Make sure they can't 'PIN' you down!

Your Environmental Health Officer will automatically check your Beam Locking Pins when visiting your site...

The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 requires you to:

1. Provide safe systems and equipment for using, handling, storing and transporting articles and substances.
2. Provide the relevant information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure the health and safety at work of employees.

• The most common causes of collapse or accidents with falling stock from Pallet Racking is dislodged beam connectors.
• Missing or damaged Beam Locking Pins can highlight dislodged beams.

 Don't run the risk of falling stock endangering your Staff or Customers...

Stakapal can help with a full range of safety checks, ranging from missing Load Labels and Beam Locking Pins, through to full SEMA Approved Inspections.

 DON'T WAIT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE! 

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!

Racking Health Check

In these tough and challenging economic times it is understandable that many merchant organisations have had to delay the purchase of any new storage equipment for their warehouse or yard. What is more concerning, however, is the fact that in many cases this also applies to the ongoing maintenance of existing racks. 


This is without doubt entering into high risk territory, as ignoring any damage to the main structural components of racking within a yard or warehouse environment with pedestrian access by both employees and customers exposes people to potentially very serious health and safety incidents. 


As a manufacturer of storage products for the timber and builders merchant sectors for over 45 years, Stakapal has built up a lot of experience when it comes to on-site rack inspections. We employ qualified SARI'S (Storage Equipment Manufacturers' Association approved racking inspectors) and undertake inspections on a regular basis. 

It is quite a common occurrence for Stakapal to receive calls from merchants who have recently received a visit from their local environmental health officer from the local council, or a Health & Safety Executive inspector who has highlighted the fact that the racks in their yard or warehouse are damaged and require immediate action. In addition, racking often does not have the appropriate load signage displayed which also puts them at a distinct disadvantage in the eyes of the inspector.

If the inspection reveals 'Red Risks' you will be required to offload the affected area immediately in order to repair or replace the racking. 
We have therefore outlined a checklist for Cantilever Racking 'Red Risks' that any merchant should consider for the safety of their site :

1. Column Damage 

For a column bent in the direction of the run, the maximum gap between the upright and the straight edge should not exceed 5mm. If it does it becomes an orange risk - which means you need to inspect this area daily for further signs of damage. More than 10mm is red risk requiring immediate offloading.

2. Lateral Arm Damage

Arms damaged in the same direction as the run often results in damage to the column as well as the arm. Stakapal considers lateral deformation in excess of 1.25 degrees when viewed from the front of the arm to constitute orange risk - again this needs inspection on a daily basis. In excess of 2.5 degrees constitutes a red risk requiring immediate offloading.

 3. Horizontal Arm Damage

Arms are permitted to deflect up to arm length/180 mm under normal design load conditions. Residual deflection with the load removed should be no more than 10% of normal deflection under load. Figures greater than this consitute orange risk - requiring daily inspection, and twice this level red risk risk requiring immediate offloading. All arms deflected below horizontal are red risk. 

4. Brace Damage 

For bracing members bent in either plane the gap between straight edges and bracing member should not exceed 10mm. If it does it becomes orange risk - requiring regular inspection. More than 20mm is red risk requiring immediate offloading.

5. Base Damage

Base damage imparts excessive load into the column and the bracing members. Bases that are rotated in the direction of the run by more than 5 degrees constitute orange risk requiring regular inspection. A rotation of more than 10 degrees constitutes red risk requiring immediate offloading.

Introduction to Cantilever Racking : Key Structural Components

Stakapal's unique Cantilever Racking system was designed to ensure that the strongest and most robust box structure became available to our expanding list of clients who store long product loads across a wide and diverse set of market sectors.


No matter how simplistic or sophisticated the requirements may be, we develop every time a specific made to measure system to suit your exacting needs. The high demand placed on storage of long commodities requires extensive experience. Stakapal has gained years of knowledge which is evident in its quality of engineering and design.


Stakapal's Cantilever system is based upon extensive research and development over many years, designed and built to exceed SEMA (UK) and European standards.
Columns 

• Box type construction maximises resistance to torsional buckling from twist.
• Unique tapered column design with taper equivalent to the deflection of column under single sided loading.
• Base end plates fitted as standard presenting a clean flush finish to the loading aisle with no sharp edges. Can also be punched to accept mounted guide rail for guided aisle installations. 
• Slots are punched as standard in double sided pattern allowing conversion from single sided to double sided to meet changing requirements. 

Arms

• Tapered arm construction offers increased clearance height at the front end of the arm to improve ease of loading.
• The tapered arm structure also results in a very economical design concentrating the largest section in the most effective place at the heel of the arm. 
• Wrap around connector design optimises transfer of load into column.
• Simple and effective wedge pin system maximises adjustability and makes arm relocation very quick and easy.
• A wide range of lengths available 600mm - 2100mm to suit individual needs of the customers storage requirements.  

Other colours available upon request. 

Pallet Racking Inspections : Why are they necessary?

It is usually an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) from the local council or a Health and Safety Executive Inspector that demands that a company obtains an inspection of its Pallet Racking by a 'technically competent person'.
 
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. Typically the response of the client when asked to carry this out is that the situation has been "like that for years" and that "nothing has happened yet".

Often this is true and therefore it is important to understand why racks and components that have been overloaded or damaged have not failed and resulted in a collapse. There is usually more than one reason for this and a combination of factors are in play preventing a dangerous occurence:

1) Often the rack is only partly loaded. The nature of stock levels rising and falling depending on trading conditions, seasonal conditions, availability etc, typically results in utilisation levels rarely rising above 80%. This often provides an increase in the factors of safety present on a rack or system basis. 

2) The stock densities or weights are often lower than allowed for. This can be due to customers overstating the actual figures either mistakenly or deliberately, or the supplier overestimating the figures for the same reasons. 

3) Stresses redistribute through the structure creating a stable system, albeit one in danger of collapse if other factors change. 

4) Materials used in the production of the racking happen to all be on the high end of their thickness tolerances. All commercially produced steels have a thickness tolerance which is plus or minus an amount depending on the type and specification of the raw material. Many racks are designed on a statistical average figure based on statistical probability. It should however, be borne in mind that there is then an equal chance that instead of the materials being at the high end of their tolerances they are instead all at the low end.

If, however, the combinations of factors that have prevented the rack or component from failing change and create an adverse overall effect, then the conditions for collapse to occur may all be in place and sudden failure can result.

The Rack Inspector in reality is not being 'too fussy' when issuing Red Risks, they are simply highlighting that the luck that has been enjoyed preventing failure of those components or racks may at sometime run out and then... Watch out! It may be too late!

Cantilever Racking Inspections: Why are they necessary?

It is usually an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) from the local council or a Health and Safety Executive Inspector that demands that a company obtains an inspection of its Cantilever Racking by a ‘technically competent person’. Cantilever Racking is a storage system usually utilised to store long and irregular or even awkward shaped products that cannot be accommodated in Pallet Racking.

Often the inspection reveals ‘Red Risks’ which require immediate offloading of those racks or locations. Typically the response of the client when asked to carry this out is that the situation has been "like that for years" and that "nothing has happened yet".

Often this is true and therefore it is important to understand why racks and components that have been overloaded or damaged have not failed and resulted in a collapse. There is usually more than one reason for this and a combination of factors are in play, preventing a dangerous occurrence:

1) Often the rack is only partly loaded. The nature of stock levels rising and falling depending on trading conditions, seasonal conditions, availability etc, typically results in utilisation levels rarely rising above 80%. This often provides an increase in the factors of safety present on a rack or system basis.
2) The stock densities or weights are often lower than allowed for. This can be due to customers overstating the actual figures either mistakenly or deliberately, or the supplier over estimating the figures for the same reasons.
3) Stresses redistribute through the structure creating a stable system albeit one in danger of collapse if other factors change.
4) Materials used in the production of the racking happen to all be on the high end of their thickness tolerances. All commercially produced steels have a thickness tolerance which is plus or minus an amount depending on the type and specification of the raw material. Many racks are designed on a statistical average figure based on statistical probability. It should be borne in mind that there is then an equal chance that instead of the materials being at the high end of their tolerances they are all at the low end.

If, however, the combinations of factors that have prevented the rack or component from failing change and create an adverse overall effect then the conditions for collapse to occur may all be in place and sudden failure can result.

The Rack Inspector in reality is not being ‘too fussy’ when issuing Red Risks they are simply highlighting that the luck that has been enjoyed preventing failure of those components or racks may at some time run out and then............ Watch out! It may be too late!