Racking Inspections - Workplace Inspection Checklists

Any racking collapse, regardless of severity, has the potential to kill

Racks do not collapse over a lengthy period; once failure occurs the collapse is instantaneous and the vast weight of goods falling from height can have a devastating impact. A racking collapse can cause damage to stock, bring a business to a halt, and pose a threat of serious injury.

The chances of racking system damage increase exponentially when a forklift is involved. Due to its dynamic movements and heavy weight, this powered truck has a high potential of hitting the pallet racks. However, the risk can be significantly reduced by providing proper training to forklift operators, increasing the width of aisles, and safeguarding racking with protection devices such as rack guards. If racking is hit by a forklift, there is a high possibility that the driver will not report it (in fear of reprimand), which further highlights the importance of regular visual checks to identify any evidence of impact on the uprights.

Racking

When it comes to rack failure, many factors contribute towards a racking collapse. The most common reasons are due to system overload, incorrect installation, lack of maintenance, poor layout and staff negligence, use of damaged pallets, and collisions with forklifts. In most cases, it stems from a combination of more than one of those factors.

By assuming your racking is safe you run the risk of a racking collapse and potential:
• Injury/death to employees
• Fines and prosecution
• Damage to plant, equipment, and stored goods
• Cost of temporary storage, whilst new racking is installed
• Downtime and lost hours because of the accident and subsequent investigations
• Legal, compensation and insurance costs
• Damaged morale & public image, resulting in a loss of business

Failure to maintain pallet racking can be a costly mistake to make, as highlighted above. To keep your pallet racking in its best condition we would recommend the following:
• Carry out routine visual inspections for any damage, using our Good to Go Safety Racking Checklist systems.
• Ensure that any damage to warehouse racking is reported immediately. Avoid using the pallet racking until it is repaired. The Good to Go Safety Status Tag helps inform and advise of damage.
• Operate and maintain pallet racking in line with manufacturer guidelines.
• Have a thorough examination carried out annually or if you notice damage to your system. Choose a SEMA approved racking inspector who will provide you with a full damage report.

Good to Go Safety ensures pallet racking is inspected using the pallet racking safety inspection checklist as part of a routine maintenance management system. It promotes a visual safety inspection check of all racking bays at the start of each daily shift, clearly identifying if the racking is good to go. Providing compliance with PUWER, WAHR, HSE & SEMA regulations and best practice. We recommend that a tag be located on the end of each racking bay/aisle alongside the safe working load (SWL) sign for maximum visibility. Our racking checklist covers checks of the racking structure, loads found on the racking and general housekeeping of the racking area.

The racking check book contains 25 individual checklists. A completed checklist is removed and placed inside the tag on the racking to display the date and the findings of the inspection, while a duplicate copy remains in the book as evidence of the maintenance procedure for management records. If a fault is found, the tag can be used to display a clear “Do Not Use” message and effectively quarantine use of the racking until repairs are carried out. The same system can be replicated on other warehouse equipment such as forklifts or pallet trucks by using the relevant checklists – providing a consistent and efficient approach to equipment maintenance and safety.


Racking Inspection Books - 25 Checklists

Racking Inspection Books - 25 Checklists

Improve safety in your warehouse and reduce maintenance costs on your equipment by carrying out pallet racking safety checks. Incidents involving pa..

£6.20

Racking Inspections - Weekly Checklist Kit

Racking Inspections - Weekly Checklist Kit

Improve safety in your warehouse and reduce maintenance costs on your equipment by carrying out pallet racking safety checks. Incidents involving pa..

£37.10

Racking Inspections - Daily Checklist Kit

Racking Inspections - Daily Checklist Kit

Improve safety in your warehouse and reduce maintenance costs on your equipment by carrying out pallet racking safety checks. Incidents involving pa..

£109.50

Racking Inspection and Maintenance Station

Racking Inspection and Maintenance Station

The information station will provide your workplace with the ideal central location to store inspection check books and keep track of maintenance sche..

£233.20

Racking Poster - Visual Inspection Checklist

Racking Poster - Visual Inspection Checklist

Our racking safety poster has been designed to highlight key components of pallet racking and reinforce the importance of completing racking inspectio..

£21.77

Inspection Wallet and Pen

Inspection Wallet and Pen

A handy wallet that not only provides additional protection from the elements but also gives inspectors a solid writing surface to complete inspection..

£6.20

Weather Resistant Inspection Holder

Weather Resistant Inspection Holder

These industrial strength pockets have a press seal fastening to keep important documents clean and dry. An ideal solution for storing check books, in..

£6.31

Inspection Book Dispenser

Inspection Book Dispenser

Allow the storage of checklists in a central location for quick and easy access to important inspection checklists. Provide workers with the ideal ..

£13.25

Showing 1 to 8 of 8 (1 Pages)

News

Work-related fatalities in the UK 2023/24

Work-related fatalities in the UK 2023/24

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have released the 2023/24 statistics for UK work-related fatal injuries and according to these statistics, there were 138 deaths across all UK workplaces in 2023–24 with the construction industry accounting for more than a third of the total with 51 fatalities. The new figures, which can be found here, show that the annual number of work-related fatalities has remained broadly similar for over a decade. Additionally, as per previous years, male workers co...CONTINUE...

Company and director fined after a catalogue of serious injuries

Company and director fined after a catalogue of serious injuries

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted an investigation following an incident at Code-A-Weld, Harfreys Industrial Estate, Great Yarmouth on the 19th November 2022. A man (54 years) was airlifted to hospital and placed into an induced coma after being struck by an object whilst manufacturing steel cable drums for the offshore industry. During the manufacturing process, the jacking set-up failed, causing parts to strike the man in the face. This caused extremely serious injuries in...CONTINUE...

When did you last check your car?

When did you last check your car?

2% OF ALL ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO VEHICLE DEFECTS AND FAULTS Given that the National average age of UK vehicles is 8 years, it's no surprise that faults such as tyre blow outs, broken lights and smearing window wipers are causing accidents across the UK. ONLY 44% OF PEOPLE INSPECT THEIR CAR PRIOR TO TRAVELLING FOR WORK.. and of that 44% who do complete checks... • 30% don't check their oil levels • 42% have a warning light on their dashboard • 57% ...CONTINUE...

Man spared jail for unsafe work on own home

Man spared jail for unsafe work on own home

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted a thorough investigation following a site visit to a property where a man was carrying out unsafe work on his home in Manchester. The HSE served enforcement notices to put work to an immediate stop in August 2020. During their initial visit, the Health and Safety Executive found that Abdul Rehman had engaged operatives to help him build an extension to the property on Kings Crescent in Old Trafford. At the property there was an extremely uns...CONTINUE...

Worker drowns and loses life two days later

Worker drowns and loses life two days later

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation was carried out after the death of a construction worker. Gary Webster, a 60-year-old man was repeatedly pulled under water after his boat capsized during routine cleaning of the River Aire. Mr Webster and another worker (who managed to swim to safety) had been removing debris at the bottom of the weir gates at Knostrop Weir. The accident occured when the boat they were using was pulled into churning water due to the considerable rush of w...CONTINUE...

Managing workplace hazards

Managing workplace hazards

Managing hazards in a business is fundamental to maintaining the safety of employees. Under UK law, employers have a duty of care to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of all employees. This means it’s an employer’s responsibility to identify the hazards facing their employees and implement measures to mitigate them. It's fairly common for employees (and in many cases, management) to be unaware of the hazards they face regularly. Those who haven't encountered an accident often feel ...CONTINUE...

Workplace Equipment Inspections - Construction - Farming - Warehousing

Workplace Equipment Inspections - Construction - Farming - Warehousing

Numerous health and safety accidents or incidents occur every day due to equipment being used in the workplace that is improperly managed, maintained or is not made for the intended purpose. Industries such as farming and agriculture, factories, warehouses and construction are all high risk due to numerous equipment types being used daily. Employers are required to ensure that all the workplace equipment provided to employees is regularly inspected and maintained in safe working order. Th...CONTINUE...

Forklift Engineer Seriously Injured during forklift servicing

Forklift Engineer Seriously Injured during forklift servicing

A 47-year-old grandfather sustained multiple fractured vertebrae on the 14th November 2019 at a Pirelli Tyres' factory in Carlisle. The forklift truck engineer was in the process of servicing a truck when two metal skips fell from a stack of waste tyres, crushing Mr Weightman against the ground. A HSE investigation found that in order for Mr Weightman to work on the forklift truck, he had to move the truck. He was however, unaware that the truck was positioned to stabilise the skips. This...CONTINUE...

Motorsport engineering firm fined following HSE inspection

Motorsport engineering firm fined following HSE inspection

A motorsport engineering firm based in Kent has been fined after Britain’s workplace regulator identified numerous health and safety breaches. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited Hispec Motorsport Limited - a specialist designer and producer of aftermarket brake upgrades for road, race, track, and kit cars. During their visits, the inspectors found serious breaches of the law and enforcement notices were issued. The subsequent investigation found the busin...CONTINUE...

22-year-old carpenter sustains fatal head injury

22-year-old carpenter sustains fatal head injury

On 30 October 2019, Niall McCormack from Kettering, Northamptonshire had been working with another carpenter at a new build construction site in Alconbury Weald, Cambridgeshire. The pair were removing trusses from a pack, to then spread and install across there building. As they were in the process of spreading, a gust of wind caught a spandrel panel, pushing it against the remaining trusses in the pack. Both the truss pack and spandrel panel fell into the work area, hitting Niall McCorma...CONTINUE...

Worker crushed at London Heathrow Airport

Worker crushed at London Heathrow Airport

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted an investigation after an employee of Dnata Ltd was crushed to death at London Heathrow Airport on the 23rd February 2022. The incident occurred during the unloading of baggage containers from an Emirates Airbus which had arrived from Dubai. The employee walked underneath a high loader (a raised platform similar to a scissor lift) in order to access the other side of a trailer. At the same time the high-loader operator lowered one of its tw...CONTINUE...

Why you should complete daily forklift inspections

Why you should complete daily forklift inspections

Forklift truck inspections can increase productivity by up to 25%. Additionally it will reduce breakdowns by 70% and lowers forklift truck maintenance costs by 25%. Depending on the type of forklift truck, costs and technical sophistication, a broad spectrum of maintenance strategies should be applied. A faulty forklift truck may significantly slow or completely halt your entire production process. Poor maintenance strategies can reduce the overall productive capacity of a warehouse by 5...CONTINUE...

Tragedy at Go-Kart Centre

Tragedy at Go-Kart Centre

Capital Karts in Barking, East London has been fined almost £120,000 after an incident on the 6th August 2021. Newham youth group organised a fun filled day at Capital Karts with a group of teens, however the day turned to horror when one of the teens had to be resuscitated at the venue after her hijab (a traditional muslim headscarf) got caught in a go karts drive axle. Ruwaida Adan, 15, died in hospital of hypoxic brain injury and asphyxiation four days after she visited Capital ...CONTINUE...

Banksman loses leg in MEWP accident

Banksman loses leg in MEWP accident

A food manufacturing company has been fined following a serious incident at its premises in Wirral. Sharon Bramhall had been supervising four members of staff as they completed high-level cleaning tasks during a night shift on the 22nd April 2022. She had been acting as a "banksman" as the MEWP turned at a right angle into the warehouse and struck Sharon, crushing her left leg. The 58-year-old had to have her left leg amputated below the knee following a incident at Baker & Baker Products ...CONTINUE...

The easter bunny uses TakeAIM

The easter bunny uses TakeAIM

TakeAIM are proud to announce that the easter bunny has begun using TakeAIM. Santa Claus contacted the easter bunny after they had success in the north pole using TakeAIM. Santa's team used the system to assess toy quality and inspect Santas sleigh prior to flight. Santa encouraged the Easter Bunny to try TakeAIM and we can now confirm they are using it in the run up to Easter. The easter bunny is able to assess, inspect and manage their eggs with TakeAIM! They're able to check th...CONTINUE...

Sub-contractor loses life in hospital

Sub-contractor loses life in hospital

An investigation was conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the death of a sub-contractor hired by NG Bailey Limited. Alistair Hutton, lost his life whilst working on a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) along an unfinished corridor of the Baird Family Hospital in Aberdeen on 18 January 2023. The 51-year-old immediately lost consciousness, when his head struck a metal lintel. Mr Hutton, who lived in Forfar, was pronounced dead less than an hour after the i...CONTINUE...