Safety training is not a luxury – it’s one of the most important investments a warehouse owner can and should make to ensure safe and efficient operations.
However, when margins are tight, it can be tempting to view time away from the floor as lost productivity. In reality, the exact opposite is true. Despite the cost and time, proper training reduces incidents, prevents costly disruption and gives managers the confidence that they are meeting their legal responsibilities.
The true cost of getting training wrong
In the warehouse, the risks are very real. As the owner or manager, you are legally required to ensure that work equipment is maintained properly. That includes storage systems.
If racking isn’t loaded, inspected or maintained correctly and results in an accident, it will inevitably lead to a visit by the HSE. When the inspector walks through your doors, one of the first questions will be about competence and who is responsible for safety. They will ask who you have on board for racking safety, how often inspections are carried out and what training they have received.
But the risk to your business name is not your only problem. You also have to deal with the fallout if the accident results in an employee getting seriously injured or worse.
Even minor incidents have a cost. Damaged racking can fully halt operations, write off stock and result in expensive repairs.
These are not theoretical concerns. They are everyday realities.
How training minimises risks
The warehouse is a busy environment. Forklift trucks and automation are moving around the space, stock is loaded and unloaded from the racking, and there is every day wear and tear from fast-paced operations. All of this creates damage on the racking.
The problem is, racking systems are structural assets which carry heavy loads. When it gets damaged, it creates weak points in the structure. It only takes something as simple as another hit, and the racking could fail completely.
Of course, instructing on working correctly around racking is essential, but the main function of training is to ensure everyone knows how to spot damage and act decisively. Achieve this and you can document actions, fix problems and uphold the safety of the structure.
It moves safety from a reactive exercise to a proactive discipline.
What training do you need for warehouse teams?
You need to start with training for anyone working in areas with racking. They must understand how to work safely around racking, including reading load notices, loading the structure and recognising signs of damage. The next step is to prepare your team to maintain the racking. You must train a member of your team to take on the role of Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS). They are responsible for checking that inspections and maintenance records are completed, analysing damage data, identifying recurring issues and recommending actions.
On top of that, you must also train members of your team to undertake regular inspections. They are responsible for carrying out Visual Inspections in accordance with SEMA safety guidelines, checking that correct loading is followed and recording their findings.
Practical training is essential for preparing them for these roles. For example, SEMA’s Racking Safety Awareness course is designed to support those responsible for upholding racking safety and carrying out visual inspections. Referenced in HSG76 Warehousing and Storage, this course goes beyond classroom theory. Attendees can put their learning into practice on racking systems set up specifically for the course in SEMA’s dedicated training facilities. This gives your teams the space to focus on the course away from the distractions of a live warehouse.
The wider competence framework
While, as the warehouse owner or manager, you are mainly focused on the need for training for your employees, that doesn’t mean you should ignore the value of having trained teams involved in your racking. Schemes such as SEIRS provide assurances that racking will be installed and repaired by teams who understand correct installation methods and do not undertake dangerous repair work. While SEMA Approved Racking Inspectors (SARI), undergo rigorous training programmes that certify they have the knowledge and proper skills they need to undertake inspections that provide you with a level of detail to keep your warehouse safe.
Implementing training at every key juncture in your racking reduces uncertainty. It’s for this reason that SEMA will soon launch their Duty Holders training course. Delivered online, the course is designed to help company directors and senior managers responsible for warehouse operations. The session will bridge the gap between operational practice and management accountability by exploring the controls to manage pallet racking and the legislation that governs safe storage equipment in the UK.
SEMA
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