The leading voice for the storage equipment industry for over 50 years.
We help companies navigate the industry to ensure their racking and shelving equipment meets the highest quality and safety standards.
Welcome to SEMA
Storage Equipment Manufacturers' Association Ltd
SEMA are the Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association, we work tirelessly to promote the safe design, manufacture, installation, and use of racking systems. Our work covers the lifetime of your storage; from safety and technical standards for all types of storage equipment, guidance publications, and technical information right through to the collective expertise of our members. We are the only scheme in the UK that independently audits the credentials of distributors and installers of storage equipment. All of this is supported by our training, installation and inspection initiatives.
Everything we do is supported by our SEMA Members who are committed to proving that their products and services are some of the very best on the market. They are united in their aim to raise standards within the storage industry and help warehouse owners meet their legal obligations.
Sounds good? Get in touch with SEMA today.
How can we help you?
Making sure your racking and shelving equipment ticks all the boxes in your warehouse can be a challenging task. There are many factors to consider and plan for but get it right and it will provide a solid foundation of safety, efficiency, and productivity. To help guide warehouse owners through the process, SEMA has developed guidance documents, Codes of Practice, and training initiatives. All of which are fully supported by each of our SEMA Members.
SEMA Services & Suppliers
Warehouse owners often assume that the importance of racking safety only applies at the point of purchase – a job left to your supplier. Yet in our experience, adopting key safety factors at all stages over the lifespan of your racking will make a big difference to workplace safety. This starts at the beginning with the design, supply, and installation of your equipment through to working safely and inspecting the racking. Through the work of SEMA and our technical committee, we have guidance and information that can help you navigate best practices for your storage equipment.
Yet, in a market flooded with racking companies, identifying trusted providers can be challenging. Membership with SEMA isn’t bought—it’s earned as a mark of excellence. To join, SEMA Members undergo independent audits that check their work meets the highest industry standards. The assessment checks each supplier meets the required standards and has the correct legal and insurance documentation in place. Our members are storage equipment experts who support the work of SEMA to ensure you meet your Health and Safety requirements.
Storage Equipment Installation
In an industry where most racking installers ‘learn on the job’, it can be difficult to establish the skill level of your installer. Yet, Health & Safety requirements expect you, as the client and owner of the racking, to check your installer’s competence.
To provide clarity for warehouse owners SEMA runs the SEIRS training programme. The course aims to raise standards within the industry by training installers on correct installation methods to SEMA standards and Codes of Practice. Installers are only awarded their card once they have passed a rigorous assessment process, providing a clear benchmark that any SEIRS-qualified installer meets the highest industry standards. So, before you let anybody install your racking, ask to see their SEIRS card.
SEMA Training
A well-designed racking system built and installed to SEMA Codes of Practice, used safely by the workforce, and maintained correctly has been proven to deliver a robust return on investment over many years. Yet, to meet your Health & Safety requirements and ensure your racking delivers on its true potential over the lifetime of your equipment.
At SEMA we believe that training is central to best practices and upholding your commitment to safety, which is why we are recognised as a governing training body of the UK storage industry. Our training starts at the start of your racking journey through our SEIRS course for installers of racking equipment. Installers who attend the SEIRS course are instructed and assessed to ensure they meet SEMA Guidelines and Codes of Practice. When it’s finally up, through our Rack Safety Awareness course, we can train your employees on how to work safely in areas with racking and prepare a member of your team to conduct the weekly inspection. Finally, we run our SEMA Approved Racking Inspector training courses for professionals who conduct third-party racking inspections and want to uphold a high-quality standard in their work. All courses are run at our dedicated training centre.
Storage Equipment Inspection
An important part of any warehouse is your racking structure. While it may appear solid, any small knocks or bumps on the warehouse floor can significantly reduce the integrity of your racking and its load-carrying capacity. Even small damage can quickly become a severe problem and put your employees at risk of injury.
This is where conducting regular inspections plays its part. To make sure your equipment remains structurally sound, the HSE and SEMA recommend adopting a 360o approach (needs an explanation of what 360 approach is). You must provide training for your employees, such as our Rack Safety Awareness course, so they know how to work safely in areas with racking and can identify any damage. Our Rack Safety Awareness Training course can also prepare a member of your team for performing the more in-depth weekly inspection. We run two courses that cover either pallet racking and cantilever racking.To complete the inspection circle, you need a qualified racking inspector to conduct the rigorous Expert inspection. As a benchmark for the industry, SEMA operates a nationwide network of SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors (SARI).
SEMA Guidance & Support
Navigating the storage equipment industry to find the correct information for your racking or shelving can be confusing. That is why SEMA has created a library of Safety Guidance documents, Codes of Practice, and Technical Bulletins. These documents are not only for engineers but advice and outline the responsibilities of designers, suppliers, and end-users. The information we provide will guide warehouse owners through each stage in the lifetime of your racking, from the design, supply, installation, and maintenance to ensure you tick the boxes when meeting HSE Health and Safety requirements.
Our SEMA members also actively work to help you mitigate risk and they are regularly updated on technical developments within the industry. Each member contributes to a central repository of intelligence leading to continual improvement which is shared appropriately among the membership.
KNOWLEDGE HUB
Looking for guidance on your storage equipment? Head over to our Knowledge Hub where we provide an insight into warehouse systems, industry requirements, best practice measures, and how to improve safety standards.
SEMA AIMS TO:
- Educate the industry on racking safety and management of warehouse rack storage systems.
- Establish and publish safety and technical standards for all types of Storage Equipment.
- Represent the Storage Equipment Industry to the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
- Ensure safety and technical standards adopted by public and professional bodies are in accordance with the interests of the industry.
- Promote cooperation between our members and maintain the integrity of the association.
