Whatever the size of your premises, it is important that you utilize all the space available to you if your business is going to prosper. In the current economic climate, it is far less of a risk to invest in improvements to your current premises than it is to purchase an entirely new one. One great way is to get the most out of unused space is by installing shelving units.
Longspan shelving
Longspan shelving systems allow for easy adjustment of your storage facilities, as and when your needs and requirements change. They are quick to assemble and require no special tools to operate. A low cost option, they are particularly easy to adjust, so if you think you may need to change the way your shelving is set up at any time in the future, then they are a great, practical solution.
Carton flow
Especially helpful in warehouse and manufacturing environments, carton flow is a prime example of how shelving solutions can help your business grow. High quality roller tracks can be installed which allow operators to hand-load items and then stand back as they are delivered to other operators at the end of the track, significantly increasing your businesses productivity.
Office shelving
If used correctly, office shelving can help you make the most of your space. Storage units can be used to create walls and partitions and corner units can help you to utilize any unused space. Shelving can be branded to match your company colours and a wide range of accessories are also available to help you maximise your shelving.
Businesses need room to grow and moving to pastures new can often seem like the best solution, however many people overlook areas of their property that are not yet being used to their full potential. By integrating good quality, future proof shelving into your premises, you could save yourself the mental and financial anguish of looking for a new property.
For more information about shelving solutions, please go to http://www.logicalstorage.co.uk/services/shelving-solutions/ or give us a call on 0845 689 1300.
The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 is considered to be a landmark in law. It was introduced to the House of Commons by the then Home Secretary, John Reid, on 20th July 2006, received royal assent on the 26th July 2007 and came into force on the 6th April 2008 and, for the first time, allows for companies and organisations to be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a result of serious management failures resulting in a gross breach of a duty of care.
The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 created a new offence, which is called corporate manslaughter in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and corporate homicide in Scotland.
Before the Act came into force, a corporation could only be convicted of manslaughter if all of the elements of the offence had been committed by a single employee of the company, and even then they had to be so senior within the corporation that they would be seen as “embodying the mind” of the corporation. In practice, this meant that it was incredibly rare for a corporation to be convicted of manslaughter, and it was felt that corporations were escaping responsibility and punishment.
Following the implementation of the act, an offence is committed if the way in which an organisation’s activities are managed or organised causes a person’s death and amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased.
Failure to carry out regular inspections and maintenance of your warehouse pallet racking could potentially lead to the deaths of employees and subsequently to your organisation being found guilty of corporate manslaughter. If you are a company director or responsible for the health and safety of your organisation, give yourself a good night sleep and let us take the headache of inspecting your storage system away. To find out more about our pallet racking inspections, please click here to visit our website.
Chances are that you may have never considered having a mezzanine floor installed for your business because you don’t really know what they can be used for. Here are five key ways to use a mezzanine floor to help your business.
The first is for office and storage space. Many commercial buildings have a large amount of unused space above the main floor. If the only part of the building that is being used is the main floor, then this probably means a large amount of wasted space which has potential to be used. Installing a mezzanine floor can allow you to have offices or storage, meaning you don’t have to move to new, larger premises if you need offices or storage as part of your existing warehouse. It allows your business premises to look professional and gives you somewhere to talk to and meet with clients and customers, and allows managers and supervisors to work at the heart of the business. It also allows an area for shelves, racks and other storage.
Another great use of a mezzanine floor is in retail. A mezzanine floor can be used to almost double the floor space that a store has for displaying and selling their products if they have the overhead space, thus almost doubling the amount of items that a shop can display to sell to their customers without having to move to larger premises. Mezzanine floors in retail give a modern and attractive look to your store. In retail, a mezzanine floor can also be used behind the scenes to provide office space or additional storage.
Mezzanine floors are increasingly used in production and manufacturing. They are ideal for supporting assembly and production lines, and can support machinery and racking.
They can also be ideal for supporting automation systems. They are perfect for supporting conveyor systems and machinery that transports products around the building for storing, managing and dispatching products.
Finally, a mezzanine floor in a warehouse is a great way to avoid moving to larger premises and the inevitable disruption that it causes. It can create up to double the amount of storage space in a warehouse, and is strong enough to support racking, shelving, heavy loads and all other storage equipment expected in a warehouse. The height of warehouses means that they are ideal for mezzanine floors, as above the warehouse floor is often wasted space, and some warehouses can accommodate more than one level of mezzanine floors – perhaps two or even three tiers.
To learn more about how Logical Storage could help your company with a mezzanine floor, click here or call us on 0845 689 1300 for a tailored proposal.
For many businesses, space is incredibly valuable. Many of us need more of it, yet we don’t want to take the step of moving to bigger premises in times of economic uncertainty. Therefore, the logical alternative is to utilise the space we already have in the best way possible. Logical Storage can help with this in a number of ways.
One major option would be for us to design and install a mezzanine floor in your warehouse or building, if you have the space for it. This option can double your floor space, allowing you to use the wasted space in your building for offices, storage, retail, production or other uses.
Alternatively, we can look at the type of racking you are using for storage, and assess whether there is a type of racking that is more suited to your needs that you might not know about. You may find that your racking could go higher, or the space between it could be narrower, thus allowing you more storage space. There is a wide range of different types of racking available, such as wide aisle racking, very narrow aisle racking, drive-in racking, cantilever racking and dynamic push back racking. As well as racking, we also have a wide range of shelving.
You might also be losing storage space because the racking that you do have is damaged and not in a fit state to be used. We can make sure that your racking is functioning at optimum efficiency, carry out repairs to damaged racking to ensure it is fit for purpose, and can conduct Preventative Maintenance to make sure that you can continue to use all of the storage space you have available to you.
Out of the warehouse, you may feel that you need more office space, perhaps on your new mezzanine floor. We have experienced space planners that can help you to get the very best out of your office design, with a wide range of partitions.
So, there are lots of different methods that we can employ to make sure you’re using the space you currently have to maximum efficiency. To discuss these options further, please give us a call on 0845 689 1300.
…FOR QUALITY, EFFICIENCY AND SAFETY
THE IDEAL STORAGE SOLUTION FOR OVERHEAD CRANE OPERATIONS
We are always looking for new and innovative solutions for the storage of long products, to maximise capacity and improve operational efficiencies within the modern warehouse environment. With space availability at a premium in many cases, the requirements to provide a safe, reliable, cost effective solution is on the increase.
Our Telescopic Cantilever Racking provides one such solution, the easily extendable and retractable design allows for product to be stored neatly within the confines of the racking, yet remain readily accessible for loading and unloading by means of an overhead crane, without the requirement for any fork truck movements.
- Load / Unload via overhead crane.
- Storage capacity up to 4000kgs per compartment.
- Product lengths up 7.5 meters.
- Removes the need for fork truck operations.
- Optimises your floor space and enhances your stock management.
Every organisation, large or small, is constantly looking for ways to gain an edge over the competition… reducing costs, reducing stock damage, increasing capacity and improving efficiency. We can help you achieve these goals and so much more with our racking systems. Our huge experience and knowledge of the industry is essential, taking into account all relevant conditions and factors to ensure you get the optimum installation.Stock is immediately accessible – reducing handling, easing stock rotation and improving turnaround.
Efficiency is increased throughout the organisation, cost are reduced and productivity increased.
ALSO AVAILABLE IN
OUR PRODUCT RANGE
- Bolted Cantilever Racking
- Quick-Loc Cantilever Racking
- Vertical Racking
- Canopies
- Curtain-Fronted Racks
- Fully Clad Rack-Buildings
- Guide-Rail Systems
- Pallets & Stillages
- Mezzanine Floors
- Staircases & Access Platforms
- Pallet Gates
Watch a video demonstrating telescopic cantilever racking
Being an owner managed organisation allows us to be extremely flexible in our approach to working with customers.
The project was particularly interesting, as we needed to ensure the operation remained unaffected by the racking installation and at the same time, execute a phased handover programme.
The first milestone in the programme required us to handover 2000 pallet spaces in just 5 days, which I am pleased to say we achieved with our S.E.I.R.S. approved installation teams. The installation comprises of a 600m2 anti collapse mesh screen, rack upright protection, mesh panel decking, labelling and steel partitioning, all of which needed to be co-ordinated into the programme to ensure the deadlines were achieved.
For further information, please visit www.logicalstorage.co.uk or telephone 0845 689 1300.
In this post we are continuing our look at the various pieces of legislation and regulations that affect health and safety in the workplace. Today, we are looking at the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. These regulations are often abbreviated to PUWER.
PUWER 1998 assesses and aims to prevent risk of injury to workers from any equipment they use. It places responsibilities on employers and businesses which own or use equipment for work, or whose employees use equipment, even if it is not owned by them. The regulations therefore cover any equipment which is used by an employee at work, but not equipment which is used by the public.
The regulations demand that all employers must ensure that their equipment is suitable for its purpose, in good working order, safe to use, maintained correctly, inspected regularly, accompanied by appropriate health and safety measures to ensure that it is not a risk to health and safety, and that it is only used by people who have received the necessary training and information. Machinery must have a maintenance log which is kept up to date.
Equipment includes machinery and tools, and covers just about anything used by an employee for working, including equipment that the employees provide themselves. Employers have a responsibility to make sure that employees’ equipment complies with PUWER. PUWER applies to any workplace where the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 – this includes shops, offices, factories, warehouses, hospitals, construction sites etc.
Warehouse racking, along with all other forms of storage equipment, is considered as work equipment, and therefore must comply with PUWER. If your equipment does not meet the standards set out in PUWER then you are potentially risking the lives of your employees, and exposing yourself and your company to prosecution.
The easiest way to ensure that you comply with PUWER is to get a Logical Rack Inspection. We give impartial advice as we do not work directly with original equipment manufacturers, we provide a comprehensive report, and we are highly experienced in the industry. Please give us a call on 0845 689 1300 to discuss one off, annual, bi-annual or quarterly rack inspections for your facilities.
Our previous post looked indepth at the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act of 1974. This post is going to continue our series looking at key pieces of legislation regarding health and safety of employees in the workplace and why it is essential to have regular racking inspections by considering the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations were first introduced in 1992 by the Major government, and became law in 1993. The regulations built on what was already laid out in the Health and Safety at Work Act.
They were amended in 1994, twice in 1997 and in 1999 by the Blair government. The 1994 amendments related to new and expectant mothers, and the two 1997 amendments related to young persons and fire precautions.
The most notable feature of the regulations is the requirement to carry out a risk assessment, and if the employer has five or more employees, they need to record the significant findings of the risk assessment.
Following the carrying out of the risk assessment, employers must arrange to implement the measures identified as necessary in the risk assessment, regularly monitor and review these arrangements, appoint appropriate people to help implement them, create procedures in case of an emergency and inform employees of these, provide training, information and supervision to employees, insure that employees are aware of their duties regarding training and informing managers of any hazards they are aware of, share information with any other employers in the same workplace, and consider risks in particular to new mothers and mothers to be.
In order to ensure the health and safety of your employees and to prevent against risk, it is incredibly important that you have a regular rack inspection in your warehouse. To discuss how Logical Storage can help you with this, please call us on 0845 689 1300.
In our previous blog post, we gave an overview of some of the most crucial pieces of legislation when it comes to health and safety of employees in the workplace, and why it is essential to have regular racking inspections. We are now going to look at some of the pieces of legislation in a bit more depth, starting with the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974.
The Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 is often abbreviated to HSW Act, HSWA 1974, HASAWA or HSWA. It is an Act of the UK Parliament, first introduced by Harold Wilson’s government in 1974 after four years of political wrangling as the UK went from a Labour government to a Conservative one and back to Labour. It is the primary piece of government legislation concerning health, safety and welfare regulation, encouragement and enforcement in the workplace in Great Britain. The Act sets out key principles for occupational health and safety, and brought existing legislation regarding health and safety, which was complicated and confusing, into one easier to understand act. The Act also allows the UK to comply with EU laws regarding health and safety.
The Act has 10 different sections. Section 1 sets out the aims of the act. This includes securing the health, safety and welfare of people at work as well as protecting other people from the risks to health and safety caused by the activities of the people at work.
Section 2, which is our main focus, sets out the duties of employers towards their employees, stating that” It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his/her employees”. It also states that the employer must have a safety policy and must make employees aware of it.
Section 3 lays out the duties of employers towards people other than employees, such as clients, visitors, contractors and the general public. Employers must be able to ensure their safety as far as reasonably practicable.
Section 10 created two bodies, the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive. They were merged in 2008 to create the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who have responsibility for enforcing the act along with local authorities. Breaches of the act can ultimately lead to unlimited fines and imprisonment for up to two years. To read more about the act, click here.
If you have pallet racking in your warehouse, it is therefore essential to have a regular racking inspection carried out to ensure that you as employer fulfil your legal obligations under this act. To learn more about a Logical Storage rack inspection, click here, or contact us on 0845 689 1300 to discuss your needs.
Racking inspections are required to ensure that organisations meet their health and safety requirements and that they provide a safe environment for their employees. What is required of a UK organisation when it comes to health and safety is laid out in multiple pieces of legislation, with the key ones profiled below.
The basis of British health and safety law is the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974. Section 2 of this act states that “It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his/her employees”. This includes maintaining the workplace and equipment so that it is practical, safe and without risks to health, and ensuring that articles and substances can be used, handled, stored and transported safely.
This was built upon by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, a key feature of which was to require employers to carry out risk assessments, regularly review them, take appropriate steps to improve safety if it can be improved, and familiarise themselves with potential hazards.
The Provision and use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 covers any piece of equipment which is used by an employee at work. This includes racking. It requires that equipment is suitable for use, maintained so that it is safe and that people’s health and safety is not put at risk, and inspected to ensure that it continues to be safe to use.
However, until 2008, a corporation could only be found guilty of manslaughter if every part of the offence had been carried out by one senior person within the corporation who was seen as embodying the mind of that organisation. This meant that corporations rarely were convicted or punished for manslaughter. The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill, introduced in the House of Commons by the then Home Secretary Dr. John Reid in July 2006, changed that. It received royal assent a year later in July 2007 and came into force in April 2008. It created a new offence which is called corporate manslaughter in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and corporate homicide in Scotland.
Under the act, if the way an organisation’s activities are managed or organised leads to a person’s death and was a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased, then an indictable offence has been committed. A gross breach is a breach of a duty of care by an organisation that falls far below what should reasonably be expected of an organisation. If a company fails to meet what is required of it in the above legislation and this leads to a death, then it can expect to be prosecuted under this act.
Logical Storage are an independent company that provide impartial advice. Our surveyors will provide a comprehensive report detailing any damaged or missing parts of racking or structural imperfections. Our team are highly experienced and will provide a summary of your operational facility and make recommendations regarding working practices, mechanical equipment, floor marking, signage, lighting and layout if required. Inspections can be annual, bi-annual, or quarterly. Please call us on 0845 689 1300 for a tailored proposal.
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