UK Pallet Racking Inspections | SEMA-Aligned | SARI Accredited

SEMA — the Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association — is the UK trade body for the storage and racking industry. A SEMA-aligned racking inspection is a formal expert assessment of pallet racking carried out by a SARI accredited inspector registered on the SEMA inspector database. SEMA-aligned inspections are the recognised compliance standard in the United Kingdom and are referenced directly by the Health and Safety Executive.

Pallet racking is classified as work equipment under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). Every employer has a legal duty to ensure their racking is maintained in a safe condition and inspected at suitable intervals by a competent person. HSE guidance document HSG76 — Warehousing and Storage states that this means a formal expert inspection by a SARI accredited SEMA inspector at least once every 12 months.

"SEMA-aligned" matters specifically because anyone can claim to inspect racking. Only a SARI accredited inspector is recognised by the HSE as a competent person under HSG76. In the event of a racking collapse, the absence of SEMA-aligned inspection records significantly increases the employer's legal liability and insurance exposure. A generic "racking inspection" from an unaccredited contractor does not provide the same legal protection.

A Rackstor UK Ltd SEMA-aligned inspection is a systematic, bay-by-bay assessment of the entire racking installation. Our SARI accredited inspector follows a defined process:

1. Site walk-through and layout drawing — every run of racking is identified, numbered and recorded against a site plan.
2. Visual inspection of every bay — each bay is examined from floor to top beam on both faces.
3. Upright frame assessment — checked for bends, splits, corrosion and impact damage; in-plane and out-of-plane deflection measured against SEMA tolerance tables.
4. Beam inspection — every beam checked for bending, end damage and connector integrity.
5. Safety clip verification — every safety clip on every beam is checked to confirm it is correctly engaged.
6. Base plate and floor fixing inspection — base plates examined for lifting, cracking or corrosion; anchor bolts checked for tightness and condition.
7. Bracing and frame connections — horizontal and diagonal bracing checked for damage and missing fixings.
8. Load notice verification — every bay must display a current load notice; missing or illegible notices are reported.
9. Red, amber, green classification — every defect is classified using the SEMA traffic light system. Green = within tolerance, monitor. Amber = repair within four weeks, load-limit in the meantime. Red = unload and take out of service immediately.
10. Photographic evidence — every amber and red defect is photographed with its location clearly identified.
11. Written report — issued within 48 hours of the on-site visit, formatted for circulation to managers, H&S leads and facilities teams.

HSE guidance HSG76 and SEMA recommendations set out a tiered inspection regime that every UK warehouse should follow:

• Annual expert inspection — at minimum, a SEMA-aligned inspection by a SARI accredited inspector once every 12 months. This is the legal compliance baseline under PUWER 1998 and HSG76.
• Weekly visual checks — carried out by a trained in-house Person Responsible for Racking Safety (PRRS), sometimes called a Rack Safety Officer. SEMA publishes a free in-house inspection guide. Findings should be logged in a damage register.
• Immediate inspection after impact — any significant collision with racking should trigger an inspection of the affected bays before they are reloaded.
• More frequent expert inspection for high-risk environments — cold stores, high-throughput distribution centres, sites running double-shift forklift operations, sites with mobile racking or very narrow aisle (VNA) systems, and sites with a history of damage should be inspected every 6 months as a minimum.

Skipping the annual SEMA inspection is a documented health and safety breach. In the event of a collapse, the absence of a current inspection record is one of the first things HSE investigators look for.

SARI stands for SEMA-Aligned Rack Inspector. It is the SEMA examination and registration scheme for racking inspectors and is the recognised competence standard in the United Kingdom. To become SARI accredited, an inspector must pass both a written examination on UK and European racking standards (HSG76, BS EN 15635, PUWER 1998, SEMA codes of practice) and a practical examination assessing live racking and applying the red/amber/green classification correctly. SARI accreditation must be maintained through continuing professional development and periodic re-examination, and registration is published on the SEMA inspector database.

SARI accreditation matters when choosing an inspection company because only a SARI accredited inspector is recognised by the HSE as a competent person to carry out expert racking inspections. Reports from non-accredited inspectors do not provide the same legal protection, are routinely rejected by insurers, and may not be accepted by enforcement officers as evidence of HSG76 compliance. Every Rackstor UK Ltd inspector holds current SARI accreditation — confirmable on the SEMA inspector database before we attend site.

Named inspector: Rackstor UK Ltd inspections are carried out by Mr Thelwell, SARI accredited inspector (SARI No. 0100) — verifiable on the SEMA inspector database.

Within 48 hours of the on-site visit, Rackstor UK Ltd issues a full written SEMA inspection report. The report includes:

• Executive summary — overall condition assessment and headline counts of red, amber and green defects.
• Site layout drawing — every run of racking identified and numbered for cross-reference with the defect schedule.
• Defect schedule — every defect listed with its location, SEMA red/amber/green classification, photograph, and required action and deadline.
• Repair recommendations — recommended remedial action for every amber and red defect, with optional fixed-price repair quotation supplied separately.
• Compliance documentation — formal statement of inspection in line with HSG76, BS EN 15635 and PUWER 1998, suitable for presentation to HSE inspectors, insurers and internal auditors.
• Re-inspection due date — the next expert inspection date, calculated from the inspection date in line with HSG76.

The report is delivered as a PDF and formatted for internal circulation to site managers, health and safety leads and facilities teams. For amber and red defects, Rackstor UK Ltd can carry out remedial works — in most cases within 3–5 working days of the inspection.