Got racking? Stay safe!
SEMA poses some key questions to ask yourself if you want to keep your racking safe.
WAREHOUSE OWNERS and managers, how would you answer the following?
- When ordering racking, safety is the supplier’s job.
- Racking safety happens through booking my Expert Inspection.
- I’m not legally responsible if a racking accident happens.
If you said ‘yes’ to any of the above, read on. Keeping employees safe isn’t a nice to have. If a warehouse accident occurs due to your racking and the HSE investigates, they would take enforcement action if you’ve failed to implement correct actions.
Here are the five steps you should be following:
Check your suppliers – flashy websites don’t equate to safe racking suppliers – check their credentials before appointing.
Don’t risk the installation – racking safety relies on installations to exactly meet the design specification. Ensure installers are up-to-date on racking standards by asking for proof of an industry-recognised qualification such as the SEIRS course.
Load racking correctly – racking is designed to carry maximum loads and constant overload can weaken the structure. Check Load Notices are fixed to the racking and your team understands them!
Train employees – to be safe, employees working around racking need training. Send them on a course like our Rack Safety Awareness course and equip them with the skills they need.
Meet your racking inspection requirements
Your inspection process is more detailed than you think, follow the HSE’s recommendations:
- Appoint a Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS) who’s responsible for racking safety in the warehouse.
- Ask warehouse employees to immediately report if they find damage on the racking.
- Train a member of your team to conduct the Visual Inspection.
- At least once a year, appoint a qualified professional to undertake your Expert Inspection – our SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors (SARI) can help with this one!
Need help with your racking? Download SEMA’s Stay Racking Safe guide which includes practical steps you can implement to keep employees safe.
For more information, visit www.sema.org.uk
01543 278489
