SEMA Insights
The newsletter for SEMA Members
Issue 9 | December 2025
President's Welcome
It’s December already… and the countdown to Christmas chaos has officially begun!
We know you’re all racing through the seasonal rush, ticking off to-do lists (and gift lists!) before the big day, so we’ll keep this one short and sweet.
In this article, we’ll give you a run-through of the key topics discussed at our Member Conference, before wrapping up with a quick look at our brand-new training course, along with media highlights from the year.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy, prosperous New Year!
SEMA Members Conference
We had another great day at our annual SEMA Members’ Conference at Worsley Park Country Club.
Missed the day? Here’s a recap of all the presentations:
Technical Update
After an introduction from SEMA’s Chairman Nick Betteley, Alan Worrell, SEMA Technical Committee Chair, started the presentations by running through updates to the technical bulletins. There are a couple of new technical bulletins potentially on the way. SEMA don’t currently have any technical bulletins covering Mezzanines so the committee are currently developing TB13 which will be in line with BRE 437. TB14 has recently been agreed and will reflect manufacturer’s views on these products.
Alan and Mike then updated the room on FEM/CEN activities. FEM 10.2.06-2, which covers high use, multi-tier and low rise shelving has been in discussion for a few years. The changes will mean lots of testing and complex design rules. FEM 10.2.21 has recently been completed which is targeted at mezzanine systems and includes complex design requirements and testing. A vote has already gone through to revise EN15635 and Great Britain and SEMA have put their name forward to work on this proposal.
SEIRS
Chris Humphrey’s, SEIRS Management Committee Chair, updated the room on current training numbers and qualified installers. The number of installers applying to attend the Foundation course is dropping and next year SEMA will look to push the importance of safety within the warehouse by using SEIRS installers. The good news is that more warehouse owners and managers are actively asking if their installation crews are SEIRS qualified – the message is getting out there!!
Professional Indemnity
Joseph Cullen from Griffiths & Armour spoke to SEMA about the importance of having the right insurance in place and the costs involved when you don’t. The message really got through when Joseph started to show a fictitious example of a SARI performing a racking inspection but the client doesn’t undertake the repair work. The insurers will then start to explore who is responsible and who should pay the costs. The figures were certainly eye-opening, and we will be working with Griffiths & Armour next year to show the implications for warehouse owners not taking the correct steps.
Harnesses in vertical type MEWPs and IPAF membership
The last presentation before lunch was by Brian Parker from IPAF. Did you know that last year along there were approximately 24 fatalities in the powered access industry. It’s an incident which can change the lives of everyone close to that person. Brian’s presentation ran through a real life example of how a serious accident can happen and the simple steps everyone can take to stay safe when working in scissor lifts. Next year, we’re hoping to run some joint campaigns with IPAF and together boost the safety within our UK warehouses.
After lunch, there was a SEMA quiz!
It was a great way to wake up the room and get everyone ready for the afternoon session.
Well done Evie for organising!
CSCS
Matthew Rogerson from CSCS ran us through the different types of CSCS cards.
SARI Update
Owain Burke, SEMA Council SARI Representative, updated the room on SARI activity in 2025.
SEMA Marketing & PR
Becky Green from Aura PR provided a full update on SEMA’s marketing and PR activities in 2025. This year has seen a strong focus on content, covering topics such as Warehouse Owner Responsibilities, inspections, SEMA Members, load notices, HSG76, and much more across all our platforms.
All of this sits alongside ongoing campaigns, including the Stay Racking Safe campaign, our second-hand racking initiative, updates to our training courses, and the launch of our new training facility.
It has also been a full year since the launch of the new SEMA website, which has seen significant views and engagement, particularly on the homepage, the warehouse racking inspection page, and the What is SEIRS page. They’ve also worked on boosting our online visibility through targeted SEO, making it easier for even more of our audience to find and engage with our content.
Media Roundup
PBM - Dec 25
We cover the legal requirements that warehouse owners need to know to keep their business running efficiently and profitably.
Warehouse & Logistics News - 15th October 2025
In this article, we cover everything you need to know about pallet racking inspections.
Logistics Matters - Annual Guide
We look into how SEMA supports warehouse owners and managers and safely navigates the industry.
Warehouse & Logistics News - Annual Guide
President Nick Betteley explains how SEMA and its members can help to navigate the challenges of equipment.
Warehouse & Logistics News - 1st Nov 2025
We outline inspection by a SARI are important and how you can check their credentials with our new SEMA Verification Tool
New Training Course
We always set a high benchmark for the racking industry and the same goes with our racking inspectors. SARIs can demonstrate they work to our high standards by passing a rigorous training and assessment programme.
Now we are raising the bar even higher and next year we are launching our new two-part training course. The course will now be an intensive four-day programme with both a written and a practical assessment.
Part 1
This first part of the course instructs on the assembly of adjustably pallet racking and function of components, forklift truck operation (loading and unloading), structural awareness and the design and configuration of the racking.
Part 2
This part builds on the course. Delegates will begin the course by completing a critique of a defective report before looking at risk assessment, factors that influence the warehouse environment and the methodology for recording rack damage and liaising with the client. To earn their SARI qualification, the delegate must pass both written exams and a practical assessment.
To check inspectors maintain these standards, they must also undertake Continuing Professional Development and attend a refresher course every five years. Interested in taking the course, find out all the details SEMA Approved Racking Inspection Course.
Did You Know??
Are you getting new racking installed at your site? Do you only want SEIRS trained installers doing the work? Did you know that you can now check they are qualified and hold an in-date card by heading to the SEMA website and verifying their qualification?
Head to the SEMA ID CARD Verification site, enter their first and last name and their SEIRS ID card number and click ‘Verify’.
As simple as that!
Watch This Space!
Next year SEMA will launch their new Duty Holders Course.
Aimed at warehouse owners and managers, this 2-hour online course will cover racking legal responsibilities, including record keeping, director’s liabilities and what happens when things go wrong.
More details to follow in our next newsletter.
