If you’re new to running a warehouse, you’re likely pretty keen to know exactly what’s expected of you from a regulatory standpoint and whether or not racking inspections are a legal requirement. We are going to give you an answer in this blog post, we promise, plus some extra reinforcement about the importance of inspecting racking, but let’s start with what a racking inspection is.
A pallet racking inspection involves having a person recognised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as ‘technically competent’ taking an in-depth look at the set-up and condition of your racking, including whether it features the correct signage and how your stock is being stored.
Now we know what we’re dealing with, let’s get into it …
Is racking inspection a legal requirement?
Right, the question you’re here to find an answer to: is racking inspection a legal requirement?
No. Racking inspections are not a legal requirement. But that doesn’t mean you simply can’t go without having one. In fact, there are specific intervals that have been set by the HSE for the frequency of these inspections, outlining crucial guidelines for upholding health and safety.
You should refer to two key pieces of legislation here: the HSE’s HSG76 guidelines and The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998.
Between them, they make five key statements that you should keep in mind:
- Conduct risk assessments to eliminate as many risks as possible and protect people ‘so far as is reasonably practicable’.
- You should appoint a ‘person responsible for racking safety’ PRRS from within your own team. This PRRS should conduct regular internal inspections of your racking at their discretion, based on the amount of wear and tear your racking experiences
- You should have annual racking inspections by an ‘expert’ inspector, which the HSE suggests is someone who’s undergone training from the Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA)
- Your racking should also be inspected following initial installation, after any disassembly and movement and in the wake of any ‘exceptional circumstances’ such as unexpected damage or wear
- You should keep records of all inspections and any damages found in the process
Expert inspection guidelines
In terms of conducting racking inspections, the HSE suggests that in most cases, unless damage is suspected to have occurred high up, inspections should take place from ground level, and any potential damages be classified into one of three categories: Green, Amber or Red.
Green risks are those components that should be monitored or replaced in the next round of maintenance but are still serviceable up until that point. Amber risks are areas that require remedial work, but not the offloading of stock. However, Red risks require immediate offloading and isolation of damaged areas until repairs can be carried out. For your own reference, this coding system can be found on page 116 of HSG76.
When an ‘expert’ inspector, like our own Sean, conducts your annual racking inspection, they will use this same traffic light system to help easily identify hazards and prioritise them for you.
Importance of regular inspections
Racking inspections are an important part of regular warehouse safety and maintenance procedures. They’re crucial for a few other key reasons:
- Financial benefits – having your racking regularly inspected allows you to spot potential flaws before they develop and address them early. This way, you avoid large-scale hazards leading to expensive repairs, offloading and downtime
- Protect your employees – identifying risks in your racking system early on means you can amend them before they pose a risk to your employees, keeping your workforce safe
- Safeguard stock – if your racking collapses, your stock will go down with it, costing you potentially vast sums of money. Inspections and early intervention can help protect your stock from damage
Conclusion
So, there are a few key conclusions we can draw here:
- While not a legal requirement, racking inspections are recommended by UK legislation to uphold health and safety in the workplace.
- You need inspections once a year, and after racking is installed, moved or damaged
- Inspections can also help you save money and keep your staff safe
At Absolute Racking Inspections, we conduct expert racking inspections of facilities of all sizes. Our SEMA-accredited inspector, Sean, is qualified and recognised by the HSE as a ‘technically competent’ person and has more than 40 years of experience in the world of racking.
To book your inspection, or if you need extra clarification about your responsibilities as a warehouse manager, just reach out to our friendly team today. You can catch us using our contact form, by calling us on 0800 634 8654 or by emailing us at info@absoluteracking.co.uk.
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