Why you need a SEMA Inspection on your racking
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By their very nature, warehouses can be dangerous places to be.
Storing, stacking and moving often heavy goods, flammables or liquids at a fast pace for dispatch, with teams of pickers and machinery, surrounded by steel and timber; all factors combined that could spell a recipe for disaster if not implemented properly.
Who is SEMA and what do they do?
The Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) is the industry body committed to promoting and extending the safe design, installation and usage of storage systems manufactured and supplied by its members. Nene promote the safety-first conduct of SEMA by accrediting their teams with SEMA qualifications and training to ensure equipment installed and further tested by them, meets the SEMA standard.
As an official SEMA Approved Installation Company, the SEMA standards and sign off of the installation, equipment and future checks and inspections are an integral part of the service on offer at Nene. Whilst Nene inspectors are fully trained and qualified to spot the damage often unseen by the untrained eye, they can also educate warehouse staff to spot the signs before it’s too late. With effective training, staff can take responsibility for the racking properly in the first instance, taking care to limit unnecessary damage, and then highlight maintenance needs and causes for a deeper inspection should the need arise.
SEMA reports available:
Should an inspection be appropriate, there are three types available;
1. Report of damaged items only
2. SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI) report
3. SARI report plus a replacement of materials list
Within these reports, they will look at a combination of; suitability, correct pallets, housekeeping, mechanical handling, load notices, compatibility of equipment, load stability, damage, material listing, corrective action proposals, rack configuration and locations of damage.
Nene recommend an annual inspection at the least to keep your records and equipment up to date.
Is it against the law to not have a SEMA inspection?
No, it isn’t. You are not legally bound to have a SEMA accredited installation, nor have your racking SEMA inspected.
SEMA at its lightest will give you peace of mind that you have had expert, industry qualified and continually developed professionals installing your equipment and inspecting it for damage and repair. At its most vital, SEMA accredited installation and inspection history will stand up in a court of law, as a testament to efforts made to ensure safety and quality, and ultimately help to defend your potential accountability should you need to.
