SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors (SARI)

Our SEMA approved racking inspectors provide annual racking inspections with nationwide coverage. Both Pallet racking & Cantilever racking approved inspectors, helping you to achieve and maintain HSE Compliance and warehouse rack safety for your site.

Our ‘360’ racking training PRRS courses train and certify your staff to undertake internal inspections in between your annual SEMA-approved inspector inspections.

From single site rack inspections to multi site racking inspections, the UK rack inspection team are here to meet your needs.

Raising racking safety standards for warehouses up and down the UK, from our Midlands base.

Elevating racking safety standards and awareness across the UK

Our independent, SEMA-approved inspectors specialise in pallet and cantilever racking inspections, ensuring they meet the highest safety and compliance standards.

Looking for rack awareness training?

Our racking awareness training “360” courses provide your team with the knowledge and expertise to undertake in-house inspections in between your annual professional rack inspections.

With extensive experience in the storage industry, we provide impartial guidance to help minimize your costs while maximizing site storage safety. By conducting a rack safety inspection, we ensure that your racking system is installed according to manufacturer specifications and remains in optimal condition for continued use.

A racking inspection by one of our SARI-certified (SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors) professionals will set you on the right path to meeting HSE, PUWER, and HSG76 guidelines. Our goal is to ensure compliance and maintain structural safety, which is essential in today’s fast-paced warehousing environments.

From Annual rack inspections to monthly or weekly racking inspections we are fully adaptable to work with your site needs and requirements.

From a pallet rack inspection to mezzanine floor, cantilever racking, shelving, crane or automated storage system inspections, we have you covered. With the required working at height & harness training certificates in place for all of our inspectors, we are fully adaptable to meet all of your individual requirements.

Racking awareness training courses – Our rack training “360” course is delivered by our own SEMA approved inspector, ensuring they are able to pass on experience, knowledge, hints and tips to your designated team of in-house rack safety inspectors. Delivered at your site for minimal business disruption and enabling our training to be delivered tailored to your site storage equipment. Both APR (adjustable pallet racking) & Cantilever rack training courses undertaken, with candidates being certified for 3 years upon successful course completion.

Why Choose Us for Racking Inspections?

Racking Inspections

Our SEMA-approved pallet racking inspectors conduct detailed inspections to ensure your warehouse racking systems meet safety and compliance standards.

We provide comprehensive SEMA & HSE compliant reports with clear, actionable recommendations. By using the required Red, Amber, Green SEMA damage classifications within our reports, this ensures our reports are able to be understood in a clear and concise manner with any related images also provided if permitted by site to do so.

Our team of SEMA approved rack inspectors ensure that you are fully aware of any issues highlighted and able to offer guidance on damage prevention techniques.

Our fully detailed racking audit will give you the full racking specifications of the systems on your site enabling you to complete any required remedial repairs with ease.

Racking "360" Awareness Training

Enhance your team’s knowledge and skills with our specialised training programmes. Our training courses include but are not limited to:

The legalities of racking inspections & HSE requirements
Component overview and breakdown of their structural importance
Load notices, how to check they are correct and what they should be displaying
PPE Requirements & essential inspection kit
SEMA damage classifications
Damage classification overview – Team classification exercise
Damage prevention techniques
Inspection frequency, recording & documentation
Practical exercise to ensure candidates are of an adequate level of competence

Cantilever Racking Inspections

Our expert inspectors evaluate your cantilever racking systems, ensuring they meet industry standards and are optimised for your storage needs.

All of our inspectors hold the SEMA approved Cantilever racking qualifications, this along with our extensive knowledge of various Cantilever racking systems gives us the professional and expert edge to conduct your Cantilever racking inspections.

A full detailed HSE & SEMA compliant report will be submitted after our inspection listing exact system specifications as well as any recommendations or damaged locations that may have been found.

Our expert racking inspectors are able to offer you damage prevention techniques that would likely result in cost savings for years to come. Keeping your site safer, compliant and more efficient.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to have a racking inspection?

Racking and storage equipment falls under PUWER (provision and use of work equipment regulations) and is advised to be checked at least annually by a technically competent person of which an SEMA-approved inspector satisfies this requirement. HSE documentation also relating to the recommendation to have an annual professional racking inspection is:

HSG76 – Warehousing and storage – A guide to health and safety
Workplace health, safety and welfare regulations 1992

An annual racking inspection will ensure that your racking has been installed to manufacturer specifications, has plausible weight loading information displayed, is correct and used correctly for its current application, and is in good serviceable condition.

Are racking inspections a legal requirement in the UK?

Yes, racking inspections are a legal requirement in the UK under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and other associated regulations, such as the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER). These laws mandate that all work equipment, including pallet racking systems, must be safe to use and regularly maintained. Failure to comply can lead to legal penalties, accidents, and downtime.

For a detailed overview of the regulations and why compliance is essential, read our comprehensive article on whether racking inspections are a legal requirement in the UK. It provides clear guidance on the standards you must meet to ensure safety and legality in your warehouse.

Why is regular pallet racking inspection essential?

Regular pallet racking inspections are crucial to ensure workplace safety, compliance with regulations, and the longevity of your racking systems. Over time, racks can suffer from damage caused by forklifts, overloaded shelves, or general wear and tear, potentially leading to collapse if left unchecked. By conducting routine inspections, you can identify and address these issues early, avoiding costly repairs or downtime.

To make the process easier, we’ve created an essential pallet racking inspection checklist that outlines the key steps and areas to examine during inspections. This checklist is a valuable resource for maintaining safe and efficient storage systems, ensuring your operations run smoothly.

How does proper pallet placement improve racking system safety?

Proper pallet placement is vital for maintaining the safety and efficiency of your racking systems. Incorrectly positioned pallets can cause uneven weight distribution, leading to instability and an increased risk of collapse. Additionally, poor placement practices can result in damaged racks and hinder the smooth flow of operations.

To learn more about the best practices for safe and effective pallet placement, you can check out our detailed guide on the importance of pallet placement in racking systems. This article provides practical advice and insights to help you optimise your storage setup and reduce potential risks in your warehouse.

Prioritising proper pallet placement keeps your racking systems safe and your operations running smoothly!

What are the benefits of using a SEMA approved inspector?

We will ensure compatibility and suitability of your storage equipment
Fully Approved Inspectors as recognised by the HSE
We Carry out an in depth inspection process in order to provide you with a fully detailed report with locations and remedial actions listed
Enable you to achieve and maintain compliance with regards to Health and safety legislations & PUWER regulations.
Check that your racking installation has been installed to manufacturer specifications
Ensure load notices are in line and relevant to the racking current configurations
Offer guidance on areas that may be showing signs of repetitive damages, capturing areas before damages requiring replacement components
Assess the pallet and pallet load suitability on site
Offer guidance on rack related health and safety issues, keeping you up to date with regulations
Give an in depth specification of the storage equipment
Full client debrief following the inspection where recordings can be found and guidance given

Aren’t all racking inspectors SEMA approved anyway?

The answer is no.

Our advice is to always ask for the inspectors SARI number of which is an individual identification number assigned to each SEMA approved inspector, this should be identifiable on your racking inspection report also.

Furthermore, there are PUWER racking inspectors offering a damage report only style of report. Our concern with this type of inspection is a questionable compliance and that vital installation or health and safety issues would likely not be identified.

Our view is that if you are looking for a racking inspector why would you not want a full audit from a qualified inspector opposed to a brief overview.

Should a racking inspection be carried out annually only?

A racking inspection should be undertaken on an annual basis, when racks have been moved, or reconfigured.

Should repairs or installations be undertaken by a none SEMA approved installer (SIERS) it is advised that an inspection be carried out before the system is used to ensure it has been built or repaired to standard.

In house inspections should also be carried out by trained personnel at regular intervals throughout the year in between annual professional inspections.

The personnel should attend a racking awareness course and have a certified level of competence, they may then undertake your internal inspections of which should be recorded to satisfy auditor and HSE requirements.

Will any guidance or assistance be given after the inspection?

We strive to offer a great aftercare service to our customers and in doing so have built relationships up and down the country.

We are always on hand to offer help and guidance to ensure you are always one step ahead of all things rack related.

Although we work as a fully independent inspection company we do have highly recommended contacts within the storage industry of whom are all certified SEMA members offering repairs and installations.

This information can be given should you request any repairs or installations after your inspection.

Why should I use UK rack inspection for my annual racking inspection?

The UK rack inspection team have been in the storage industry for over 30 years, building expertise, knowledge and assisting customers across the UK. We then looked to build something of our own to be able to offer a next level service we feel is vital for our customers. Our experience has enabled us to have an insight as to what we must do to be the best we possibly can.

We are and we will:

Accredited In House SEMA Approved Inspectors (SARI)
Offer clear and concise reporting to customers
Communicate any immediate actionable findings whilst leaving a RED risk report with our site contact when required
Independent SEMA Inspectors to prevent conflict of interest
Inspect to detailed SEMA standards
Offer damage prevention recommendations where necessary
Ensure racking has been installed and is being used to manufacturer specifications and recommendations
Be on hand for any assistance required after the inspection has been submitted

Our Commitment

Safety and Compliance: We ensure the compatibility and suitability of your storage equipment with the highest safety standards.
Expert Guidance: We provide guidance on rack-related health and safety issues, keeping you updated with regulations and helping you address areas showing signs of repetitive damages before they require replacement components.
Load Suitability: We assess the pallet and pallet load suitability on-site, ensuring everything is in line with current configurations and manufacturer specifications.
Health & Safety: Our inspections help you achieve and maintain compliance with health and safety legislations, ensuring your racking installations meet manufacturer specifications and relevant load notices.