A SEIRS installer is a racking installer registered under SEMA's Storage Equipment Installers Registration Scheme, which has trained installers in correct installation methods since 2001. HSE guidance says racking should only be installed by competent people following the manufacturer's instructions, and in the UK a SEIRS card is the recognised way for an installer to show that competence.

Installation is where a good design either becomes a safe structure or picks up hidden faults. This guide explains what SEIRS covers, how the cards work, why the quality of installation matters so much, and the checks to make before an installation team starts on your site.

What is SEIRS?

SEIRS is run by SEMA, the Storage Equipment Manufacturers' Association, to raise safety standards for pallet racking installers. SEMA describes it as a safety passport for the industry, made up of three parts: an installation code of practice, training courses, and an ID card and registration system (SEMA, What is SEIRS). The scheme is referred to in HSE's warehousing guidance, HSG76 (SEMA, guide to storage equipment installations).

All five SEIRS courses are approved by RoSPA. The two core courses lead to a card, and the higher courses are for people who run installation teams.

SEIRS course	What it covers	Outcome
Foundation (Part 1)	Introduction to installation, general and industry-specific health and safety	Trainee card, valid 6 months
Diploma (Part 2)	Assessed classroom theory and a practical element	Full SEIRS card, valid 5 years
Refresher	Current regulations and health and safety knowledge	Card renewed before it expires
Supervisor	Higher course for installation supervisors	Supervisor-level training
Installation Manager	Higher course for installation managers	Manager-level training

Course details as described by SEMA (SEMA, What is SEIRS).

How SEIRS cards work

An installer starts with the Foundation course and receives a trainee card. That card is valid for six months, giving time to build skills on site under supervision. The full card is awarded only after the assessed Diploma course is passed, and it lasts five years. Installers must attend a refresher course before the full card expires (SEMA, What is SEIRS).

SEIRS is also a CSCS partner card scheme. For racking, SEMA states that the only way to get the correct CSCS card is through SEIRS training, and installers must pass the appropriate CITB Health, Safety and Environment test before attending the course. Holding a CSCS card is not a legal requirement, but card validity can be checked through the CSCS Smart Check service by app, website or API (SEMA, SEIRS CSCS).

Why does installation quality matter so much?

Racking is a slender steel structure that relies on every part being where the designer put it. SEMA notes that even the smallest deviation from the design intent can affect the structural integrity of the system, and that most installers still learn on the job (SEMA, guide to storage equipment installations). The faults that matter are often small: a missing beam lock, a frame out of plumb, an anchor that never reached torque, a shim stack taller than allowed, or beams moved to a level the load table does not cover.

These faults are hard to see once the racking is full, and they reduce the margin the design relies on. That is why the installation sequence, checks and records described in our guide to how pallet racking is installed are worth insisting on. Anchoring is a common weak point, and our guide to anchoring pallet racking explains what a correct fixing looks like.

Changes after installation count too

The same competence is needed whenever racking is altered. Moving beam levels, adding a level, relocating runs or reusing racking from another site all change how the structure carries load. Each change should be checked against the load tables by the designer, carried out by trained installers and followed by updated load notices. A typical risky change is made with good intentions: a beam lifted a few holes to clear a taller pallet, without anyone checking what the larger gap between beam levels does to the frame capacity. Frame capacity depends on the distance between beam levels, so a small move can lower the safe load for the whole bay.

The wider risk during installation and testing

The installation phase itself carries risk. In February 2026 two companies were fined after racking collapsed during load testing at an industrial estate in West Yorkshire in 2020. Two men on a mobile elevating work platform beside the racking were killed. HSE found the planned and implemented systems of work were unsafe, with workers in the racking's collapse zone during testing, and its inspector called it a wholly avoidable incident (HSE, press release, 11 February 2026).

The case was brought under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. HSE can also use HSG76 and SEMA codes as a basis for enforcement, even though they are guidance rather than law (Warehouse and Logistics News, March 2026). The lesson for buyers is simple: the people building your racking need the training and supervision to plan the work safely, not only to bolt parts together.

How to check an installer before work starts

A few questions before the order is placed save problems on site:

• Cards: ask for the SEIRS card of every installer, and check them through CSCS Smart Check or by contacting SEMA. Trainees should be working under a full card holder.
• Supervision: ask who will supervise on site and whether they hold supervisor-level SEIRS training.
• Paperwork: ask for a risk assessment and method statement specific to your site, covering segregation from live operations and work at height.
• System knowledge: confirm the team will work from the manufacturer's drawing and instructions for the system being installed, not from habit.
• Handover: agree what records you will receive, including a completion record and confirmation that load notices are fitted.
• Insurance: check public and employer's liability cover for the work.

After handover, the racking moves into your inspection regime. Our guide to SEMA racking inspection explains who inspects, how often and why.

SEIRS installers and rack inspectors do different jobs

SEIRS covers the people who build racking. Inspection is a separate discipline. SEMA runs a separate scheme for SEMA Approved Rack Inspectors, who carry out the expert inspection that SEMA describes as yearly or twice yearly depending on the risk assessment, while day-to-day checks fall to your own Person Responsible for Racking Safety (SEMA, guide to pallet racking inspections). One of the stated purposes of inspection is to verify correct installation, so a good installation team should expect its work to be checked. It is sensible to book the first expert inspection soon after handover, so any snags are caught while the installer's records are fresh.

How SteelAisle works with installers

We are the factory, not the installer. We design and make the racking, then installation in the UK is carried out by your own installer or a SEIRS-carded installer we introduce. Whoever installs, we supply what a competent team needs to build the design as drawn:

• a layout drawing with frame heights, beam levels and aisle widths;
• load tables for each beam and frame configuration;
• installation instructions for our uprights, beams, locks and anchors;
• bundles and cartons labelled to match the packing list and drawing.

Test reports for our components are available on request. You can read more about the process on our how we work page, and see the system itself on the adjustable pallet racking page.

Frequently asked questions

Is a SEIRS card a legal requirement for racking installers?

No. SEMA confirms a CSCS card is not a legal requirement, but HSE guidance expects racking to be installed by competent people, and SEIRS is the recognised UK route to show that.

Can an installer with a trainee card work on our racking?

Yes, under supervision. The trainee card lasts six months so new installers can build skills on site alongside qualified colleagues before taking the Diploma.

How do I check whether a SEIRS card is valid?

Use the CSCS Smart Check service, which works by app, website or API, or contact SEMA directly with the card details.

Do you send your own installers from China?

No. Installation is done in the UK by your installer or a SEIRS-carded installer we introduce, working from our drawings and instructions.

Sources

• SEMA: What is SEIRS
• SEMA: SEIRS CSCS
• SEMA: Guide to storage equipment installations
• SEMA: Guide to pallet racking inspections
• HSE: HSG76 Warehousing and storage, a guide to health and safety
• HSE: Two firms fined after racking collapse killed two workers
• Warehouse and Logistics News: Do you know your racking regulations?