SEMA approved racking inspection of mobile pallet racking. Redirack racking on Barpro / Storax bases.
If you have recently had any pallet racking or cantilever racking installed get it inspected and stay safe!
Blog Post
SEMA inspection or not SEMA inspection?
- by Chris van Well
- •
- 07 Dec, 2018
- •
Why should you choose a SEMA approved inspector?
One of my favourite bed time reads (ok, well maybe not actually at bedtime), is the Health and Safety Executive's guide to health and safety, 'Warehousing and Storage' HSG76.
It is aimed at a range of people with interests in health and safety in warehouses; from general operatives to managers and directors, and covers a range of topics including welfare and environmental guidance, material handling and storage systems.
The main area of interest to myself is the section about racking, in particular page 135, where the HSE guidance is fairly clear on indicating the inspection procedures and generally speaking there are three types of 'inspection', being:
Immediate reporting - accidents do happen and should be reported as soon as the incident has occurred, no matter how small.
Visual inspections - A weekly or monthly check by the nominated 'person responsible for the racking safety' (PRRS) with a formal record kept. (free check sheet to download here https://www.approvedrackinspector.co.uk/damage).
Expert inspections - A technically competent person, i.e. a trained specialist or an independent qualified rack inspector such as a SEMA approved rack inspector (SARI).
SEMA approved rack inspectors undergo a formal course over several days, exam and practical assessment with ongoing Continual Professional Development to formally track and document their career skills and experience beyond the initial training to keep knowledge up to date.
To take a look for yourself, you can get your own copy of the HSG76 Warehousing and storage: A guide to health and safety here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg76.htm.
So, yes, there is more than one way to 'skin a cat', but as the HSE says about its own guidance, 'it is not compulsory and you are free to take another action but following the guidance will normally mean you are doing enough to comply with the law'.
Why go out of your way to avoid the illustrated good practice, especially when advised by the HSE?
It is aimed at a range of people with interests in health and safety in warehouses; from general operatives to managers and directors, and covers a range of topics including welfare and environmental guidance, material handling and storage systems.
The main area of interest to myself is the section about racking, in particular page 135, where the HSE guidance is fairly clear on indicating the inspection procedures and generally speaking there are three types of 'inspection', being:
Immediate reporting - accidents do happen and should be reported as soon as the incident has occurred, no matter how small.
Visual inspections - A weekly or monthly check by the nominated 'person responsible for the racking safety' (PRRS) with a formal record kept. (free check sheet to download here https://www.approvedrackinspector.co.uk/damage).
Expert inspections - A technically competent person, i.e. a trained specialist or an independent qualified rack inspector such as a SEMA approved rack inspector (SARI).
SEMA approved rack inspectors undergo a formal course over several days, exam and practical assessment with ongoing Continual Professional Development to formally track and document their career skills and experience beyond the initial training to keep knowledge up to date.
To take a look for yourself, you can get your own copy of the HSG76 Warehousing and storage: A guide to health and safety here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg76.htm.
So, yes, there is more than one way to 'skin a cat', but as the HSE says about its own guidance, 'it is not compulsory and you are free to take another action but following the guidance will normally mean you are doing enough to comply with the law'.
Why go out of your way to avoid the illustrated good practice, especially when advised by the HSE?