Do you know YOUR responsibilities?

• SEMA (the Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association) regularly publish techincal information in the form of Codes of Practice and Guidelines for the manufacturing, installation and inspection of racking.
• Stakapal's complete range is produced in accordance with the SEMA Quality Assessment Scheme which ensures independent checking of all design procedures and methods.

 

• SEIRS (the Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme) is the only national programme for installers which addresses the Health and Safety needs of the industry.
• All Stakapal installation teams have appropriate SEIRS qualifications and carry a unique SEIRS identity card that Site Managers, Health & Safety Inspectors, Customers and other officials may verify.

 

REGULAR RACKING INSPECTIONS ARE REQUIRED TO:

• Prevent and minimise the effects of accidents
• Maximise safety in the workplace
• Comply with legislation eg the workplace Health & Safety Welfare Reg's

LEGAL COMPLIANCE REQUIRES:

• An annual or bi-annual inspection by a technically competent person i.e. the SEMA Approved Rack Insepctor (SARI)

The benefits of using a SEMA approved Racking Ispector are :

• Inspectors are trained and asssessed to industry standards
• Competent third party inspection of your equipment
• On - going commitment to CPD
• An independent report is provided
• Identification of red, orange and green risks
• Safety recommendations
• Value for money.

 REMEMBER IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Racking Safety : What to do should things come tumbling down

A guide as to what you should do in the event of serious incidents within your workplace. Including : Rack Collapse, Reportable Accidents, Dangerous Occurrences, or Incidents whereupon a Reportable Injury is caused.


What is a Reportable Accident? 
A Reportable Accident is an accident that firstly involves the collapse of over 5000kgs of material. In addition to the collapse, an incident is definable as a Reportable Accident if the person/persons injured in the collapse of the material are off work / unable to perform their normal range of duties for more than three days (including weekends & holidays.) The injury obtained within the accident would therefore be defined as a Reportable Injury.


What is a Dangerous Occurrence?
A Dangerous Occurrence is the occurring of an incident where less than 5000kgs of material comes down, but thankfully, no one is hurt. However, despite the avoidance of injury this time, the collapse would still be classed as a Dangerous Occurrence if there was a clear risk that someone could have, in fact, been injured.


Serious Incidents are thankfully a rare occurrence, especially if all Health and Safety procedures are followed, kept up to date and regular checks made. However, in the unfortunate event of a Serious Incident occurring within the workplace, the following action is immediately required:

• Ensure that anyone who has been injured by or trapped in the rack collapse, receives trained medical care immediately.
• Work to clear and secure the affected  area immediately and without delay. If possible, obtain specialist advice before the moving of anything. 
• Directly follow your company standing procedures regarding injury and consult the Factory Inspector, Health & Safety Executive, etc, for advice.
• Immediately report the incident to the appropriate notifying authority without any delay. 
• Make sure to take as many photographs as possible, capturing all details as soon after the event as possible. 
• In the event that a caution under PACE ensues it would be advisable to consider appointing an expert witness.
• Thoroughly review the likely causes of the incident to ensure that there are no similar situations waiting to occur.

If you and your company have any concerns about Racking Safety, Stakapal can offer many services that may assist you. With a full range of safety checks, ranging from missing Load Labels and Beam Locking Pins, through to full SEMA Approved Inspections, Stakapal can work alongside you and your company to ensure complete rack safety and eradicate any potential risks.

Pallet Racking : RED RISKS

Pallet Racking is a storage system utilising a series of frames consisting of two upright posts joined together by bolted or occasionally welded bracing members. The frames are connected by longitudinal members (beams) upon which regular shaped pallet loads are placed. Where loads are irregular by virtue of their length, depth or general variability then Cantilever Racking is often used. This benefits from having no regularly spaced frames obstructing long products being placed into the rack. 


Often the inspection of Pallet Racks reveals 'Red Risks' which require immediate offloading of those racks or locations, Red Risks include the following :

POST DAMAGE

For an upright bent in the direction of the rack beam, the maximum gap between the upright and the straight edge should not exceed 5.0mm. If it does it becomes an ORANGE risk. More than 10mm is RED risk.

RED RISK REQUIRES IMMEDIATE OFFLOADING AND REPAIRING/REPLACING

BRACE DAMAGE

For bracing members bent in either plan, the gap between straight edges and bracing member should not exceed 10.0mm. If it does it becomes an ORANGE risk. More than 20mm is RED risk.

ORANGE RISK BECOMES A RED RISK IF NOT REPAIRED/REPLACED WITHIN 4-6 WEEKS.

BEAM DAMAGE

Beams will naturally deflect under normal loading conditions to a maximum permissible span/200. Residual deflection should be no more than 20% of normal deflection under load.

BEAM DISLODGEMENT

If connector lugs are dislodged or not seated correctly, the beam will fail at one end leading to collapse of the level or the bay OR even the whole rack.

If these potential risks aren't closely monitored ... watch out it may be too late!