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SafestackingandStorage PDF
SafestackingandStorage PDF
Safe
Stacking
and
Storage
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ISBN 0-477-03449-7
Contents
Platform truck
Hand truck
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There are basically six reasons being used in the wrong place by the
for a racking system failure, either wrong people.
acting singly or in combination:
(a) Design fault i.e. rack is inher- ENVIRONMENT
ently unsafe; The essential need is to
(b) Installation fault; incorporate environmental
(c) Materials handling equipment considerations such as heating,
fault; lighting and ventilation into the
(d) Materials handling equipment overall work system.
operator fault;
CODE OF PRACTICE
(e) Supervision and control fault;
and Not all recommendations for
(f) Store or warehouse structural safe stacking and storage in this
fault. booklet may be relevant to your
workplace. And, there may be
special conditions or requirements
in your workplace that this booklet
EQUIPMENT does not cover in detail. It is
Because of the bewildering recommended that companies
range of equipment available in an prepare their own in-house code of
increasingly competitive market, it practice for stacking and storage,
is better to simplify the reasons for taking into account the particular
failure. Basically, accidents occur materials handling and storage
because of the wrong equipment systems in use.
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Positioning of Stacks
S tacks should not be built within
450 mm of a wall. Most building
and party walls are not retaining
Stacks should not be created
where any part will be within 1.5 m
of a rail track. This clearance should
walls and may not withstand the be continued all the way along the
pressure set up by stacks laid against stack.
them. A 450 mm gap between the Extra care should be taken if
stack and the wall also enables the the storage area is subject to
construction and the condition of vibration from rail or road traffic,
stacks to be checked. outside or inside the premises.
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opposite sides, the other two sides course should be strong enough to
being vertical. bear the superimposed load.
Lean-to—Pyramid or Untidy stacks offend the eye
stepped on one side and vertical on and are rarely safe by construction,
the other three sides. (Note the term since it is usually bad methods of
does not mean that the stack actually construction that cause the
leans against a support.) untidiness.
It is important to remember If a stack appears to be
that the aggregate weight of the stack unstable, it should be immediately
is borne by the lowest tier, which, of broken down and rebuilt properly.
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Stacking bagged
goods
CARTONS BALES
Careful consideration should Bales should be stacked with
be given to the weight of stacks of care to ensure their stability.
cartons. Dampness will reduce the Attention should be paid to possible
strength of cartons, and a damp flow vibration, and if possible stacks
may well lead to damage of the should lean into their centre. Extra
lowest tier and ultimate collapse of care should be taken with synthetic
the stack. Interlocking (e.g. the bales, which have a tendency to slip
bricklaying method) can be used in when new.
stacking cartons.
FROZEN CARCASSES
CASES (BOXES) Because of their shape,
As most boxes are reinforced carcasses lend themselves to a form
with external battens, care should be of interlocking and this method
taken to see that the battens bear the should be used if possible, together
weight, not the box. with pallets with spacers or some
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Drum rack
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Steel storage
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Segregation of Stock
F lammable liquids, gas cylinders,
aerosols, materials liable to
spontaneous combustion and
stored in the same area as other
goods.
Chemicals liable to react with
hazardous chemicals should not be each other or other materials should
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Fire Safety
F ire instruction notices should be
prominently displayed in all
storage areas. Workers should be
of such goods, inwards or outwards,
should be notified to the local fire
brigade immediately.
thoroughly trained in the operation Bulk storage of combustibles
of the fire alarms to prevent delays should be sited so as to, minimise
in evacuating the premises and the risk of fire occurring within the
calling the fire brigade in the event stack or spreading from adjacent
of a fire. They should also be trained areas. In general, stacks should be
to operate firefighting equipment to at least 2 m clear of perimeter
deal with small fires. boundaries and be divided by cleared
A ‘No Smoking’ rule should be
strictly enforced in all storage areas.
If a shrink-wrapping operation
is used, it is important to train
operators to ensure that the plastic
shroud is cut large enough to
completely cover the goods during
the shrinkage process. If the plastic
shroud shrinks and exposes the
bottom part of the goods, the sewn
edges of the sacks or bags may
become scorched. Fires have
occurred when the sacks are placed
in the store while smouldering. Fire-fighting equipment and emergency route sign
There should be no plant or
production processes, such as carton gangways of at least 1 m.
assembly, in storage rooms unless These clearances may need to be
the area is designed for the purpose extended for stacks of readily
and any necessary precautions taken. combustible materials.
Vehicles should not be garaged or Smoking should not be
refuelled close to stored material. allowed within 6 m of stacks.
An inventory of all goods held Incinerators should be sited well
in store should be kept and clear of the storage area and
maintained daily, especially for combustible materials.
hazardous chemicals and substances Undergrowth around outdoor
and flammable goods. The local fire stacks should be kept down,
brigade should be advised of the although never by burning or by
goods and quantities stored at least using weed killers which aid
on a weekly basis. Large movements combustion (e.g. sodium chlorate).
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Outdoor storage area showing minimum distances for storing items vulnerable to fire
Storage Inspections
A ll materials held in storage
should be inspected to
determine whether they are
equipment should be taken out of
service until repaired. Fencing off or
isolation of such equipment may be
susceptible to damage, heating, necessary to prevent its use.
deterioration, swelling, shrinking, Electrical equipment and fittings
corrosion or attack by insects or should also be inspected and tested
rodents. The frequency of inspection regularly.
will depend on the type and method All fire protection equipment,
of storage. Where these conditions including fire doors and partitions,
are evident and could cause loss of should be inspected, tested regularly
stability, collapse, fire or any other and be maintained in good working
harmful effect, action should be order. Fire doors should be kept
taken to eliminate the hazard. closed at all times unless required to
Incoming goods should be be opened for the movement of
carefully inspected for damage of goods.
any kind before being placed in Any repair, maintenance or
store. alteration work carried out in storage
Racks, shelving, fixtures and areas should be closely supervised
other equipment used for storing, to ensure the safety of workers and
loading and unloading materials other people on the premises.
should be regularly inspected for Use of equipment likely to give
damage and other defects which rise to a fire hazard should be closely
might cause loss of strength or result monitored, and the use of a hot work
in damage or injury. permit system is recommended.
Any damaged or defective
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Hoist
Dolly
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Forklift truck:
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Automated Storage
W here automated, computer or
remote controls are used for
racking, selection of materials or
A means of access or egress
from extended equipment must be
provided to eliminate the need to
other stores functions, care should escape through any racking system
be taken that workers or other people installed.
in the area are not exposed to risk of Controls should be such that,
injury through the operation of when switched from the
equipment. disconnected “off” mode back to
Automated storage equipment automatic, the previous cycle is
is designed for machine access, unable to continue until a reset
which can create hazardous areas control has been operated.
between moving equipment and Access to racks from other than
fixed installations. Non-essential the operating side should be
people should therefore be kept prevented unless complete safety is
away from operating areas. assured.
Automated equipment should Conveyors and elevators
be isolated, or manual control should be properly guarded and be
applied, before attempting to rectify capable of being isolated from
faults, particularly if parts of the automatic control.
equipment are extended.
Housekeeping
W aste should not be allowed to
accumulate. A regular and
frequent waste removal and cleaning
Storage areas should be kept
clean and free from all refuse and
incorrectly stored materials.
procedure should be adopted.
Lightng
S ufficient and suitable lighting,
whether natural or artificial, must
be provided in every part of an
on the working area of stacks and
storage fixtures. Lighting can be
supplemented by painting
undertaking where workers are appropriate surfaces white or
employed or pass. This includes off-white.
outside yards and storage areas. Appropriate lighting standards
Lighting in these areas should be such can be found in NZS 6703:1984
that dark shadows or glare is avoided Interior Lighting design.
Noise
E mployers are required to take all
practicable steps to protect
workers from harmful noise, either
impracticable, or in the interim
period while controls are being
developed, the employer must
by controlling the noise at source or provide, for each worker exposed,
by isolating or insulating the noisy individual hearing protection of a
activity or process. Where such type approved by OSH.
controls are impossible or
Training of Employees
E mployees involved in the
storage, stacking, loading and
unloading of materials must be
mechanical equipment need special
training for the particular types of
equipment used.
trained to carry out their tasks safely The correct method of dealing
and efficiently. They should be made with breakages or spillages and
aware of the nature of the goods neutralising hazardous chemicals
stored, the hazards involved and the and substances should also be
precautions to be taken, protective explained.
clothing and equipment to be worn, Fire safety, including the use
and action to be taken in of fire-fighting equipment, should be
emergencies. Employees operating part of all training.
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Hydrochloric acid
Sulphuric acid
Phosphoric acid
Nitric acid
Perchloric acid
Acetic acid
Caustic soda
Sodium carbonate
Ammonia solution
Cvanides
Aluminium
Magnesium
Other metals
Acetone
Methyl ethyl ketone
Alcohols
Kerosine, white spirit
Toluene, xylene
Styrene
Other hydrocarbon solvents
Trichloroethylene
Methylene chloride
Formaldehyde
Phenol
Hydrogen peroxide
Organic peroxides
Nitrates
Chromates, dichromates
Chlorates, perchlorates
Potassium permanganate
Hypochlorites
Sawdust
Hydrochloric acid
Sulphuric acid
Phosphoric acid
Acids
Nitric acid
Perchloric acid
Acetic acid
Caustic soda
Bases Sodium carbonate
Ammonia solution
Cyanides
Aluminium
Metals Magnesium
Other metals
Acetone
Methyl ethyl ketone
Alcohols
Kerosine, white spirit
Organic Toluene, xylene
solvents Styrene
Other hydrocarbon solvents
Trichloroethylene
Methylene chloride
Formaldehyde
Phenol
Hydrogen peroxide
Organic peroxides
Nitrates
Oxidising Chromates, dichromates
agents Chlorates, perchlorates
Potassium permanganate
Hypochlorites
Sawdust
Appendix: Incompatible Chemicals
This chart is a guide only to chemicals which should not normally be stored together.
It is not an all-inclusive list and certain factors such as strenghth of acidic solutions may alter the storage requirements.
Sawdust is included purely to indicate that it should not be used to neutralise any spillage of the chemicals indicated or to pack them.
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