Make Warehouse Safety Your New Year’s Resolution

a woman in a warehouse with a clipboard conducting a racking inspection

A racking inspection form is an actionable way to make your New Year’s resolution a reality

According to the data, 92% of people fail their New Year’s resolution — and this should hardly come as surprise. Most New Year’s resolutions are either too ambitious, too vague or just don’t have the right motivations behind them.

This is where a racking inspection form comes in. Rather than having some optimistic and whimsical notion for a New Year’s resolution, a warehouse racking inspection checklist means you have something solid that you can use to achieve a measurable goal: a safer warehouse.

Beyond the temporal significance of committing to greater warehouse safety as part of a New Year’s resolution, it also makes sense from a business perspective. During Christmas, your warehouse likely went through quite the ordeal, with your racking systems clogged up with all that extra Christmas stock.

It’s entirely possible that your storage systems were damaged during the chaos of Christmas. More than that, it’s entirely possible that, while you were very careful at the time, you still managed to miss one particular piece of damaged racking. Mistakes like this shouldn’t happen, but the fact is they often do — especially during Christmas.

Racking Inspection Forms Make Warehouse Safety Consistent

A racking inspection form helps ensure that your warehouse inspections are regular and systematised. Without one, it’s easy to find yourself checking the same section of racking twice while missing another section of racking altogether.

Our warehouse racking inspection checklist is designed precisely so this doesn’t happen. By using a table that breaks down each part of a racking system, you can check every piece of each section of racking against your checklist. You can then use the checklist to note down exactly where you found each section of racking.

Doing so means you spend exactly the amount of time you need to spend inspecting your racking: no more, no less.

You Can Never Be Too Well Trained…

Our warehouse racking checklist is designed to be as user-friendly as possible. Even still, we’d highly recommend racking inspection training to help you effectively use your checklist. Our racking inspection training will give you the skills necessary to perform checks that are quicker and more accurate.

Whether it’s for just you or for your whole staff, the benefits of good training can’t be understated. It’s why business writer Obinna Ekezie believes that “your success starts with more frequent employee training.”

…And an Outsider’s Opinion Doesn’t Hurt Either!

Getting an expert from outside your business to come check your racking isn’t just a good idea; it’s recommended by HSE. Not having a SEMA approved racking inspector take a look at your racking at least once a year means running counter to HSE’s advice. According to the new CDM regulations, this means that should the worst happen and someone is injured or killed in your warehouse due to unsafe racking, you’re likely to be legally responsible.

Making sure your warehouse safety has a racking inspection by a SEMA approved inspector at least once a year (alongside regular racking inspections from trained staff, using our free racking inspection checklist) means that you have a New Year’s resolution you can keep.

Learning how to play the violin is all well and good, but this New Year, consider a practical and useful resolution that you can measure. That way, you might just wind up being one of the 8% who sticks to their New Year’s resolution in 2017.

Download our free rac king inspection form to get your 2017 off to a great start!

Do My Staff Need to Take the SEMA Racking Inspection Training Course?

The SEMA racking inspection training course is a program run by SEMA which is designed to give people the ability to become SEMA approved racking inspectors (SARIs).

“Do my staff need to take SEMA’s racking inspection training course?”

The short answer is no.

But why is that? Why wouldn’t you want your staff to receive the SEMA racking inspection training course?

The SEMA Racking Inspection Training Course is Designed for Future SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors

The racking inspection training course is a course run by SEMA itself in order to help those with a background in structural engineering or similar pursue a new career. People who pass this course become qualified SEMA approved racking inspectors (SARI). As of right now, there are only 93 SEMA approved racking inspectors.

If a member of your staff wants to become the 94th SEMA approved racking inspector, that is a serious commitment and — more than that — it’s a career in of itself. In fact, in order to maintain their SARI status, they will need to perform a certain number of racking inspections as SEMA approved racking inspector every year.

Added to all this, SEMA approved racking inspectors are expected to attend a set amount of seminars and conferences in order to keep their knowledge up to date. In short, being a SEMA approved racking inspector requires a lot of time, money, and effort.

The SEMA racking inspection training course is a great thing as it creates racking inspection experts, but it’s also a gateway to a new career. It’s only something that an employee would want or need if they no longer wanted to work for your company.

HSE Recommend that Staff Perform Racking Inspections Once a Week. So Where Can My Staff Get Racking Inspection Training?

If you want your staff to be able to perform the sort of weekly racking inspections which HSE recommends, look no further than right here. Our racking inspection training course is run by a SEMA approved racking inspector. This means that your staff will be able to inspect warehouse racking according to SEMA guidelines without the time and cost of sending them on a three-day racking inspection training course. Our course lasts just one day and will give your staff all the knowledge they need in order to perform weekly racking inspections, as per HSE’s guidance.

Storage Equipment Experts’ racking inspection services are critically acclaimed by a long list of great British and Irish businesses. To name but a few, White Stuff, Smiffys, and the Tate Modern all recommend Storage Equipment Experts.

5 More Reasons to Get Racking Inspection Training from Storage Equipment Experts!

Just in case you’re not quite convinced, here are five more reasons to give your staff racking inspection training from our SEMA approved racking inspector…

Our SEMA approved racking inspectors are willing and very able to travel to anywhere in UK & Ireland quickly and easily.
Our SEMA approved racking inspectors have produced countless articles on the subject of warehouses safety, rack safety, and health and safety in general — all of which means that he knows his industry inside out.
Our SEMA approved racking inspectors are qualified by SEMA to inspect both adjustable pallet racking and cantilever racking; there are only 34 people which hold both of these qualifications.
Our racking inspection training course is available at the extremely competitive price of £225 + VAT per person.
We also offer a warehouse racking inspection checklist (written by SEMA approved racking inspectors) and an infographic detailing how to use the checklist… for free!

So what are you waiting for? Contact Storage Equipment Experts today for a quote on racking inspections from a SEMA approved inspector or for a racking inspection training courses.

Racking inspection courses sema racking inspection training

Trick or Treat? An Inspection of HSE’s 2016 Safety Record

Halloween’s approaching and 2016 is winding to a close, so it’s time for an inspection of HSE’s 2016 safety record so far.

There’s nothing scarier than workplace danger. Ghosts and goblins may be synonymous with Halloween, but any inspection of HSE’s previous annual reports goes to show that there is much to fear about a dangerous workplace.

Here at Storage Equipment Experts, we’ve decided to put together an inspection of HSE’s 2016. HSE has released reports, guides, made commitments, and had quite a big executive shakeup. But what does all this mean? Is it bad or good? Trick or treat?

A 2016 Inspection: HSE Report Reveals a Slight Rise in Workplace Fatalities

Every year, HSE releases a report on the rate of workplace fatalities in the UK, as well as the sheer number of them. During the 2015/2016 period there has been a slight rise in workplace fatalities (both in number and by rate) when compared to the 2014/2015 period.

However, upon a broader inspection of HSE’s report on workplace fatalities, it’s clear that this rise is part of a general trend of workplace fatalities decreasing. Workplace fatalities are almost half of what they were during the 2000/2001 period and, in the 2013/2014 period, workplace fatalities were at an all-time low.

In HSE’s full 2016 report, they state that workplace fatality rates in the UK are lower than every other European country with the exception of Malta. However, it’s worth noting that this data, despite being referenced in HSE’s 2016 report, is from the 2013 period.

When it comes to workplace fatalities, 2016 has been something of a mixed bag for HSE. Their standards are still extremely high, but it’s hard to argue that things have improved since 2013.

A 2016 Inspection: HSE’s Executive Shakeup

After over eight years of service running HSE, Dame Judith Hackitt stepped down from HSE’s Chair of the Board in April 2016. This was big news at the time, and it’s still big news now. Since she left the position, the government has also announced four big changes to the board of non-executive directors. So what does all of this change mean?

Right now, it’s early days, so it’s quite hard to say. On the one hand, it’s a positive thing to see HSE hire two women and two men at the same. It goes to show that they are serious about their continued commitment to workplace equality, both within across the UK and within HSE itself. On the other hand, some have criticised HSE’s appointment of Susan Johnson; someone with a working background which — some argue — does not qualify her for the position.

A 2016 Inspection: HSE’s New Strategy

Before stepping down from her role as HSE chair, Dame Judith Hackitt helped to author a new strategy for HSE. An inspection of HSE’s new guide reveals a commitment to maintaining high standards and keeping pace with change, but no solid commitments to achieving specific goals. The guide is available for free from the HSE website and they have been keen to get the word out about it. The guide was released alongside a lot of new content on their YouTube channel and a new hashtag on Twitter (#helpGBworkwell).

What all of this will mean for small businesses is unclear. If nothing else, it will give HSE the ability to voice their side of the story to the public, rather than the public only hearing about HSE through angry comments, usually containing health and safety myths.

A 2016 Inspection: HSE’s Guide to Common Sense Makes the News

In March 2016, before stepping down as chair of HSE, Dame Judith Hackitt featured in The Guardian, The Independent, and The Belfast Telegraph with something of a rant about the UK’s current attitude towards health and safety. Specifically, Hackitt was referring to the way in which children are introduce to health and safety in schools.

Whenever HSE tries to guide schools, there is often a lot of cynicism about it. However, upon inspection of HSE’s involvement with schools, it becomes clear that their influence is actually quite innocent. Much of the bad press HSE receives about their excessive rule-making in British schools is often some kind of health and safety myth.

By contrast, Hackitt’s opinion is that we should have a more common sense attitude to children’s health and safety. She bemoans the “excessively risk-averse” culture of schools which has been bred from teachers’ fears of upsetting parents.

Her opinions were widely read, but there is the possibility that some corners of the public will interpret them as hypocrisy. To some, HSE is the cause of our “excessively risk-averse” culture, not the solution.

A 2016 Inspection: Our Verdict on HSE’s Year

At Storage Equipment Experts, we believe that HSE’s 2016 has been a net positive. The missteps they may have made were taken with the best possible intentions. The organisation has continued to ensure that the UK’s workplace fatality rate is one of the very lowest in Europe and that it continues to slowly decline.

We also respect HSE’s continued commitment to warehouse racking inspections. While the cuts to HSE funding have drawn criticism, HSE and Storage Equipment Experts are still working together to make certain that warehouses, pallet racking systems, and all elements of the British workplace remain as safe as possible.

Has 2016 been a safe year for your business? Contact Storage Equipment Experts for a warehouse racking inspection.

How to Prevent MSDs Through Regular Warehouse Racking Inspections?

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a huge problem in the world of warehousing, and regular warehouse racking inspections and warehouse racking inspection training are the solution.

On October 20th, HSL (the Health and Safety Laboratory, the British government research group dedicated to finding solutions to workplace health and safety issues) will be running a course on how to prevent MSDs and other upper limb disorders (ULDs). They have good reason to do so. After all, MSDs are “the most common occupational illness in Britain affecting over 500,000 people a year”.

Half a million people is a lot — more than the entire population of Bristol — so it’s hardly surprising that the government wants to reduce that figure. One way to bring down MSDs is through regular warehouse racking inspections.

How Does Warehouse Work Cause MSDs?

According to HSE’s 2015 report of work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD), 44% of all work related injuries and illnesses are caused by WRMSDs. That is an enormous amount, so figuring out the leading causes of WRMSDs is vital.

In the report, HSE state that the three sectors with the highest rate of WRMSDs are agriculture, construction, and transport and storage. Agriculture and construction are two industries that use warehouses a lot, and transport and storage is an industry to which warehouses are absolutely essential — all of which goes to show that warehouse work is responsible for a lot of WRMSDs.

So what is it about warehouse work that is so dangerous?

In the same report, HSE state that leading cause of WRMSDs across all work sectors is lifting and carrying, which is the bulk of almost all work that goes on in warehouses.

Why is Lifting and Carrying So Dangerous?

Whenever you lift something, you run a small risk of damaging your bones and muscles. This risk can be more or less eliminated if lifting is done safely. The advice from the NHS is easy to follow and adopted by many workplaces: keep the load to the waist, don’t bend your back, don’t twist, etc.

However, in many workplaces, it is also evidently the case that this advice is not followed. When workers are under stress or are forced to rush their lifting, mistakes happen. We all know that one really badly performed lift can lead to serious injury. More common than that, though, is the fact that many of those bad lifts lead to serious illness over time.

How do Warehouse Racking Inspections Help?

Warehouse racking inspections condone the same philosophy that underpins safe lifting: slow down and be careful. When the two disciplines are combined, warehouses illnesses and injuries drop dramatically.

Properly inspected warehouses are places where objects of the proper weight are stored in the right place on level surfaces. Uneven surfaces or badly stored objects force workers to twist and jerk as they lift objects. Over time, this is what leads to MSDs.

A warehouse with properly inspected racking creates a flat, even surface for a worker to store an object. Workers storing objects on these shelves will find it easier to do so.

When warehouse racking inspection frequency is as high as it should be, the whole warehouse becomes an easier and tidier place to work. This tidiness isn’t just superficially nice; it’s the essence of good warehousing.

What Warehouse Racking Inspection Frequency do I Need to Ensure that my Warehouse is Safe?

A warehouse racking inspection from a racking inspection expert (such as a SEMA approved rack inspector) should happen at least once a year. Though, if your staff notice a problem with a racking system — either because lifting has been made more difficult or because of some other issue — then you should book yourself a warehouse racking inspection right away.

Better still, if your staff receive warehouse racking inspection training, they can inspect a warehouse themselves using a warehouse racking inspection checklist. HSE recommends that staff perform rack safety inspections themselves once every week using a green risk, amber risk, and red risk system. Giving them training on racking inspections helps them to identify these risks with accuracy and in good time. However, it should be stressed that rushing is never the answer; be it racking inspections or lifting, rushed work is what leads to mistakes.

At Storage Equipment Experts, we offer both the best warehouse racking inspection training and the best warehouse racking inspection checklist in the UK. Don’t just take our word for it, though: check out our racking inspection testimonials page to see why we’re the best.

Book a SEMA approved warehouse racking inspection, alongside warehouse racking inspection training for your staff, to make sure that every aspect of working in your warehouse is as safe as possible.

Safe Use and Careful Maintenance of Warehouse Racking Systems

Warehouse racking systems is one of the most space-efficient forms of storage there is, capable of holding tonnes of goods in a minimal footprint. But the combination of vertically stacked heavy loads and fast-moving workplace transport (commonly forklifts) around these stacks brings its own set of risks.

Minimising these risks involves concentrating on the following three areas:

ensuring racking is built, loaded and, if necessary, modified in line with manufacturers’ guidelines
encouraging safe behaviour among employees loading and unloading or working around racking
monitoring any damage to racking frames and ensuring repairs don’t compromise their strength.

Shelf life

Racking systems should be installed by competent assemblers in line with the codes published by the of the storage trade body, the Storage Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (SEMA) (www.sema.org.uk).

Manufacturers are required to provide safe loading data for all racking systems. For new installations, SEMA members will supply load data notices for you to display at the end of each run of racking, stating the maximum loading weights for bays and individual beams and the height of the first beam level.

All beams should have safety locks fitted. These low-cost components are designed to prevent the beam being raised accidentally when the pallet below is lifted, potentially dislodging two or three 1000kg pallets, bringing them down on the driver and anyone else below.

Any changes to beam levels need to be made with careful reference back to the manufacturer or supplier – get their confirmation, in writing, that the racking has the capacity to cope with the configuration you want. As Figure 1 (see over) shows, raising a lower beam by a few centimetres affects the loading capacity of the whole frame.

Set and enforce adequate handling clearances between pallet loads and the racking frame around them. SEMA specifies a minimum clearance of 75mm between the top of the load and the beam above and on each side. These are absolute minima and the more clearance you can allow, the safer your operation. Too little clearance above a load makes it difficult to remove the load without hitting the beam above. Above all, pallet loads should not be stored hard up against frames; this risks damaging the frame uprights and bracing members.

Good Housekeeping

As noted already, the combination of slim frames and constant movement of heavily weighted vehicles (4.5-tonne forklifts, for instance) around and between them in warehouses and depots means that it is wishful thinking to expect that racking will not sustain knocks at some point. Your aim should be to keep those knocks to a minimum and to be aware of every one the system takes.

Strictly enforced rules on safe driving, speed limits, observing floor markings – all the standard features of a workplace transport policy – are the starting point. Left to their own devices, lift-truck drivers may assume there is enough of a safety margin left in the construction of good racking to allow for limited damage. This safety factor may well exist, but you must not let employees take it for granted. Part of their job descriptions should be to work in a way that avoids damage to the frames while loading or unloading or simply working near the racking.
Removable column guards or guard-rails are options to prevent lift trucks getting too close to the racking structure. Corner uprights are especially exposed and worth protecting and/or painting a bright colour to make them highly visible.

All workers should be trained to keep aisles between racking free of anything that might obstruct vehicles. Pallet loads or debris will reduce the clearance for drivers, making it more likely they will collide with the surrounding frames. Good housekeeping will not only help avoid slips and trips but also contribute to vehicle safety. In a recent incident, a wire-guided forklift was deflected by some shrink-wrap packaging left on a warehouse floor which broke the wire contact, causing the truck to career into nearby racking.

Any combination of alterations, damage and misaligned loading can compromise the frame structure to the point of collapse, even when it is not overloaded. You need to monitor and assess any damage to the racking structure, and this means anyone working around the racking needs to understand the importance of reporting any damage, whether it is the driver who clips the frame turning at the end of a bay or the depot manager noting a beam deflection during a stock-check.

Your racking should be inspected at least annually by a SEMA-approved rack inspector. Ideally you should contract an independent inspector without ties to a supplier/repairer then act quickly to fix any defects they report.
It’s not just the condition of the racking that needs monitoring. The state of the pallets placed on the racks can also affect overall stability and safety, so these need watching too. You should have a system of reporting damaged pallets so they can be removed and returned to the pool for repair or disposal.

Under Repair

Where monitoring or an independent inspection throws up damage to uprights or beams that could compromise safety, the bay should be offloaded and employees warned not to use it until remedial repair work is completed. The usual course is to replace damaged sections with like-for-like components. Splicing new sections into damaged areas or welding in “foreign” sections into existing racking is not an adequate form of repair. Check that anyone working on your racking can prove their competence with a SEIRS card that shows they have been through SEMA’s Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme, which is supported by the HSE.

Racking is literally part of the furniture in warehouses and depots, but that does not mean you can afford to take it for granted in your health and safety assessments.

Make Warehouse Safety Your New Year’s Resolution