What is a PRRS?

A PRRS is a ‘Person Responsible for Racking Safety’. It is a position designated by SEMA and the HSE in HSG76 (HSG 76 The HSE Manual on Warehousing and Storage) to oversee the use, operation and maintenance of your storage racks ensuring that the system remains serviceable and safe. They need to ensure that the racking is correctly installed, operated and maintained in accordance with SEMA guidelines and that the hierarchical approach to inspections is followed:

1. All damage is reported when it happens or as soon as it is seen.

2. Internal inspections are carried out on a weekly basis or some other regular interval based on a risk assessment.

3. ‘Expert’ inspections by a technically competent person are carried out at least once a year. A written report should be submitted to the PRRS detailing damage and action required.

For all this to happen you need to have formal documented systems for reporting damage, defects and any other issues that may affect the safety of the operation, and then a follow up process to ensure the safe and timely offloading of damage according to its severity, and finally that repairs are undertaken as soon as possible.

Employees should receive training, information, and instruction on the safe operation of storage racks with particular attention paid to those parts that affect their safety and the safety of others.  The person responsible for rack safety should help to educate staff on recognising potential risks, the importance of damage reporting as soon as it occurs and to create and promote a culture of safety within the workplace.  Acorn Warehouse Solutions Ltd can supply onsite training to meet this need.

Normally your inspections will be conducted from ground level with the racking loaded, unless problems are detected at higher levels when a more detailed high-level investigation may be necessary.  Alternatively, the level of occupancy may restrict the scope of inspection where damage is detected requiring offloading of the racks to allow a more detailed inspection and in such cases, you may also need to seek professional help.  Automated and high bay systems also require inspection but given their nature and height a more specialised tailored programme can be adopted, and for this you should seek specialist advice.

As such the PRRS can be seen as an administrative role, but it makes sense that they have undergone some basic training to ensure they are aware of the needs and requirements for inspections so book them onto a rack safety and awareness training course where they will find out all about internal inspections and how to conduct them.

Should you require any information on racking standards or inspection, please contact us  Tel: 01799 532024  Email: admin@awsltd.biz