Every industry relies on standards. They provide a benchmark that assures you, as the customer, that a product or service is safe, of high quality and meets industry requirements. Yet with various accreditations, standards and certification schemes – some of which overlap across industries – it can be difficult to know what to look for. We want to break down the barriers when it comes to the racking industry and let you know which accreditation to look out for when purchasing storage equipment. After all, wouldn’t you rather trust a racking manufacturer or supplier who upholds the highest racking standards?
Industry Certification
Let’s start with the storage equipment industry. By its very nature, a warehouse is a dangerous environment to work with risks from trips and falls alongside incorrect manual handling and the potential of falls from height. There are numerous considerations when implementing health and safety across the workplace.
With storage equipment, there are few regulations specifically relating to the design, supply, installation and maintenance of racking and shelving products. There are two points of guidance you should reference. The first is the Storage Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (SEMA) which is a leading voice on safety within the storage equipment industry. The membership is made up of manufacturing and supplier members who are independently audited to check their credentials. SEMA’s technical committee has also produced several codes, publications and guidance documents that support warehouse owners over the lifetime of their racking.
Another document to be aware of is HSG76 Warehousing and Storage: A Guide to Health and Safety. Published by the HSE covers all aspects of warehouse best practice and racking systems and regularly references the work of SEMA.
Design & Supply
Every product manufactured in the UK has to meet strict standards. Operating in accordance with the latest ISO standards and NEBOSH regulations, quality is assured across all our UK manufacturing locations. We are certified to ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems, an internationally recognised standard, which demonstrates our ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.
Of course, the quality of your racking product is only upheld if it meets the design intent and works correctly with other equipment. To achieve this racking and shelving structures must adhere to industry design codes. Within the UK, quality assurance of your racking systems comes when it has been designed to either the SEMA Code or the BSEN Codes. In our role as a SEMA Approved Manufacturer – Full Member we must demonstrate, through independent testing, that we work to these industry codes. This audit process validates that the design calculations and product testing meet SEMA’s published codes of practice and provide peace of mind to our customers that the equipment is safe and reliable. As a SEMA Full member, we also play an active role in leading storage equipment best practices and safety within the industry.
Installation
When approaching the installation of your racking, you need to cover two key points. First, the team installing the racking must work safely and second, they must install the equipment accurately so that it works as intended and keeps employees safe once in place.
As a company that typically installs more pallet racking, shelving and lockers than anyone else in the UK, we know the importance of getting the installation right. Our quality assurance systems are assessed to ISO 9001 which covers not only manufacturing but also the installation of our racking. We also support the Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme (SEIRS) initiative run by SEMA. Referenced in HSG76, the SEIRS training scheme provides a benchmark for warehouse owners by demonstrating that installers are trained and assessed to ensure their work meets industry standards and codes of practice.
You may also need to consider if your racking falls under Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). This is typically the case if your scheme installation consists of 500 man hours or more and it is therefore a requirement to appoint a Principal Contractor as well as a CDM Co-ordinator. Whilst we operate in most cases as a contractor, our experience in large-scale storage scheme installations means we can offer a comprehensive project management service that meets CDM 2015 requirements.
Maintenance
Once your racking has been designed and installed to manufacturer specifications, it’s time to consider how you uphold these standards throughout the lifetime of the structure. No matter how carefully you use your storage equipment, damage will occur from time to time and, if left, it can quickly develop into more serious problems that render the racking unsafe.
As the owner of the racking, you need to comply with PUWER and HSG76 regulations for regular maintenance and inspection of the equipment. SEMA advise adopting a three-tiered approach which starts with employees who work with the racking. They are in the ideal position to quickly spot if damage is present and, if trained on how to identify issues, can immediately report the situation. You then need to train a member of your team for the role of Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS) who will undertake a visual inspection at least once a week. Their inspection will check the equipment is used and maintained correctly and will keep a formal record of their findings.
At least once a year you need a qualified inspector to perform an expert inspection. Within the industry, there are two types of inspection: a damage-only inspection and an inspection by a SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI). While the damage-only inspection will provide you with a list of damaged items and their location, the SARI inspection goes further to include equipment suitability and compatibility and a traffic light system to indicate the severity of damage and a timetable for repairs.
Whittan can help you with the maintenance and inspection process. We offer Rack Safety Awareness training that prepares your team to work safely with racking. We also have a skilled team of SARI inspectors who can conduct your expert inspection.
Check your supplier’s certification
Of course, every product and service you purchase must go above and beyond the relevant industry certification. You must ensure they are taking responsibility for safety across the entire process, meet management system recommendations and are aware of their environmental responsibilities.
Here are a few you should look out for:
- British Safety Council membership helps companies manage legislation and compliance while systematically improving your health, safety and wellbeing standards.
- ISO 45001 – Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems highlights a company’s commitment to providing a safe and healthy working environment by identifying and controlling health and safety risks, reducing potential workplace hazards, and enhancing overall safety performance.
- The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) award showcases a commitment to excellence in safety practices, enhancing credibility and legal compliance.
- The Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS) which proves a contractor’s health and safety processes meet a high level of compliance.
- SafeContractor certification enables customers to check their contractor's credentials and ensure compliance across the supply chain.
- ISO 14001 is a standard for environmental management and demonstrates a company is taking their environmental responsibilities seriously.
- EcoVadis rating is a recognised standard for environmental management and demonstrates a company takes their environmental responsibilities seriously and limits any detrimental impact which could arise from its operations.
As a leading manufacturer of racking and shelving systems in the UK, we are proud to hold all of these certifications plus a few we haven’t mentioned. Head to our certificates page to find out more.
