86bf9aaa

Busy, busy, busy!

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 21:06:20 GMT

Its been a busy few months with inspections carried by Chris van Well, our SEMA Approved racking inspector, plus in-house rack awareness courses... and seems to be continuing in to the standard rush before the December break, is it still too early to say the C word?

If you would like any support with your annual inspections or need a first time or refresher course for your in house inspectors (PUWER inspection & maintenance) get in touch 01746 710 972

Mobile Freezer Racking Inspection

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 15:53:59 GMT

Very cold racking inspection!

Mobile racking offers very dense storage and this freezer racking inspection was very full. Specially designed warehouses with steel runners built in to the floor support the bases with the pallet racking constructed on top. This aisle is approximately 40 pallets long and 5 levels high, that's around 400 tonnes for the double run being rolled across the floor at -30 degrees celcius, not to mention that's only one section of the 12 chamber site!

It's a bit of a niche product compared to the standard 4-6 ish metre standard pallet racking or the typical distribution centre with 12-18 metre high pallet racking.

Enjoy the video!

Mobile pallet racking inspection

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 15:33:13 GMT

I've not written a blog for a while and thought I would add a video from a SEMA approved racking inspection I carried out recently of mobile pallet racking which I find fascinating.

Mobile pallet racking is designed for the dense storage of frozen, slow moving or single line stock. They maybe a little difficult to differentiate from the video but each of these 'double sided runs' contains around 260 tonnes of food pallets in standard style pallet racking which is installed on specially designed warehouse floor and mobile base.

This area was a freezer operating around -30 degrees Celsius - spot the enclosed forklift truck, so much for a bit on pallet wrap around the roof to keep the rain off!

To be or not to be? An inspection by a SEMA Approved Inspector...

Fri, 07 Dec 2018 12:59:37 GMT

Why should you choose an inspection by a SEMA approved inspector?

One of my favourite bed time reads (ok, well maybe not actually at bedtime), is the Health and Safety Executive's guide to health and safety, 'Warehousing and Storage' HSG76.

It is aimed at a range of people with interests in health and safety in warehouses; from general operatives to managers and directors, and covers a range of topics including welfare and environmental guidance, material handling and storage systems.

The main area of interest to myself is the section about racking, in particular page 135, where the HSE guidance is fairly clear on indicating the inspection procedures and generally speaking there are three types of 'inspection', being:

Immediate reporting - accidents do happen and should be reported as soon as the incident has occurred, no matter how small.

Visual inspections - A weekly or monthly check by the nominated 'person responsible for the racking safety' (PRRS) with a formal record kept. (free check sheet to download here https://www.approvedrackinspector.co.uk/damage ).

Expert inspections - A technically competent person, i.e. a trained specialist or an independent qualified rack inspector such as an inspection by a SEMA approved rack inspector (SARI).

The SEMA approved inspector qualification comprises of a formal course over several days, exam and practical assessment with ongoing Continual Professional Development to formally track and document their career skills and experience beyond the initial training to keep knowledge up to date. Half the battle is the stringent but necassary pre-requisites to get accepted on to course!

To take a look for yourself, you can get your own copy of the HSG76 Warehousing and storage: A guide to health and safety here: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg76.htm .

So, yes, there is more than one way to 'skin a cat', but as the HSE says about its own guidance, 'it is not compulsory and you are free to take another action but following the guidance will normally mean you are doing enough to comply with the law'.

Why go out of your way to avoid the illustrated good practice, especially when advised by the HSE?

Pallet racking splices

Thu, 08 Nov 2018 14:12:46 GMT

On one of my visits, carrying out a SEMA approved inspection I met with a a customer who has recently had an installation of second hand pallet racking. There are many views on second hand equipment throughout the storage industry, however for myself I will continue to inspect as normal; checking the installation quality and condition, providing this is satisfactory I normally do not take issue other than the usual observations mentioned.

On closer inspection, I noticed several bolts appeared to be missing and a large gap in the upright adjacent to the upright joining section- commonly called a 'splice'.

The majority of manufacturers use the splice to mechanically extend the height of the structure, securing the top and bottom sections together but with the imposed load passing directly through the touching uprights, not through the splice bolts. In this instance, there was only one beam level above and more or less clear of all products therefore imposing very little or no additional load to the storage system, so I allocated the affected locations 'amber' risk. Had the the locations above been loaded, this is certainly considered 'red risk' and would require an immediate offload of the system.

Using the SEMA traffic light system 'amber risk' means additional product could not be added, only the existing removed and allowing the customer to continue their procedures without too much disruption until their supplier could arrange the remedial work to be completed. After four weeks this is upgraded to red risk and to be offloaded - but sometimes we all need a little something to focus the mind and get the job done!

It is important to use a SEMA approved company to ensure quality products, design and workmanship, with the first SEMA approved rack inspection to be carried out within the first four months from installation. This will help to identify any issues from the start and and help to instigate a solid set of procedures and routines throughout the life of the system.

If you have recently had any pallet racking or cantilever racking installed get it inspected and stay safe!

Welcome to the Approved Rack Inspector!

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to my first post!

After more than a decade of working with pallet racking and cantilever racking, including surveying, estimating, designing, purchasing and managing the installation of storage equipment for a prominent distributor within the UK, I have decided to make that leap of faith and set up my own company.

As the 'Approved Rack Inspector', we carry out independent inspections by our SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI) of all of your Pallet racking and Cantilever racking, including an recommendations following the survey.

Additional services include AutoCAD layouts, advice and sensible solutions for any remedial works.

Call now on 01746 710 972 or email chris@approvedrackinspector.co.uk