At SEMA Racking Inspections, we understand that safety in the warehouse is no accident. Rather, it is a culmination of factors, and something that requires people skills as well as logistical skills.
Racking inspections by SEMA Approved Inspectors
The first step in ensuring the safety of any warehouse is following HSE’s guidelines. HSE state that racking systems should be inspected by a “SEMA approved racking inspector” (a SARI) at least once a year. Some people experience “inspection anxiety” before these racking inspections. They fear that their safety standards will not match up to SARI’s safety standards. This feeling is not normal, and it should not be treated as such. If your warehouse is safe, and you have decent safety procedures in place, then a routine check from a SARI should not make you nervous. If you do feel nervous, use that anxiety as a driving force to better your safety procedures.
Racking Inspection Training
HSE also recommend that racking inspections are carried out in your warehouse on a regular basis by “technically competent” people within the business itself. The best way to do this is to make sure that you and your staff receive racking inspection training from a SEMA approved racking inspector.
Clear and Consistent Communication
A good warehouse is an intelligent system of signs, signals, and instructions. However, there is an important distinction to be made between intelligent and confusing. Some people feel that if they have lots of signs, lots of protocols, and lots of complex instructions, then that will keep their warehouse safe. Yet the truth is that the most intelligent communication system is actually the simplest. Of course, this does not mean that instructions and signs should leave out important details either. Rather, it means that instructions and signs should only include information that is relevant. It also means that the same protocols need to be echoed throughout the warehouse. Wording something slightly differently may feel innocent enough, but don’t risk it. Allow no space for interpretation and make sure that everybody gets the same message.
Aisles and Aisles of Floor Space
From the initial plans of your racking layout, to the
day-to-day usage of your warehouse, floor space is something that requires constant attention in your warehouse. At the planning stage, you need to make sure that the racking systems you chose can be accessed easily, for both storage and racking inspections, and that they are decently spaced. If forklifts are going to be driving through your warehouse, then your plan needs to account for that. In terms of day-to-day usage, your floorspace needs to be managed carefully, by forklifts and employees alike, to ensure that it remains unobstructed.
Make sure that your warehouse is as safe as possible with a racking inspection by a SEMA Approved inspector today!
