Pallet Racking Inspections - Explained
Why are pallet racking inspections important?
Minor damage to your racking may seem unimportant, but knocks, bangs and scrapes from forklift trucks and pump trucks, when combined with any overloading of your racking, can have a damaging cumulative effect.
Over time, these incidents can reduce the structural integrity and load bearing capacity of your racking – leading to racking failures.
Not only could this result in expensive damage to stock and loss of productivity, but it endangers employees, leaving you open to HSE litigation.
In much the same way as you would regularly service your car, periodic racking inspections will highlight small areas of damage, which can usually be repaired in situ with minimal disruption, long before they become a larger and more costly problem.
Am I legally required to regularly inspect my racking?
Yes. A safety inspection of your adjustable pallet racking is required under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Regular racking inspection also fulfils your obligations under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
It is recommended by SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association) that this inspection is carried out by a technically competent person, i.e. an equipment supplier, equipment manufacturer or an independent SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI). All our racking inspections are carried out using the SEMA Code of Practice method of damage assessment.
Your racking inspection report can be used as an audit to check the condition of equipment for health and safety purposes; and by following the report’s suggestions you will be able to keep your pallet racking to a legally acceptable standard. For some companies, an annual racking inspection report by a suitably qualified inspector will be required in order to comply with insurance demands.
How often should I have my pallet racking inspected?
SEMA recommends an annual or bi–annual inspection by a technically competent person. The frequency of this third party inspection will depend upon a number of factors, including the type of operation and storage equipment used.
However, it is recommended that the user operate daily or weekly surveys, instigating a reporting system to monitor accidents and damage. This also identifies minor repairs that can be carried out by you, e.g. tightening of floor fixings which, over time, may become loose.
What happens during a racking inspection?
Our racking inspectors use SEMA damage assessment guidelines, giving the highest industry standard recommendations for racking faults and repairs.
During our inspection service, our experienced inspectors will examine your racking structure from ground level, when it is still loaded with pallets. Any damaged equipment that is identified as being outside the SEMA Code of Practice limits is identified within a report and an attached drawing and will be classified according to risk as red, amber or green.
Red – Severely damaged well beyond the limitations of the SEMA Code. Racking should be immediately off-loaded and isolated from further use until repair work is carried out.
Amber – Damaged beyond the limitations of the SEMA Code, but not sufficiently serious to warrant immediate off-loading of the rack. A procedure should be in place to ensure that once the rack is off-loaded, it is not re-used until repairs are complete. Amber risk items become red after 4 weeks.
Green – These are items which are damaged but are within the limitation of the SEMA Code. Such items are still suitable for use, but should be identified for future reference and monitoring.
A thorough racking inspection will usually take between 2-4 hours depending on the volume of racking. Following the comprehensive racking inspection, you will be sent a detailed racking inspection report within 7 working days.
After receiving your report, Acorn Storage Equipment are well placed to provide you with recommendations for repairing any damaged items using our extensive stock of new racking components. We are also able to suggest areas where racking protection, such as leg guards and barriers, could be used to prevent damage in high traffic areas of your warehouse. We will also advise on compliance with Health and Safety recommendations, such as the fitting of load notices and safety signs.
Why choose Acorn Storage Equipment to carry out racking inspection?
As one of Kent and the South East's leading storage and pallet racking companies, we specialise in truly comprehensive, proven and effective racking inspection services. There are a multitude of reasons why companies across Kent, London and the Home Counties trust us to carry out racking inspections for them, including:
- Our experienced racking inspectors use the SEMA damage assessment guidelines, giving the highest industry standard recommendations for racking faults and repairs
- Fair pricing system for racking inspections based on the amount of racking requiring inspection
- 35 years’ experience in pallet racking supply, design and installation ensures you will receive expert advice of the highest professional standard
- Significant cost savings on racking repairs and racking protection with our extensive stocks of refurbished used pallet racking and racking ancillaries
- Our experienced independent racking inspectors and SEIRS qualified repair team operate throughout the UK, providing professional racking inspections and damage repair with minimal disruption to your day-to-day business
“As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of new pallet racking, we are committed to offering ‘best-cost’ solutions for all your racking requirements. Our aim is to build long-term relationships with our customers, giving you racking advice you can trust, and a cost-effective price for racking repair”
Neil Wood, Acorn Storage Equipment
If you need your pallet racking system inspected by experienced and trusted professionals, look no further than Acorn Storage. We undertake professional, trusted and affordable racking inspection services for clients across Kent and London, including Canterbury, Ashford, Maidstone, Bexleyheath, Croydon, Tonbridge, Croydon, Basildon and Dartford. Contact us today to discuss your requirements and receive your free and no obligation quotation.