Is It Scary In Your Warehouse This Halloween? Prevent Warehouse Nightmares
Are things going bump in your warehouse? Do you hear creaking noises coming from the aisles? Ever thought about those ghostly gaps in your safety checks? With Halloween creeping ever closer, now might be the time to ask that chilling question – is your warehouse scarier than a haunted house and how can you prevent warehouse nightmares.
When it comes to your racking and shelving, you definitely don’t want any skeletons hiding in your warehouse. We cover the four storage equipment dos and don’ts that prevent warehouse nightmares.
1. Beware the Curse of Poor Racking Design
Most warehouse owners understand that the correct racking design can help to increase productivity and efficiency while maximising storage capacity. Tick these boxes and racking should help your business to run like a well-oiled and, more essentially, profitable machine. But did you know the design of your racking also plays a key role in keeping everyone safe? Let’s put it this way, a poorly designed racking system can be the stuff of Health & Safety nightmares!
Think of the common scenario, when your goods arrive in the warehouse. The stock needs to move from point A, the delivery bay, to point B, the racking shelf, while keeping everyone safe. That process requires a logical path throughout the warehouse which provides safe access zones for pedestrians away from moving equipment.
When thinking about warehouse layout, here are some points to consider:
- How does the stock move through the warehouse? Is it via automated systems or forklift trucks?
- Does the design consider loading weights and stock profiles?
- Does the design avoid tight corners that reduce clear and safe movement?
- Are there clear zones for picking and packing tasks for employees?
- How do the orders move out of the warehouse?
Make the right decisions at the design stage and it can provide multiple benefits to your business. That’s where industry codes step in. These codes help racking suppliers meet safety criteria to ensure the design meets structural analysis requirements and that all factors have been considered. In the UK it is acceptable for designs to meet either SEMA Design Codes or the European Code EN 15512.
Don’t leave your layout looking like Frankenstein’s monster! Make sure you work with a supplier who understands all these areas and is working towards these codes. You can avoid the credential-checking process by working with SEMA Members who have been audited to ensure they are working to industry codes and standards. After all, a well-designed system keeps things running smoothly and safely so there are no tricks, just treats!
2. Prevent Warehouse Nightmares - Install Your Racking with Care
An incorrect racking installation can be a bit like setting a haunted trap in your warehouse. Even the smallest deviation from the manufacturer’s design intent can impact the structural integrity of your racking. Paying close attention to the person installing your equipment suddenly seems critical. Now is not the time to cut corners – correct installation is key to avoiding any warehouse horror stories that will keep you up at night.
In order to work safely, it’s important for installers to undergo training. To provide a benchmark for the industry, SEMA established SEIRS. This national registration scheme rigorously trains installers on correct racking installation methods in line with SEMA standards.
To achieve a full SEIRS card, installers must attend two courses:
- SEIRS Foundation – Part 1 – is an introduction to installations. It instructs installers on generic and industry-specific health and safety issues that are likely to affect pallet racking installations. At the end of the course, the installer receives a SEIRS Trainee card which is valid for six months. This period enables the trainee to develop and enhance their skill sets on sites while under supervision.
- SEIRS Diploma - Part 2 - is a two-day course which completes the installer's training. On successfully passing a thorough assessment process, they are awarded a full SEIRS card which is valid for five years. The course includes a mixture of classroom-based theory and, in a first for the industry, a significant practical element. This course has been designed to be rigorous and challenging with an emphasis on the practical component of racking installations.
To maintain their credentials installers must attend a General Refresher training course every five years.
3. Don’t make your racking a loading nightmare
Even the best-designed racking can turn dangerous if your employees don’t know how to use it properly. Ensure that everyone working around your racking system is trained on safe loading practices and knows the limits of the equipment. Overloading or improperly stacking goods can lead to a catastrophic collapse faster than you can say "boo!"
Training is key here. Employees need to be aware of how to work safely in areas with racking and have the required knowledge to work within the parameters of the equipment and understand loading requirements. This is where training like our Rack Safety Awareness (RSA) course can help.
Our RSA course instructs delegates on how to correctly use and maintain the racking within its environment. The course will teach how to maintain the safety of the racking through regular checks and reporting issues. The course also prepares a member of your team to take on the role of Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS).
4. Keep the Skeletons Out of Your Racking with Regular Inspections
Don’t let hidden dangers lurk in the shadows. Bumps and dents might not look like much, but they could be the first signs of a Halloween horror waiting to happen. Although racking structures appear sturdy, they are in reality manufactured from lightweight materials with a limit to the amount of abuse they can withstand. This is confirmed in HSG76 Warehousing and Storage: A Guide To Health & Safety which states that any amount of damage to the racking can significantly reduce load-bearing capacity and stability of the structure.
Ignoring such damage can result in critical safety issues. That’s why you need to continuously maintain your storage equipment and identify problems early through regular inspections – a process which continues over the lifetime of the structure.
- Every Day - employees who work in areas with racking should be looking out for signs of wear and tear – our RSA course can provide them with the knowledge to identify damage.
- Every Week– your PRRS should undertake a visual inspection which checks the safe operation of your storage systems, ensures Load Notices are fixed to the racking, maximum loads are never exceeded and will report and record damage levels. They must have the skills necessary to analyse damage data, identify trends and, most importantly, have the authority to implement action. They should also maintain a written record of the findings.
- At Least Once A Year - you must submit your racking to an Expert inspection. Only a trained specialist with sufficient training and knowledge can perform this role. The inspector will conduct racking and storage condition assessments, report on damage to the racking and make recommendations to maintain safety in your workplace.
To support this, we operate our SEMA Approved Rack Inspector (SARI) initiative. This scheme consists of highly qualified professionals who must successfully pass an intensive three-day training course, written exam, and practical assessment to achieve their qualification.
Warehouse owners should be aware that there are two different types of inspection available. A “damage only” pallet racking inspection provides a list of damaged items and their location while a SARI report offers far more useful detail. To avoid inspectors who ‘claim’ to conduct SARI inspections, we always advise checking the credentials of your SARI inspector by asking to see their card.
Don’t let your warehouse become the stuff of nightmares this Halloween. If you’re looking for help, whether in the design, supply, installation or inspection of your storage equipment, get in touch and we can advise on the steps you need to take that will make your warehouse a treat.
