SEMA Accreditation

Who or what is SEMA?

SEMA, the Storage Equipment Manufacturers’ Association, is a private organisation which has been providing guidance on racking safety practices since 1968. It has become the “industry partner and point of reference” for storage safety by the HSE, Local Authorities, RoSPA, the CSCS and manufacturers. 

What is a SARI?

SEMA decided to develop its SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI) scheme in response to HSE guidelines which state that a qualified person should carry out an inspection at least once every 12 months.

The scheme allows professionals, previously from engineering or health and safety backgrounds, to undertake a comprehensive training course detailing the correct rack inspection practices, including the highly acclaimed traffic light system of categorising rack damage, which has been adopted as the industry standard for use throughout the UK and EU.

An intensive training course is completed by a final examination with ongoing top-up sessions and seminars to keep the inspector’s knowledge up to date and in line with current industry standards. These “top ups” are mandatory to retain registration status ensuring confidence that all SARI card holders are at the forefront of racking safety.

Do I need a racking inspection?

If you are using racking of any kind on your premises, then the answer is ‘Yes'. 

Due to changes in Health and Safety Legislation (HSG76 Sections 642, 646 & 647), pallet racking is regarded as workplace equipment that requires an inspection at least once a year by a SARI (SEMA Approved Rack Inspector) or other “Technically Competent Person”.

The HSE Executive advise 3 levels of inspection and reporting:

  1. Immediate notification of damage from anyone on your premises who is responsible for the damage or notices it in the course of their duties.
  2. A weekly check by an appointed PRRS (Person Responsible for Racking Safety).
  3. A regular detailed inspection by a ‘technically competent person’. It is recommended that this is carried out by an external inspector on an annual basis, although in some instances an inspection may be required every six months.

Any failure to adhere to these legislative requirements can have significant ramifications on an organisation which include invalidating insurance, fines of up to £20m and, in some cases, imprisonment. 

As the pressures on SMEs continue to grow, we believe that many small and medium sized businesses would benefit from the technical support Acerax are able to provide.

How does the inspection process work?

  • Once we receive your enquiry we’ll send you our quotation for your approval together with a risk assessment form, (for us to work at your premises) and a copy of our professional indemnity insurance policy.
  • Next, we’ll arrange a mutually convenient date and time for the inspection. We work on a maximum of 3 weeks availability.
  • On the day of inspection our SEMA approved rack inspector will start by asking to speak to the PRRS (Person Responsible for Rack Safety) to discuss any known areas of concern, as well as reviewing those from any previous internal inspections. 

Our inspector will also request permission to use a laser measuring device and camera equipment to record images of any issues for the inspection report. If the inspection is taking place in a very active site, or one with VNA (Very Narrow Aisle) installations, our inspector may also ask for the aisles to be cordoned off during the inspection. However we always do our best to work with our customers to keep any operational disruption to an absolute minimum.

  • Prior to starting the inspection our inspector will plot the layout of the racking together with its build specification and note the details on the load boards with the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) information.
  • The actual inspection begins by the inspector using a laser measuring device to take accurate measurements and calculate the steel beam deflection. The object of the inspection is to record any damage to the racking and apply the ‘Red’, ‘Amber’ or ‘Green’ SEMA recognised traffic light system to the affected areas.

RED indicates the most severe type of damage which means the racking will need to be offloaded immediately and must not be used until the required repairs have been made.

AMBER signifies that damage has occurred, but it is not serious enough for the racking to be offloaded.

GREEN means the racking is only slightly damaged and safe for use.

In addition to assessing any damage, our inspector will also take a broad overview of the standards applied to pallet loading, waste packaging, damaged pallets, general standards of cleanliness, the condition of the floor, lighting, the type of fork trucks being used as well as racking protection both down the aisle and at the rack ends. Images will be taken to record any specific damage, the information on the load boards and any other findings which need to be included in the report.

  • Once the inspection has been completed our inspector will provide a debrief to notify you of any ‘Red’ risk damage to your racking which needs to be offloaded immediately. He will also summarise any general issues and recommendations which will be confirmed in his report. 

    Please note:  SEMA approved inspectors are not enforcement officers and are only authorised to provide advice and make informed recommendations based on their technical knowledge and experience.
  • Within 14 days from our inspector’s visit you will receive a comprehensive inspection report detailing the damage or faults identified, his general observations and advice about the best way to resolve the current issues and prevent any future problems. Acerax will also provide you with a certificate to confirm the inspection has been completed.
  • A record of the inspection will be added to your customer file and a note made to remind you when your next inspection is due so we can notify you in advance and ensure it’s booked in plenty of time.

Now you know all about rack inspections by a SEMA approved inspector, find out why you should choose Acerax.

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Looking for a SEMA approved experienced adjustable pallet racking inspector?

Contact Acerax today to arrange your next inspection.

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