Posts Tagged :

racking safety

Employee suffered life-changing injuries in crushing accident

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The 2022 incident in Canberra, where a 21-year-old worker sustained life-altering injuries due to an unanchored cable rack collapse, is a powerful reminder of the critical importance of workplace safety. The case, which led to fines exceeding $400,000 for the company and its manager, highlights the necessity of proper safety practices and regular inspections.

While cable racking falls outside the scope of AS4084, it still requires regular checks for damage or issues caused by everyday use.

Workplace safety is more than compliance – it’s a responsibility to safeguard the lives and well-being of employees. Ensuring racking is properly installed and inspected annually can help prevent such tragic outcomes.

👉 Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-07/manufacturing-company-manager-fine-crush-accident-injuries/104194264

Why you need to get your steel storage racking inspected in Australia

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1. Is regular racking inspection mandatory in Australia?

Yes, inspections are essential to comply with Australian Standard AS 4084, which outlines safe use and maintenance of steel storage racking.

2. How often should racking inspections be conducted?

Inspections should be carried out at least once a year to identify damage and maintain safety, though high-traffic areas may need more frequent checks.

3. What are the risks of not inspecting steel racking?

Failing to inspect can lead to undetected damage, increasing the risk of rack collapse, potential injury, and loss of life.

4. Can damaged racking lead to legal issues?

Yes, if an incident occurs due to neglected racking, your business could face legal liabilities, fines, or penalties for failing to maintain a safe workplace. In addition, there is a possibility that Directors of Companies could face charges of industrial manslaughter.

5. How can inspections help prevent accidents?

Inspections detect potential hazards, such as bent beams or loose connections, reducing the likelihood of accidents or rack failure.

6. Does inspecting racking save money in the long run?

Yes, early detection of damage prevents costly repairs and stock loss, as well as potential downtime due to accidents or repairs.

7. What do inspectors typically check during an inspection?

Inspectors examine the condition of beams, columns, braces, connectors, and the overall rack structure for any signs of wear, damage, or improper loading.

8. Can overloaded racking be identified during an inspection?

Yes, inspectors can assess the load distribution and ensure that the racking is not overloaded beyond its safe capacity.

9. How do inspections contribute to operational efficiency?

Well-maintained racking systems minimise disruptions, ensuring smoother operations and preventing time lost due to unexpected repairs.

10. Who is qualified to inspect racking systems?

Inspections should be carried out by competent professionals with expertise in racking systems and knowledge of relevant Australian and International standards.

11. Is it necessary to document racking inspections?

Yes, documenting inspections creates a record of compliance and allows tracking of any identified issues and the actions taken to resolve them. This is often referred to a closed loop system- identify damage, repair it if needed and return it to service.

12. How does regular inspection support employee safety?

Safe racking systems prevent accidents and ensure a safer working environment, which boosts employee morale and reduces the risk of injury.

13. Do my staff need to be trained in racking safety?

Yes, training staff in the fundamentals around working with racking is critical to reducing the overall cost of owning and managing racking. Well trained staff can reduce the overall cost of racking ownership as well as improving safety.

14. Can anyone repair racking?

No. Repairers need to be able to demonstrate that they are competent in not only repairs but also that they are competent on the specific racking system.

15. Should I buy racking from eBay?

No. Buying any racking that does not have testing data can lead to noncompliance of the racking system or ultimately racking failure.

16. Should I use a dedicated Racking Inspector to complete an annual inspection or is it OK to use the racking supplier to complete this task?

IRIA have no allegiance to any brand and are not part of a racking sales team. An independent inspection will provide a subjective report that defines exactly what is required as opposed to a potential “upsell” from a racking company representative.

Pallet racking safety

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Racking collapses can be caused by a number of different things. Inadequate training of staff, previous damage and unrepaired damage, missing parts, for example, base plates, safety clips, or twisted base plates.

It is not only loss of life that results from racking collapses, other side effects include, the inability to service your clients, therefore loss of turnover, the costs involved in the replacement of collapsed racking and damaged to your stock and the potential legal action by workers if there was to be a work place accident.

Organising for your racking to be inspected by an independent racking inspection company ensures the most economical means of maintaining your racking as they can inspect all brands of racking independently with no selling precedence, this is especially important if you have multiple brands on your site and want an independent unbiased inspection.

To have your racking inspected, click here to get a quote or contact IRIA

Steel racking Safety

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The very real risk of fatal workplace accidents is a concern for all managers and employees; therefore, these risks need to be addressed through controls such as safety awareness and training.

It has been identified that most racking failures are a direct result of unqualified people changing racking, bumping into racking with forklifts or not fixing potentially fatal racking hazards.

It is important that all workplaces have regular safety inspections, and all repairs are attended to in order to ensure the safety of workers. By having six to twelve monthly workplace safety inspections such as a racking safety inspection, this is one way to help reduce workplace fatalities.

Utilising state of the art processes and technology IRIA provides regular, unbiased, fully documented racking inspections and audits. IRIA can implement a racking safety inspection regime that will ensure your compliance with the appropriate standards.

 

Steel Storage Racking Inspections

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With one of the most functional infrastructure elements in warehouses being Steel Storage Racking, a silently ignored risk could easily become a loud collapse with implications of industry manslaughter.

It is frightening to think that one slight alteration in racking from an unqualified person can have disastrous consequences to the stability of the racking and potentially the lives of people who work in that warehouse.

Independent Racking Inspections and Audits (IRIA) is an independent racking inspection company that conducts independent racking inspections in your workplace, to reduce the risk associated with the safe management of your steel pallet racking. We also offer training so your employees will know what to look for and raise concerns of a potential risks and eliminate them before they become a major incident.

Most common questions asked regarding racking

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How often should I get my racking inspected?

There are numerous global standards relating to racking, however they all recommend racking be inspected at least once a year.

Why should I get my racking inspected?

Poorly maintained racking can collapse and kill people. However it is not only loss of life that results from racking collapses. Other side effects include:

  • Inability to service your clients
  • Potential legal action by workers, the public and your clients
  • Costs involved in replacement of collapsed racking and the loss of business

Why should I get my racking inspected by IRIA and not the manufacturer?

Getting your racking inspected by an independent company such as IRIA ensures the most economical means of maintaining your racking.

IRIA will inspect all brands of racking, this is especially important if you have multiple brands  on your site. In general manufacturers will only inspect their own brand.

IRIA has no interest in selling you racking and therefore we will not recommend repairs that are not necessary. In general the inspectors for the racking manufacturers are also their sales people.

How do I arrange a racking inspection?

Contact our office either via email or phone & speak to our friendly staff. They will have a brief chat to you about your requirements and gather some information on the number of sites you would like inspected and their size (usually by the number of bays of racking). They will then provide you with a quote and a proposed inspection date.

What happens on the day of the inspection?

On the day of the inspection our inspector will arrive and upon induction to your site they are able to work independently for the duration of the inspection. At the completion of the inspection they will go through their findings with you and answer any questions.

When will I receive my report?

Your Inspection Report will, in general, be emailed to you within 24 hours of completion of the inspection. There are some circumstances where this may be up to 48 hours.

Can I inspect the racking myself?

Staff on site should be completing a regular visual check of the racking and reporting any damage to the relative person. However a thorough inspection by a qualified inspector should be completed at least annually.

Why do I need Safe Work Load Charts?

Safe Work Load Charts are necessary to instruct your MHE (Materials Handling Equipment) drivers on the acceptable loads for each beam within your facility. They also provide information on correctly placing loads on beams. They are an aide to avoiding the overloading of beams and placing too much strain on the racking system overall.

How much will it cost to get my racking inspected?

It depends on the size and location of your facility. Email us for a quote.

How do I manage the repair process?

With our iRAT  management tool you can manage your inspection & repair process online. Once your chosen repairer has completed any repairs you can tick them off your online report. At your next scheduled inspection, our inspector will check that the repairs have been done and certify them as complete.

How do I make sure all of my sites are compliant with their racking?

With our iRAT system you can view inspection reports for all of your sites. You can choose to receive a weekly email from us to advise which repairs remain outstanding and you have access to multiple reports including which sites have the most damage,  how are the repairs tracking, how long are they taking to get done etc.

You can elect to have multiple people receiving reports, alert emails etc.

Do I need to get my shelving inspected?

Shelving should be inspected in line with steel storage racking. There are a number of potential differences that need to be considered including the floor fixings, shelving materials and stability.

What happens if my staff have been adjusting my racking?

The adjustment of racking including beam levels can in some instances impact upon the load carrying capacity of a racking system. If you are not sure contact IRIA for advice.

Source:   www.iria.com.au