What Are HSE Guidelines?

HSE guidelines

The term “HSE guidelines” is thrown around a lot. However, this is a problem, because the term is actually quite misleading.

HSE guidelines are leaflets and documents issued by the Health & Safety Executive which offer best practice guidance on a variety of public safety issues. These guidelines — much like HSE itself — are often misunderstood. Most of the time, this is through negative stories about “health and safety gone mad”. However, on occasion, HSE is misunderstood by people who respect HSE immensely.

Defining HSE Guidelines

By “HSE guidelines”, most people mean guides like INDG45 on the safe use of ladders and step ladders. This leaflet offers helpful and practical insight into how someone can manage ladders and step ladders in their workplace. The leaflets are a great example of best practice and you know that it’s advice you can trust, because it’s from the government.

However, these leaflets are not legally binding.

HSE Guidelines Are Not The Law

This might not seem correct, but it is. The idea that HSE’s guidelines are the law is a common overestimation made by people who respect HSE’s advice.

The confusion stems from the fact that HSE is the government organisation responsible for public health and safety. As such, it would make sense that its guidelines are the law. This logic is sound, but it’s not correct.

It can also be confusing because HSE does write laws. The decisions the organisation makes on public safety can affect some pieces of legislation and HSE can help to create other pieces of legislation from scratch. So, if this organisation has the power to make laws, why aren’t its guidelines the law?

HSE Offers Practical Advice And Legal Advice

At the start of many HSE guidelines, you’ll often see this caveat:

“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.”

HSE guidelines aren’t the law itself because its guidelines are designed to be read by employees and employers with no legal expertise. Legal documents are often dense things written in legalese. Legislation is written this way so that it can’t be bent in some way to mean something else — as much as lawyers might try. The downside to this, though, is that this language can be hard to interpret. As such, HSE ‘translates’ this language into its guidelines.

A legal document is not designed to advise. It’s designed to outline bare minimum requirements. By contrast, HSE guidelines offer helpful advice which is designed to be read by employers in order for them to exercise best practice.

When HSE Offers Legal Advice, It’s Explicit

HSE guidelines aren’t the law, but they do sometimes refer to the law. When HSE guidelines do this, though, it is explicit. HSE’s INDG225 on slips, trips and falls makes clear reference to what three different laws say at the beginning guide. It unambiguously tells you what the law is and what the law says. However, the guideline is not the law itself. Rather, the actual legislation can be found here, here, and here.

When you to try to read the actual legislation, you quickly understand why INDG225 breaks down the relevant pieces of this legislation with regards to slips, trips and falls. To give just one example, Section 5 of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 contains sage advice like this:

“Every employer shall make and give effect to such arrangements as are appropriate having regard to the nature of his activities and the size of his undertaking, for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of the preventive and protective measures.”

If you fell asleep trying to read that sentence, take pity on the hard-working people at HSE who had to go through legislation like this in order to find the practical pieces of advice most relevant in certain situations. Distraction is the enemy of safety, and HSE knows that it’s easy to get distracted when reading pages of impenetrable legal jargon. It’s because of this reason that HSE guidelines exist.

In HSG76, one HSE guideline is that warehouses should be inspected by a SEMA approved racking inspector at least once every 12 months. This advice isn’t the law, but it is consistent with the law.

So, for racking inspections by SEMA Approved inspectors that consistent with HSE guidelines, contact Storage Equipment Experts today.

HSE Inspectors: What’s Their Stance on Racking Protectors?

HSE Inspectors uk

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) couldn’t exist without hard-working inspectors and safety professionals of all kinds, so their stance on racking protectors matters a lot.

Ever since its formation in 1974, HSE has helped to improve working conditions for millions of British people. As a result, workplace fatalities have fallen by 85%. However, the organisation recognises that there’s still more work to be done, and it’s because of this belief in constant improvement that HSE’s standards are so high.

HSE’s stance on racking protectors is an example of its high standards. While these metal plates are designed to protect a racking system, they can actually make a workplace less safe when not used properly.

Some Background on HSE Inspectors

Typically, a HSE inspector is someone with a background in engineering or applied sciences. This might be through a university degree, some other kind of formal education, relevant work experience, or an apprenticeship.

The job is a 9-5 one, but HSE inspectors might have to work on weekends in the event of some kind of emergency. Most HSE inspectors work for HSE, but others might work for local councils or for large organisations. Due to government cuts, the number of HSE inspectors is decreasing. At the same time, the number of SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors is increasing — albeit slowly.

SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors (SARIs) are HSE inspectors of a sort. HSE recommends a racking inspection from a SARI at least every 12 months and it labels both SARIs and their inspections as “expert”. However, SARIs are not employed by HSE, a local council, or a large organisation. Though their expertise is recognised by HSE, many SARIs are freelancers.

What SARIs share in common with HSE inspectors are their backgrounds, their knowledge, and their stance on racking protectors. The difference between HSE inspectors and SARIs is that HSE inspectors operate under fee for intervention scheme and SARIs don’t.

In other words, if there is anything wrong with your workplace, your fine will include a charge designed to recover the costs lost from inspecting your workplace. This change in rules has also been brought on by government cuts as a cost-saving measure, and the result has been a sharp increase in fines.

By contrast, a SARI’s job isn’t to fine people. At Storage Equipment Experts, if we find something wrong with your workplace during an inspection, aim is to help you. We want to make sure that know exactly what’s wrong with your storage system so that you can fix it.

What Are Racking Protectors?

Both HSE inspectors and SARI inspectors sing from the same hymnbook when it comes to warehouse safety, and this is especially the case with regards to racking protectors. These protectors are often installed next to an upright. At the 2015 SEMA Safety Conference, SEMA made the SARI and HSE stance on racking protectors clear.

Their aim is to protect a racking system, but a common issue with them is overreliance. Too many warehouse workers treat racking protectors like goggles. Just as goggles are there to protect your eyes from the snow which will inevitably fly into your face, so too are racking protectors their to protect a racking system from inevitable collisions.

This attitude is wrong. Collisions with racking protectors are not inevitable, and they should be avoided as much as possible. Operating under the assumption that a racking protector will be used is the wrong idea.

Instead, warehouse workers should imagine racking protectors like bike helmets. Just as bike helmets are designed to protect someone’s head in the event of a crash, so too are racking protectors designed to protect a racking system in the event of a collision.

Both pieces of safety equipment are very important, but they are there as a last resort. The best form of protection for cyclists against crashing isn’t the helmet, but road safety awareness. Equally, the best form of protection for a racking system isn’t the racking protector, but racking safety awareness.

To make sure that you are using your racking protectors properly and to avoid a fine from HSE inspectors.
And contact Storage Equipment Experts today for a racking inspection by a SEMA Approved inspector!

Warehouse Shelving and Warehouse Racking

Warehouse Racking

For any warehouse owner, it’s important to know your long span shelving from your cantilever racking.

Warehouse racking and warehouse shelving comes in many different forms. In order to run a safe and profitable warehouse, you’ll need to know about these different forms.

Warehouse Shelving or Warehouse Racking?

The terms warehouse shelving and warehouse racking are often used synonymously. By and large, warehouse shelving tends to refer to smaller storage systems, whereas warehouse racking refers to bigger ones.

Still, HSE offers a better distinction than that. In HSG 76, it defines warehouse racking as “a skeletal framework, of fixed or adjustable design, to support loads generally without the use of shelves”. This would suggest that a warehouse storage system which uses shelves is classified as warehouse shelving, whereas any other kind of warehouse storage system counts as warehouse racking.

HSE does concede, though, that some racking systems might contain shelves as well, expression “generally without use of shelves”. This confuses things somewhat, and it’s probably why so many people refer to both systems as synonyms.

In order to educate warehouse owners on the different systems they’ll be using, we are going to run through the different kinds of warehouse shelving, as well as the different kinds of warehouse racking.

1. Longspan Shelving

The most popular kind of warehouse shelving is longspan shelving. This type of shelving is versatile and incredibly basic. It consists of a flat, long shelf of wood or metal, and a metal skeleton to hold it together. When most people imagine shelving, they imagine the simplicity of longspan shelving.

Longspan warehouse shelving can be modified with extension bays to add more height to the system or with galvanised shelves for refrigerated storage. However, any sort of shelving or racking installation needs to be done by a certified professional or by someone qualified.

What’s more, be sure that any modification of your system does not breach the end user agreement or void the storage equipment manufacturer or producer’s guarantee.

2. Tyre Racking

Tyre racking is sometimes known as tyre shelving. However, as a tyre storage system doesn’t have any shelves, tyre racking is a more accurate description. Like cantilever racking, this system is designed in a way which makes it inconvenient for most kinds of storage, but extremely convenient for certain kinds of storage.

If you store tyres in your warehouse, tyre racking is designed to be the best possible system. It’s the safest, easiest, and best way to store tyres in a warehouse.

3. Clothing System

Just as tyres need a unique storage solution, so too do clothes. It might well be that your clothes are folded and stored in boxes. In which case, longspan shelving or pallet racking would suffice. However, for hanging clothes, there are specific systems out there.

Adjustable Pallet Racking

If longspan racking is the most popular and versatile warehouse shelving system, adjustable pallet racking is the most popular and versatile racking system. Instead of shelves, adjustable pallet racking uses pallets which can be adjusted vertically. This allows for a wide variety of storage.

Of course, sometimes, a generic system isn’t the best. This is why cantilever racking and other storage systems exist. Still, for a business which stores a variety of items, pallet racking systems remain immensely popular.

Mezzanine Racking System

A mezzanine racking system is a storage system with stairs and walkways which allow staff members to climb the system, but only in a very specific way. This is the only kind of racking system which can be climbed on, which is why there are strict guidelines regarding the load-bearing capacity.

Drive-Through Racking

For warehouses which use forklifts or other kinds of vehicles, drive-through racking is a great option. It’s designed to allow for the safe passage of vehicles, but drivers should still take extra care when operating a vehicle in a warehouse.

This means using rack protectors correctly, as outlined in HSE HSG76, by only using them as a last resort and it also means referring to the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998.

Cantilever Racking

Pretty much all racking systems are variations on a pallet racking system. The most notable exception to this a cantilever racking system. A cantilever racking system consists of arms instead of pallets. The result is the ability to store long, thin objects — like timber or steel beams — much better than a pallet racking system could.

Because cantilever racking systems are specialist, they require specialist inspectors. The SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI) from Storage Equipment Experts is one of the only SARIs to be qualified by SEMA to inspect cantilever racking as well as all kinds of pallet racking.

For inspection or inspection training on warehouse shelving or any kind of warehouse racking, contact Storage Equipment Experts. Phone us for a FREE consultation and for nationwide coverage for the whole of the UK and nationwide coverage for the whole of Ireland, too.

Should I Give My Staff SEMA Racking Training This Christmas?

Christmas Gift SEMA Racking Training

SEMA racking training isn’t a gift you can wrap, but it’s still a welcome addition to Christmas.

If you want your staff to be driving home for Christmas, you’ll need a safe workplace. SEMA racking trainings can help you with that. However, that doesn’t mean that every staff member needs SEMA racking training.

What is SEMA Racking Training?

SEMA racking trainings is any kind of rack safety course run by SEMA. We offer rack safety training courses run by a SEMA approved racking inspector, but this is not the same as SEMA racking trainings.

Do My Staff Need SEMA Racking Training?

HSE recommends regular racking inspections from staff members and it also recommends that each warehouse has a person responsible for racking safety (PRRS). According to the CDM Regulations 2015, it is your duty as an employer to make sure that anyone performing a task like racking inspection or performing a role like the PRRS is “competent”.

To achieve this competency, SEMA racking trainings or racking inspection training from a SEMA approved racking inspector (SARI) are both good options. HSE labels SEMA, SARIs, and the work they both perform as “expert”. As such, it’s fair to assume that someone successfully trained by SEMA or a SARI to inspect racking would be deemed “competent”.

What Does SEMA Racking Training Involve?

This depends entirely on the course, but inspection is probably the most important aspect of any SEMA racking training course or any course performed by a SARI. The reason for this is that inspection is the aspect of racking safety which requires the most explanation.

Safe installation of racking mostly involves making sure that the person doing the installation. Safe use of racking mostly involves following the manufacturer’s instructions, especially with regards to load notices. However, safe inspection of racking involves knowing what to inspect, how often to inspect, what to do in the event of damage, and what damage or misuse actually looks like.

That last part is often the trickiest thing to spot and the easiest thing to miss. Knowing whether or not a racking system is missing a small part and knowing how integral this part is to the whole system is just one example of something which can require training. After all, it’s impossible to say for certain if a storage system is unsafe if you don’t know exactly what safe looks like, exactly what unsafe looks like, and what exactly makes a system safe or unsafe.

Is SEMA Racking Training Enough?

Giving your staff SEMA racking training — or training from a SARI — will likely be enough to class them as competent. However, the important thing to remember about safety is that it is a continuous process, rather than a one-time thing.

As such, you will also need to make sure that your trained staff perform racking inspections on a regular basis. For this, HSE recommends a traffic light system, where no damage is marked as green and damage is marked as amber or red, depending on its severity. Each colour then requires a different action.

This means that it’s not enough for your staff to passively receive the training. They need to actively use this training on a regular basis through regular inspections. What’s more, they need to act upon any damage they find in the warehouse.As well as all that, you will need to ensure that your staff receives an inspection at least once every 12 months from a SARI.

For racking inspection or racking inspection trainings from one of the only SARIs qualified by SEMA to inspect pallet racking and cantilever racking, contact Storage Equipment Experts today for a FREE consultation. We offer nationwide coverage for both the whole of the UK and Ireland.

Download Your FREE Pallet Racking Inspection Form Before Winter

Pallet Racking Inspection Form

Winter can be tough on racking systems, so be sure to download a FREE pallet racking inspection form before it comes.

With winter fast approaching, there’s never been a better time to download a pallet racking inspection form and institute a proper inspection system in your warehouse. This is because, for many people in the warehousing and storage industry, winter isn’t just the coldest time of the year. The slow approach of Christmas (an event which some businesses start planning for in the summer) means that it can also be the busiest.

Christmas brings with it a tide of orders for products of all kinds. It’s a huge boon for businesses of all kinds across the country and it can really help to boost the economy. There’s a lot more to Christmas, of course, but the extra sales are what make businesses merry during this time of year.

The problem for warehouses is that all of this extra business couldn’t come at a worse time. Cold can bring illnesses, slippery floors, ice and a whole bunch of other winter-related injuries to your warehouse.

With so much going on during the winter period, it’s important to get a handle on things now. While your warehouse is still relatively quiet and warm, download our FREE pallet racking inspection form.

Why Do I Need a Pallet Racking Inspection Form?

HSE recommends annual racking inspections from a SEMA approved racking inspector (SARI). This is an important racking inspection service, but it’s not the whole story. In order to maintain the safety of your racking system in between visits from a SARI, HSE also recommends regular racking inspections from staff.

HSE recommends that the person performing this task is competent. Moreover, according to the CDM regulations, anyone working in your warehouse should be competent. In order to achieve this, we offer racking inspection training, but we also offer a checklist which staff can use once they’ve completed the training in order to perform regular racking inspections.

How Do Pallet Racking Inspection Forms Work?

Ours is pretty simple. We outline all of the different parts of a racking system: uprights, frame bracing, base plate, beam connectors, etc. Alongside each part is the option to mark it as green, amber, or red. The green, amber, red system is one recommended by HSE.

Green means the system is fine. Amber means that there is damage, so the system needs to be offloaded immediately and it needs to be repaired as soon as possible within four weeks. Red means that there is damage so that the system needs to be offload immediately and it needs to be repair immediately.

Why Download Our Pallet Racking Inspection Form?

Aside from the fact that you should download our pallet racking inspection form because it’s FREE, our pallet racking inspection is also one of the only ones written by a SEMA approved pallet racking inspector who is also a SEMA approved cantilever racking inspector.

Our SARI’s wide range of racking system knowledge is why the racking inspection form which you can download from SEE is of a higher quality than other racking inspection forms. However, don’t just take our word for it. Download it for FREE and see for yourself how our pallet racking inspection form will improve your warehouse’s safety in time for the cold and busy winter period.

As well as a FREE pallet racking inspection form, we also offer FREE consultations. So, for racking inspection training, pallet racking inspections and other racking inspection services, contact Storage Equipment Experts today.

3 Dangers A Warehouse Racking Safety Checklist Can Prevent

top 3 warehouse racking safety checklist

An unkempt warehouse is abundant with dangers, but a warehouse racking safety checklist can dramatically reduce those dangers.

Warehouses aren’t inherently dangerous, but a warehouse filled with untrained staff who have no system for inspecting racking systems can be a dangerous thing. This is what makes warehouse racking safety checklists so important. A fuller appreciation of that importance can be gained by better understanding the specific dangers they can prevent.

1. Warehouse Racking Safety Checklists Prevent Distractions

Distractions are everywhere at work. Your home life, other members of staff, the things you need to do when work finishes: it’s perfectly natural to be juggling thoughts about all of these things while you’re working. The issue is when these thoughts interfere with something which requires your full attention — and a warehouse racking safety inspection requires your full attention.

Having a warehouse racking safety checklist means that you know exactly what you are doing when you doing it.

2. Warehouse Racking Safety Checklists Create Routine

It was Oscar Wilde who said “consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative”. However, when it comes to business, consistency is a wildly underappreciated thing. Breaking new ground and expanding into new areas is great. With regards to safety, though, it’s a lot better to keep things consistent.

When HSE gives its advice on staff-led racking inspections, it doesn’t say “once a week” or “once a month”. Instead, its emphasis is on “regular” racking inspections. There’s good reason for this. Safety is a process which should always be happening. It’s not something you should be “topping up” on if a couple of accidents have happened earlier that week.

A routine for safety ensures that the important work of safety gets done. It means you can resist the temptation to ignore it just because an accident hasn’t happened in a while. You remind yourself that perhaps the reason an accident hasn’t happened is directly due to the routine.

As mentioned above, when inspections are done infrequently, they run the risk of not being done at all. Yet, they also run the risk of being unreliable due to a lack of practice and context.

With regards to practice, quality racking inspections require training — just like anything else. If your staff are to use our warehouse racking inspection checklist, we would only recommend doing so after racking inspection training from a SEMA approved racking inspector. Even then, though, performing racking inspections infrequently means that the knowledge from this training fades away, as it is the regular application of learned knowledge that helps to cement it. With regards to context, your staff can’t know whether a system is acting normally unless they know what normal looks like.

In short, a warehouse without routine is chaotic. Warehouse racking safety checklists prevent that.

3. Warehouse Racking Safety Checklists Stop Laziness

Following on from the last point, lazy staff are rarely intrinsically lazy. More often than not, they are taught to be lazy by a working environment where tasks are not made clear and routine is not expected.

With regards to staff-led racking inspections, performing them with a warehouse racking safety checklist makes the process hard to quantify. A staff member might decide, from a distance, that they have “pretty much” inspected everything because they don’t have anywhere to jot down their observations or what they’ve inspected.

While that extreme case imagines a particularly lazy staff member, it isn’t a stretch to imagine an otherwise reliable staff member missing one or two things because they don’t need to write anything down or refer to anything.

This is a kind of laziness, too, but it’s one which can be easily prevented by giving your staff a checklist to note down what they have and haven’t inspected. A well-made checklist is made specific recommendations for specific parts of a racking system. Asking a staff member to use one while performing their inspection will encourage them to be specific and accurate, too.

To help prevent dangers in your warehouse, download our FREE warehouse racking safety checklist

Contact us for a FREE consultation on our full range of racking inspection services.

FREE Racking Inspection Checklist and Guide

Racking Inspection Checklist

We’re proud to offer a FREE racking inspection checklist for our customers to download. Here’s how it works…

We’ve created a free PDF racking inspection checklist and guide that you can download right now. Use our racking inspection checklist to carry out internal racking Inspections and to check the condition of your pallet racking system.

Why Did We Create a Racking Inspection Checklist?

We created the checklist because of a demand for something which businesses can use to carry out the sort of inspection which HSE recommends in its guide on warehouse safety. As a business which is committed to safety, we didn’t want people to have to pay for a checklist that should be available for free.

How Do I Use This Racking Inspection Checklist?

The detailed guide, which comes with the checklist, gives specific information on how to use the  racking inspection checklist. The guide should also be used alongside HSE’s traffic light system as referenced in HSG76.

Where Do I Get This Racking Inspection Checklist?

Right here! Just click the link below. Download your FREE racking inspection checklist

Who Can Use This Racking Inspection Checklist?

The checklist has been designed for use by people with specific training for pallet racking inspections. If you or your staff haven’t received such training, we wouldn’t recommend using this racking inspection checklist. HSE’s opinion is that the person who should carry out regular racking inspections in your workplace should be “competent”. According to the CDM Regulations, the definition of “competent” is up to the employer.

How Can My Staff or I Become “Competent” Enough to Use This Checklist?

At Storage Equipment Experts, we offer pallet racking inspection training. Our opinion is that a racking inspection training course will mean that you are competent enough to perform the sorts of inspections which HSE and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 recommend. Our racking inspection training course is run by one of the few SEMA approved racking inspectors to be a SEMA approved pallet racking inspector and a SEMA approved cantilever racking inspector. Our course can be delivered at our easily accessible centre which is near London, or at your business. We are happy to travel to any business in the UK or Ireland. Contact us for a quote on racking inspection training.

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Simplifying the SEMA Racking Code of Practice: Technical Bulletin No. 1

Damaged racking equipment and unsafe use of racking are the causes of many headaches. In severe cases, it can even be the cause of fatality. While identifying damage is much easier when staff have undergone racking inspection training, choosing the right remedial action can be tricky. Many companies offer repairs that supposedly improve upon the structural integrity of racking equipment, but their methods are often at odds with the SEMA Racking Code of Practice.

For the convenience of all warehouse operators, we’ve created an infographic guide to the SEMA Technical Bulletin No.

1. In it, we take a look at what the organisation advises when it comes to types of racking repairs, some general rules of thumb and a handy traffic light system for classifying damaged racking.

SEMA Racking code of practice: technical bulletin #1 | Storage Equipment Experts

What SEMA Thinks of Different Repair Methods

The myriad of types of repair methods can lead to some confusion, so it’s helpful to see what the SEMA Racking Code of Practice advises in each case. Here’s what the SEMA Technical Bulletin No. 1 recommends:

  • Repairs involving welding are to be avoided in all cases. SEMA does not mince its words here. The sole guidance it provides in relation to welding is as follows: “Such repairs are not recommended.”
  • Repairs to secondary members, such as frame bracings, should be carried out in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines. They should also be covered by the repair company’s warranty and a quality assurance procedure must be put in place.
  • For repairs involving main structural members, specifically racking uprights, the information is much the same as in the previous point. However, this repair should not involve the bending of uprights back into shape. Damaged areas of upright should be cut out and new areas spliced in.

Repairs should also be highlighted during racking inspections. Whilst some warehouses may require more frequent inspections, HSE’s HSG76 recommends a racking inspection frequency of once per year as a bare minimum. These inspections should be interspersed with regular checks from employees who have undergone racking inspection training, in order to keep an eye on racking safety in between expert inspections.

SEMA Racking Code of Practice: The Rule of Thumb for Repairs

While you could spend years studying the various pieces of racking legislation, SEMA Technical Bulletin No. 1 provides a couple of quick rules of thumb. Firstly, it strongly recommends replacing damaged components “like-for-like”. Scrimping on replacement parts may not only void your product warranty, but it may also endanger warehouse staff.

SEMA’s Racking Code of Practice also generally advises against carrying out repairs of damaged components. This doesn’t mean you should replace an entire racking system if become damaged; affected components should be spliced and replaced, rather than being bent back into shape or welded. According to SEMA, any repair that involves the bending of damaged uprights should be avoided.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that SEMA’s advice on repair is backed up by the law. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 emphasises the importance of repairing and inspecting work equipment, such as racking, whenever damage is suspected.

The HSE Traffic Light System

To assist with the troubleshooting of damaged racking equipment. HSE recommends a traffic light classification system which can be used alongside the SEMA Racking Code of Practice. Damage is ranked green, amber, or red depending on its severity, and appropriate actions are suggested for each category.

Green represents damage which does not require remedial work, but which should be monitored at the next racking inspection.

Amber refers to damage which should be remedied, but which is not so severe as to require immediate offloading. However, once loads are removed from this racking, the equipment should not be reloaded until remedial works have taken place. Racking with amber risk category damage should be considered red risk if remedial work has not been carried out within four weeks of first noting the damage.

Red represents severe damage and racking should be immediately offloaded. The normal course of action in this case would be to replace the damaged components with like-for-like parts. Racking with red risk category damage should be isolated to prevent inadvertent use and further risk to warehouse staff.

At Storage Equipment Experts, we know the SEMA Racking Code of Practice inside out. For racking inspection training from SEMA approved racking inspectors, get in touch today.

A Guide to Warehouse Safety in Ireland

Costs of a Dangerous Warehouse

How can you ensure the safety of your staff and equipment in Ireland?

Warehouse safety should be a major concern, regardless of where your business operates. While Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority (HSA) covers many aspects of workplace safety, it’s always best to take a holistic view. From manual handling to pallet racking inspections, here are a few important warehouse safety procedures that you should be following. For even more advice, take a look at our infographic below.


Warehouse safety in Ireland infographic

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Racking Inspection Frequency & Seasonal Temperature Changes

Seasonal Temperature Changes

As winter turns to spring, the change in weather can play havoc on your warehouse, HSE’s stance on racking inspection frequency is that all warehouses need an “expert” racking inspection, such as a SEMA racking inspection, at least once a year. However, should you have any issues with your racking whatsoever, you should also be sure that it receives an “expert” racking inspection as soon as possible.

That responsibility is outlined in regulation 6 of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Here, it is specified that employers should have their “working equipment”, in this case, a racking system, inspected by an expert in the following instances:

  • After an installation
  • After an assembly at a new site or location
  • At suitable intervals
  • Each time that exceptional circumstances which are liable to jeopardise the safety of the work equipment have occurred

Those last two points highlight why a racking inspection in the spring is so important.

Effect of Seasonal Temperature Changes on Storage Systems

The extreme cold of a large warehouse in the winter can make all metals, even steel, significantly weaker and more brittle. This is unfortunate for racking systems because it is during the winter months when racking systems are most under strain, as businesses try to capitalise on the extra business that Christmas typically brings in.

As a result, after months of enduring cold temperatures and storing excess Christmas stock, most racking systems are already in need of a racking inspection. Then, the warm weather of spring comes and makes things worse. This is because of thermal shock. You’ve likely seen this phenomenon before in reverse, as in from hot to cold, but the principle is the same.

You take a glass out of your dishwasher immediately after the wash has finished. The glass is piping hot, but it’s also a hot day and you want an ice cold drink. So you chuck some ice cubes into the glass, fill the glass up with water from the fridge and what happens?

In many cases, nothing. You enjoy a nice glass of cold water none the wiser. However, in many other cases, the glass can suddenly break due to the thermal shock of going from very hot to very cold. The extremity of the shock depends on the speed of the temperature change, as well as the amount of change in temperature. Not all glasses will smash, but the continued thermal shock has the potential to significantly weaken materials in a way which is invisible to the naked eye.

For this and many other reasons, racking systems does not make of glass. Moreover, the good news is that steel, which most racking systems are made of, is a very strong material. As a result, it is the least affected by thermal shock. That said, it is still affected. Over the course of several years, the thermal shock of British weather can take its toll on a racking system and, as spring approaches, a racking inspection is a vital part of checking for this phenomenon.

What is the Ideal Racking Inspection Frequency?

HSE recommends “expert” racking inspections at least once a year — and the “at least” is vital to understand there. The thermal shock of seasonal temperature change is enough of a reason to increase your racking inspection frequency to at least twice a year: once in spring to check that the wear and tear of Christmas and the thermal shock of spring hasn’t damaged your racking system too much; then once in autumn to check that the thermal shock of the oncoming winter hasn’t damaged your racking in time for another busy Christmas period.

In fact, autumn and winter are particularly important times to check for thermal shock because of the UK’s peculiar and unpredictable weather patterns. In 2016, a freakishly warm “Indian summer” was immediately follow by one of the coldest winters on record.

Of course, depending on your warehouse and the amount you use it, you could consider increasing your racking inspection frequency to four or more times a year. The “at least” from HSE is intentionally vague. As the owner of a warehouse racking system, the CDM regulations mean that you are ultimately responsible for the safety of your system. So, if you’re ever unsure, don’t hesitate to contact us.

If you want to increase your racking inspection frequency, contact Storage Equipment Experts to set up biannual, triannual or last-minute.
Racking inspections from SEMA approved racking inspector who is willing to travel to any business in the UK or Ireland.