Cantilever racking systems are essential for storing long, bulky, or irregularly shaped items such as timber, pipes, steel, and sheet materials. However, ensuring these storage systems remain safe and efficient requires regular maintenance and compliance with UK safety regulations.
Annual cantilever racking inspections, as well as regular in-house inspections, are critical to prevent accidents, maintain structural integrity, and ensure compliance with legal requirements.
What Are Cantilever Racks?
Cantilever racks are designed for storing materials that require unobstructed access. They consist generally of vertical columns with horizontal arms that extend outward, forming open bays that allow for easy loading and unloading. Their construction includes:
- Cantilever Upright columns for vertical stability.
- Cantilever Base supports for foundational strength.
- Cantilever Arms that hold the stored materials and vary in length and capacity.
- Rear diagonal & horizontal bracings to reinforce the structure against lateral forces.
Due to their modular nature, cantilever racks can be tailored to specific storage needs. However, improper use, damage, or poor installation can lead to dangerous situations, making professional cantilever rack inspections vital.
Why Annual Cantilever Racking Inspections Are Essential
1. Preventing Hidden Damage
Regular use, accidental impacts, or overloading can cause wear and tear that may not be visible during daily operations. Without a professional cantilever racking inspection, such damage could compromise the system’s structural integrity, posing a serious safety risk.
2. Mitigating Racking Incidents and Collapses
The collapse of cantilever racks can lead to severe injuries, fatalities, and substantial financial losses. Annual cantilever racks inspections by trained and qualified professionals help identify weak points, ensuring that damage or defects are addressed promptly to prevent accidents.
3. Compliance with UK Regulations
Cantilever racking systems must comply with key UK safety standards and regulations, including:
- SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association): SEMA sets the industry standard for racking safety and accredits professional cantilever rack inspectors.
- HSG76: This Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance emphasizes the need for regular inspections to ensure safe warehousing and storage.
- PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998): PUWER mandates that equipment, including cantilever racks, is suitable for use, maintained, and inspected to ensure safety.
4. Ensuring Load Limits Are Clearly Displayed
Safe working load (SWL) signs are mandatory on cantilever racking systems, providing critical information about maximum load capacities. A thorough cantilever rack inspection ensures these signs are visible, accurate, and adhered to, preventing overloading and subsequent failures.
5. Verifying Ground Suitability
Cantilever racking systems must be installed on suitable ground to maintain stability. An annual cantilever rack inspection includes checking the ground conditions to ensure they can support the system and its intended loads.
Get a Quote
With over 30 years of experience our fully SEMA approved inspectors offer nationwide racking inspection and training.
The Role of SEMA-Approved Inspectors
A cantilever racking inspection carried out by a SEMA-approved inspector is comprehensive and ensures adherence to the highest safety standards. Our approved professionals assess:
- Visual damage to arms, columns, bracing, and base plates.
- The condition of anchor bolts and ground fixings.
- The visibility and accuracy of safe working load signs.
- Overall structural integrity, including alignment and bracing.
- Load suitability & load positioning
SEMA-approved inspectors categorise findings into risk levels (green, amber, or red) in line with SEMA damage classifications and provide actionable recommendations to maintain safety and compliance.
Importance of Using Qualified Installers
Cantilever racking systems must be installed correctly to prevent issues down the line. Using SEIRS (Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme) qualified installers ensures your cantilever racks are erected according to industry standards. This not only enhances safety but also ensures the system can handle the expected loads.
Maintaining Safety Beyond Annual Inspections
While annual cantilever racking inspections are critical, businesses should also implement regular maintenance and in-house checks. Trained warehouse staff can conduct visual inspections to spot potential issues early, reducing the likelihood of costly repairs or accidents. We offer both pallet racking and Cantilever racking training courses, tailored to your site needs. The training courses will equip your designated personnel with the knowledge and skills to become your on-site PRRS (persons responsible for rack safety) to enable you to undertake regular in-house inspections between your annual professional inspection.
Final Thoughts
Cantilever racks are indispensable for many businesses, but their safety depends on regular upkeep and adherence to regulations. Annual cantilever rack inspections ensure that damage or potential hazards are identified and resolved before they escalate. With SEMA-approved inspectors, adherence to HSG76 guidelines, and compliance with PUWER regulations, businesses can maintain a safe and efficient storage environment.
Investing in professional installation, proper use, and routine cantilever racking inspections isn’t just about ticking a regulatory box, it’s about safeguarding your workforce, assets, and operations. Make inspections a priority and protect your business from the risks of neglect.
Get a Quote
With over 30 years of experience our fully SEMA approved inspectors offer nationwide racking inspection and training.
