Why Annual SEMA Inspections Matter for Every UK Warehouse
What an annual SEMA inspection actually covers
A SEMA Approved Racking Inspector (SARI) carries out a top-to-bottom expert inspection of every run of racking on site, classifying damage using the EN 15635 red/amber/green system.
The inspector reviews load notices, beam configurations, baseplate condition, floor flatness and the warehouse's own weekly PRRS records.
Why HSE expects it every 12 months
HSG76 paragraphs 313–325 recommend an expert inspection at intervals not exceeding 12 months. In practice, HSE inspectors treat the SEMA report as the benchmark for ‘competent person’ evidence.
Without a current annual report, demonstrating compliance with PUWER 1998 regulation 6 (inspection of work equipment) becomes very difficult.
What happens when operators skip it
The most common pattern in HSE prosecutions is a long gap since the last expert inspection, combined with visible red-risk damage that was never escalated.
Fines under the Sentencing Council guidelines routinely reach six figures, and individual directors can be prosecuted personally under section 37 HSWA.
Talk to a SEMA inspector
Get a same-day quote for a SEMA approved, SARI accredited pallet racking inspection at your site.