SEMA starts the 'Stay Racking Safe' campaign

The Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) has launched its “Stay Racking Safe” campaign, which highlights warehouse racking safety issues.

One of the main recommendations of the guide is for rack purchasers to make sure that their warehouse equipment manufacturer makes safe racks designed according to industry standards and health and safety regulations. Rack installers must be qualified to adhere to strict safety standards and be highly skilled.

Racking has maximum load limits, and workers need training to never exceed these limits. A Load Notice should be displayed on each racking section. Overloading racking can cause structural weakness, which is a safety risk of its own. All employees who work around the racking should be trained on safety protocols. The SEMA recommends its own Rack Safety Awareness course.

All racking requires regular inspections. An employee should be appointed as the Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS) who inspects racking or delegates someone to be an inspector. A qualified professional is required to do an expert inspection at least once a year. Damaged racking that is not repaired or replaced can cause items to fall to the ground, which is a serious accident risk.

SEMA says that most warehouse managers and owners wait for a major issue to arise before they take action. Some think that racking safety is the racking supplier’s responsibility, but warehouse owners have legal responsibilities to make sure racking is safe.

The SEMA “Stay Racking Safe” guide can be downloaded from the SEMA website.

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