SEMA initiative to approve installation companies aims to boost storage safety in the industry
November 15th 2010

SEMA, the Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association, is delighted to announce the development of a new safety initiative for the installation sector.

Companies directly involved in the installation and maintenance of storage equipment will be able to apply to become a SEMA Approved Installation Company (SAIC) to consolidate their professionalism and dedication to safe working practices.

Mike Tucker, on behalf of SEMA Council, states, “SEMA is constantly looking to improve standards in all sectors of the storage equipment industry. The SAIC initiative is a natural progression of these activities and has been introduced to recognize those installation companies who are committed to ‘raising the bar’ and are looking to play a part in improving standards.

“As you would expect,” he continues, “companies applying for SAIC status will need to meet certain criteria, with its foundations based firmly in safe working practice”.

“For example, all SEMA Approved Installation Companies will need to be following the SEIRS, Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme programme. SEIRS is a qualification for individual installers who themselves undergo industry-specific training in best practice, legislation and safe systems of work”.

Mike Tucker, who also chairs the SEIRS Management Committee, goes onto say, “installation companies are very aware that they have a duty to their employees, their customers and indeed themselves. The industry has changed dramatically over the last 10 years. Most installation companies are very professional independent organisations. They are no longer tied to a particular manufacturer. They typically employ a core installation team or teams and may utilise temporary staff to supplement these teams for work which is essentially labour intensive, and very specific to our industry’.

“Accordingly it is widely agreed that training and now some form of regulation is a necessity. This will help to ensure that standards in the industry are being met and maintained and also that the requirements of customers, particularly where safety is concerned, are satisfied’.

“The SAIC initiative ‘ticks all the boxes’ in this regard without being over bureaucratic as far as the approved company is concerned. It greatly assists in looking after everyone involved namely, the individual installers, the installation company, the employing company, and their customers, helping all to meet their duties. It will also provide a forum for discussion, with the future development of the industry as a very clear objective.”

SEMA Activities

Quality

The Storage Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (SEMA) represents and promotes the interests of the leading UK storage equipment suppliers. All members conform to SEMA’s own quality scheme, QAS 2000, developed in conjunction with BSI, assuring end users of product quality.

Codes of Practice

SEMA produces technical publications on the design, installation and use of all types of storage equipment. The Association works closely with various Government departments including the HSE and is a leading influential member of the Storage Equipment Product Group of Federation Europeenne de la Manutention (FEM), the European Materials Handling Federation.

Promotion and Networking

Members benefit from industry connections, have use of the SEMA logo and quality mark and the opportunity to participate in various working groups. Members are also featured on the Association’s web site, www.sema.org.uk, and within SEMA’s literature including Buyers’ Guide, Mission Statement and various other publications including the Codes of Practice.

Users

The Association’s Users’ Club is operated for end users of storage equipment. Members receive newsletters and regular communications on relevant legislation, safety information, training events and advance notice of SEMA initiatives, plus discounts on SEMA publications. User Club Members also receive preferential access to SEMA events.

Installation

The SEMA health and safety initiative SEIRS - the Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme - has now been in operation for ten years. The objective of SEIRS is to further improve and develop working standards in the installation sector of the industry and in particular to promote good health and safety practice.

Building on from SEIRS at the company level a new initiative has been launched – the SEMA Approved Installation Company (SAIC). This is aimed at organisations that are engaged in the installation on storage equipment, who are recognised as being professional in their field, and who take a proactive approach towards safety.

Training and Seminars

The Association’s one-day Rack Safety Awareness and Managing Rack Maintenance courses, which are aimed particularly at end users such as warehouse managers and operatives, outline the legal responsibilities of both suppliers and users of storage equipment. Collectively they also cover the type and frequency of inspections of the equipment and provide guidance to users on maintaining their racking in safe working order.

These courses complement other SEMA events such as Standards Seminars that keep manufacturers, installers, distributors, end users and other industry players abreast of the latest developments.

SEMA Approved Rack Inspector Qualification

SEMA run an Approved Rack Inspector initiative for people with a responsibility to inspect and survey storage structures. Qualified inspectors are needed to provide a professional, third party assessment of users’ storage equipment installations. Candidates for this professional qualification must meet certain standards of education and experience before being allowed on to the programme, which consists of a three day intensive course, a written examination and a practical assessment. Qualified inspectors are then required to conform to a comprehensive CPD programme.

Details of qualified SEMA Approved Rack Inspectors can be found on the SEMA website www.sema.org.uk

Safety Conference

The ninth of our annual one-day Safety Conferences was held at the National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull, West Midlands (off J6 of the M42) on Thursday, 4 November 2010. Open to members and non-members, the overall theme of this year’s event was Regulatory Compliance.

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