Advocating for the widespread adoption of Rack Collapse Prevention (RCP) Safety Systems represents a significant step toward sustainable accident prevention in UK warehouses and storage sectors. This approach aligns closely with national initiatives – most notably the recent focus in the Lords Grand Committee and ROSPA’s ‘Safer Lives, Prevention Strategy’ – which stress that workplace injuries are, in most cases, preventable rather than accidental.
Background: National Focus on Accident Prevention
At the Lords Grand Committee (17th July 2025), initiatives to create a national accident prevention strategy were highlighted, resonating with the principles outlined in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) report, Safer Lives, Prevention Strategy.
A central theme was that injuries in workplaces are often not mere accidents – they are preventable incidents, commonly resulting from lack of attention and fragmented safety cultures.
Historical evidence, such as the transformative impact of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, underscores that proactive health and safety interventions dramatically reduce workplace fatalities and injuries.
Key Statistical Information on Racking Collapse
Overview
Rack collapse in warehouses and distribution centres remains a major threat and is one of the most dreaded scenarios which can cause serious injuries, fatalities, financial losses, and create major operational disruptions.
Core Statistics
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that rack collapse is a major cause of warehouse accidents in the US and estimates the annual cost of these incidents at $36 billion.
- UK-specific estimate: up to £1.5billion annually, including direct and indirect losses.
Contributory Factors
- Overloading, improper installation, poor maintenance, and human error are principal causes – all of which are preventable through safety systems.
- Approximately 90% of pallet rack failures can be attributed to forklift impacts, highlighting the importance of operator training and protection devices.
Impact
- Rack collapse is among the top ten causes of warehouse accidents and leads to serious injuries or fatalities.
- Racking and storage system failures account for approximately 1,300 serious injuries in UK warehouses annually, making collapses one of the most catastrophic warehouse events.
Government Statistics Around UK Workplace Accidents, Drawing on Health And Safety Executive (HSE) Data
Below are references and official statistics from the UK Government and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on workplace accidents and health outcomes across all sectors, with a focus on transportation and storage (including warehouses):
- The estimated cost of injuries and ill health from current working conditions reached £21.6 billion in 2022/23.
- 33.7 million working days were lost due to work-related illness and injury in 2023/24, demonstrating the significant impact on productivity.
- 11 fatal injuries occurred in transportation and storage (which includes warehouses) in 2023/2024.
- An estimated 38,000 workers in transportation and storage (which includes warehouses) sustained non-fatal injuries over a three-year period, representing 2.4% of workers in the sector – a rise from the previous period’s 1.9%.
- 2.2 million working days were lost each year to injury and illness in transportation and storage (which includes warehouses), up from 2 million in the previous period, with an estimated industry cost of £1.3 billion annually.
- The long-term data shows a sustained decrease in workplace fatality rates since the 1970s, but non-fatal injury rates have remained broadly stable in recent years.
The Case for RCP Racking Safety Systems within ROSPA’s Mission
1. Directly Addresses Core Causes of Racking Accidents
- RCP systems identify specific risks before they materialise, offering early warning and preventing escalation.
- Unlike generic barriers or protectors, RCP’s technologies are designed to both halt an imminent collapse and mitigate collateral risks, such as the domino effect where one collapse leads to multiple failures.
2. Alignment with Established and Evolving Good Practice
- They complement established safety measures (e.g., racking guards, upright protectors, SEMA’s guidelines) but provide a step-change in innovation through smart, responsive interventions.
- By acting proactively, RCP’s approach mirrors major safety revolutions e.g. making seat belts mandatory and sets a new baseline for risk prevention.
3. Sustainable, Systemic Benefits
- Reduces harm and saves lives: Prevents injuries not just by containing risk, but by eliminating root causes before harm can occur.
- Protects business continuity: Minimises operational disruption, property loss, and potential for workforce injury claims.
- Protects public resources: Reducing racking accidents translates to fewer NHS interventions, supporting long-term government health strategies.
4. Supports a Joined-up, Mission-led Safety Culture
- Embedding RCP systems is an example of strategic leadership in safety: adopting new developments as routine best practice, not optional add-ons.
- Facilitates an inclusive and coherent approach to safety, bridging gaps often seen between policy, practice, and technology adoption.
5. Sustainable by Design
- RCP’s research-driven approach creates lasting cultural change – once installed, such systems quietly, continuously prevent accidents without significant ongoing resource drain.
- These systems can adapt alongside warehouse automation trends (e.g., driverless vehicles, robotics), ensuring future-proof safety solutions.
Summary Table: How RCP Systems Meet Key Safety Objectives
| Prevention Objective: | RCP System Contribution: |
| Address root cause of racking accidents | Advanced detection and collapse prevention |
| Sustainable impact on harm reduction | Ongoing, low-maintenance safety enhancement |
| Alignment with national safety goals | Directly reduces NHS burden, supports prevention |
| Adaptable to evolving workplace technologies | Integrates with robotics, automation, and new norms |
| Supports a unified safety culture | Fosters leadership, inclusivity, proactivity |
Conclusion
RCP racking safety systems embody a sustainable and direct approach to warehouse safety, precisely the kind of innovation ROSPA seeks to champion.
Incorporating these systems into national best practice and formal guidance is not only justified by their technical merits but also responds to the urgent call for preventing the preventable, a mission at the heart of modern accident prevention policy.
Supporting Safe Investments: Finance Agreements Available
Understanding the financial realities that many organisations face when implementing improved safety measures, RCP offers tailored finance agreements. These agreements are designed to help businesses manage the upfront costs of installing racking safety systems, making it possible to deliver a safer working environment immediately while spreading payments over time, effectively allowing you to ‘deliver a safety today by paying tomorrow’.
Key Benefits
- Immediate Installation: Deploy critical safety systems without delaying due to budget constraints.
- Manageable Payments: Spread costs over flexible terms to align with operational cash flow.
- Sustained Compliance: Meet or exceed evolving safety regulations and best practice without large one-off expenditures.
- Futureproofing: Invest in long-term warehouse safety infrastructure with minimal upfront barriers.
By removing financial obstacles, RCP ensures organisations can prioritise safety and prevention without compromise.
Note: This review specifically addresses the concerns raised during the Lords Grand Committee debate held on 17 July 2025.
We believe that RCP racking safety systems offer a sustainable, effective approach fully aligned with ROSPA’s mission and the Government’s vision for accident prevention. We respectfully request that RCP’s innovations are considered for inclusion in national good practice guidance, making them central to the ongoing development of safer business standards in warehousing and storage.
