The timber industry is accustomed to holding a very broad range of products in order to be able to meet the changing demands of its customer base. Purchasing trends have changed quite dramatically in recent years, with end users only placing orders for the timber that is required for immediate use.
This is why cantilever racking is the preferred storage option as it enables you to store products more safely than when they are bulk stacked. The system offers 100% selectivity for the storage and selection of a multitude of long and awkward products speeding up the picking process and improving service levels.
If you already have cantilever racking in place on-site, it is extremely important that you invest in the upkeep and maintenance of your systems. Cantilever racking can be subjected to a lot of wear and tear from mechanical handling equipment on a daily basis and must be checked regularly by a designated Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS).
To meet the HSE’s requirements for competency this person should ideally have attended a training course such as the cantilever racking awareness courses run by Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA). This type of course gives your PRRS an understanding of the key components of your systems enabling them to identify all serious damage and implement any necessary actions.
Typical components that need checking by a PRRS on one of Stakapal’s Cantilever systems include:
1. Arms
2. Arm connection
3. Cross Bracing
4. Column
5. Base
6. Column to base connection
7. Floor fixing bolts
A PRRS is only expected to visually check for obvious and clear signs of damage. They also need to be aware of relevant loading capacities to ensure your racks do not become overloaded and in danger of collapse. Other less obvious and more subtle damage will be identified at your annual inspection which should be undertaken by an expert as per current HSG76 guidance. An Environmental Health Officer (EHO) from the local council, or a Health and Safety Executive Inspector will demand that a company obtains a racking inspection of its cantilever racking by a ‘technically competent person’.
Following the installation of their racking systems, Stakapal’s inhouse SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors (SARI’s) offer all customers the opportunity to book an annual inspection as part of their ongoing support package. A SARI satisfies the Health & Safety Executive’s criteria for a technically competent person to carry out an annual inspection as per the HSE’s current document HSG76 Warehousing and Storage – a guide to Health & Safety.
More at www.stakapal.co.uk
