves need to make a whole variety of products for a whole variety of well-behaved children.

This too is feasible with the right-sized workforce. After all, Amazon has twice as many employees as Apple and, with 2.1 million employees, Walmart has nearly ten times as many employees as Amazon. Put that all together and it’s not a stretch to imagine around a couple million elves making 1.5 billion presents in a year.

The real issue, though, is not production. The real issue is storage. We’ve long known that Santa has a workshop full of elves who produce his presents and that he delivers them on a sledge drawn by magical reindeer. No-one is disputing that.

The question is: how and where can you safely store 1.5 billion presents? This is where rack inspections and rack inspection safety come into play.

Rack Inspections Aren’t Done By Magic

The first thing to figure out is how big a warehouse which stores 1.5 billion presents needs to be. Or rather, if Santa needs more than one warehouse, how many warehouses will he need?

Amazon provides us with an answer here. In 2014, Amazon sold five billion products. That’s several times the number of presents which Santa delivers on Christmas Eve. Still, unlike Amazon, Santa needs to be able to store all 1.5 billion presents in one place and deliver all of them in one day.

Even still, the two business models are certainly comparable. With that in mind, how many warehouses does Amazon have and how big are they? Amazon has around 130 warehouses worldwide and over 70 of them are in the US. Based on those figures, Santa would need around 45 Amazon-sized warehouses in order to store 1.5 billion presents.

This would mean a lot of rack inspections. However, once again, if Amazon can do it, Santa can, too.

Who Performs Rack Inspections at Santa’s Warehouse?

Being Santa’s only employees, elves would seem like the obvious choice here. However, it’s not as simple as that. HSE recommends regular rack inspections from competent staff members, so these could be performed by elves, but it also recommends annual rack inspections from a SEMA approved racking inspector.

Of course, Santa’s warehouse is not in the UK. However, it’s fair to assume that it’s in the EU. The tradition of Santa Claus is a Nordic one and Finland, an EU country, claims that Lapland is the home of Santa.

As such, rack inspections in Santa’s warehouse would need to come under EU law. This means — according to EU standard EN 15635 — that expert rack inspections would also need to be carried out at least once every 12 months alongside the regular rack inspections performed by Santa’s elves.

This isn’t problematic for a business like Amazon, whose secrecy isn’t important. For Santa, though, secrecy is vital for his brand, as well as the magic of Christmas. As such, we can only assume that the Finnish inspectors who visit Santa’s warehouse do so under strict instruction that they never reveal his the location of his secret warehouse.

Who exactly gets the prestigious honour of performing a rack inspection at Santa’s warehouse is unknown. However, it’s worth pointing out that there is only one SEMA approved racking inspector in the whole of Finland…

For a rack inspection or rack inspection training from a SEMA approved racking inspector, contact Storage Equipment Experts today. Whether your business is in Ireland or the UK, we offer complete coverage. Sadly, we don’t do visits to the North Pole…

How Racking Safety Can Prevent Warehouse Fires?

Warehouse Fires

Racking safety is just one part of a larger commitment to safety in general — and warehouse fires are just one of the many things which adhering to warehouse safety can prevent.

Warehouse fires often make headlines because of their scale. Yet, after the drama of a fire has burnt out, not enough attention is paid to the lessons learnt from these tragedies. A warehouse fire in Oakland killed 36 people and burned the whole building to the ground. As a result, two men were eventually charged with manslaughter after failing to properly take responsibility for the safety of the people inside their building.

All of this received plenty of coverage, as many expressed their condolences for the victims and their anger towards those responsible. What has not received enough coverage or attention, however, is how fires like this can be prevented in future.

Racking Safety Can Lessen The Main Causes of Warehouse Fires

For Ian Gough, senior technical advisor at BAFSA, the way to tackle fires should be entirely preventative. At the 2017 SEMA General Meeting, Gough blamed a culture of “unrealistic expectation” as one of the causes of warehouse fires.

In other words, far too often, warehouse owners expect that the fire services will be able to put out a warehouse fire. The reality is that this is extremely unlikely. The fire services can put out house fires and they can rescue people from buildings. However, they should be seen as a last resort and the idea that they will be able to put out a warehouse fire once it’s started is — what Gough calls — an “unrealistic expectation”.

Defective work equipment is the main cause of warehouse fires in England and Wales, with 28% of them being caused that way. A further 11% of warehouse fires are caused by misuse of equipment.

Both of those dangers can be alleviated by racking safety and by following SEMA safety guidelines. When businesses perform the regular racking inspections which both the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 and HSE recommend, they are making sure that their work equipment is neither faulty or misused. In doing so, they doing their bit to lessen the two dangers which make up nearly half of all warehouse fires.

Racking Systems Force People to Take Responsibility

Another issue Gough highlights is the unwillingness for people to take responsibility after a fire has occurred. After the Magna Park warehouse fire in 2005, Gough recalls a distinct lack of accountability for the fire.

The building was owned, operated, and managed by several different businesses, each with their own interests. Each group blamed the other, and to Gough this begged the question: “Who’s in charge here?” His opinion is that, when people fail to take responsibility, “that’s when accidents happen.”

Racking safety forces people to take responsibility. HSE’s guidance states that each workplace needs to nominate a “person responsible for racking safety (PRRS)” and — like all other warehouse staff — this person should be “competent”. What’s more, according to the CDM regulations 2015, it’s the responsibility of the employer to ensure that warehouse staff are “competent”.

When properly followed, racking safety and warehouse safety in general, gives clear guidance as to who is responsible for what. This responsibility is what prevents accidents. When someone knows that they will ultimately be the person to blame if something goes wrong, they are much more likely to do everything they can to make sure that nothing does go wrong.

Racking Safety Can Prevent Fires, But Sprinklers Stop Them

If there was one thing Gough stressed more than anything else in his talk, it was this: every single warehouse in the UK should be fitted with sufficient sprinklers.

Should the worst happen and a fire starts in a warehouse, sprinklers are there to stop them. Up to 99% of all fires in sprinkler-protected warehouses are prevented by the sprinkler systems. That success rate should be enough for sprinklers to be mandatory, but this is not the case.

Gough expressed his frustration that one of the key reasons people don’t install sprinklers is that they are worried about water damage. He argues that too many people imagine that if someone sets off a match and a tiny bit of smoke gets into the air, the whole system will go off.

While this is something often depicted in cinema — from films as wide-ranging as Die Hard to The Incredibles — it’s simply not true. The truth is that sprinkler systems only ever go off in a room where there’s a fire and they use a lot less water to put out a fire than the fire service would.

When sprinkler systems are combined with proper racking safety, warehouse fires can be prevented and — if necessary — stopped in their tracks.

For a FREE, no-obligation consultation on our range of racking safety services, contact Storage Equipment Experts today.