Our first question this month asks about Inspections for Shelving and our second enquires about the fixing of Mesh Decks.
Shelving Inspections
Q. Do inspections only apply to Pallet Racking or is there a requirement for Industrial Shelved Racking?
A. Yes, industrial shelving, like pallet racking is work equipment and is covered by PUWER so it needs inspection.
With Pallet Racking goods are generally stored and retrieved by mechanical equipment where the operator is afforded some level of protection by the equipment he is using. With Shelving conversely loading and unloading is carried out manually where little protection for operatives is available in the event of accidents. For this reason, even though loads are much lighter than for racking, frequency of inspections of industrial shelving should be as for pallet racking. We would refer you to SEMA Guide to Racking and Shelving Inspections published December 2017.
Mesh Decks
Q. We have provided a customer with a large number of slot over mesh decks (load bearing) They are having problems with the forks catching on the mesh deck and dislodging them. This is becoming a frequent thing. They have asked can they tek fix them to the beam?
A. This could be simple or it could be complex. Mesh decks come in different duties / strengths, so depending on what loads are being applied you could be getting deflections which tend to cause the edges of the panels to curl upwards. This in turn reduces the clearances the next time someone tries to insert a pallet a bit close to the top of the beam. Rough handling aggravates that effect.
Without trying to teach grandmother to suck eggs are you sure that the right load capacity deck has been specified and the correct clearances have been allowed? There can be a lot of difference in carrying capacity between different suppliers notionally supplying the same items so there is not necessarily commonality between suppliers Care needs taking if Tek fixing to the beam and it would probably be preferable if a bracket could be fixed into the side flange of the beam rather than the top where the head of the fixing or the bracket itself could be scraped off during poor placement or retrieval.
We have seen heavy-duty cable ties being used for the purpose of securing the deck to the beam, wrapped round the beam and through the deck where similar problems have occurred. This ensures that if someone really gets their forks entangled with the deck the cable ties break before substantial damage is done to the racking. It seemed to work reasonably well, however there will need to be a bit of trial and error to get the right duty of cable tie for your application but it will be a lot easier than to fit than a Tek fixed bracket. You will likely need a hammer to straighten some recalcitrant wires in the process.No formal guidance on this in any of the codes as far as we are aware.
The 2019 SEMA Annual Safety Conference has been scheduled for Thursday 31st October 2019; the venue will be the National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull. Full details email enquiry@sema.org.uk
SEMA Technical Enquiries: If you have a query send it to us and we will do our best to have it answered by one of our technical experts.
SEMA runs a one-day safety course on Rack Safety Awareness and Inspection. These courses are aimed at end users, giving an indepth look at the need for inspections, how to conduct an assessment and what actions to take when this is completed.
SEMA Approved Rack Inspectors Qualification is aimed at professionals who conduct rack surveys as an integral and significant part of their duties. It involves delegates in undertaking an in-depth SEMA Course, together with an examination and practical assessment. CPD will be an important part of the qualification, demonstrating to end users that SEMA Approved Inspectors maintain a high professional standard.
SEMA has 26 publications in stock – Codes of Practice, ‘Guides’ and European documents – all of which are available from our Offices. For further information visit www.sema.org.uk. and click on ‘Codes of Practice’.
SEMA runs a USERS Club designed to be of benefit to purchasers and users of storage equipment. Members receive newsletters, access to specialised events and discounted rates on publications and codes of practice.
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