Keeping a garage or attic in order is a big challenge for any housekeeper. Old photo albums stacked high on a corner must be kept from molds. Wooden furniture that is always under the threat of termites, if not chipping paint or varnish. Silverware that is likely to get tarnished, while steel materials attract rust unless you store and maintain them well.
A simple storage room like an attic or garage can be a complex file system where everything that goes in and stays must be properly stored and regularly visited for maintenance. Just imagine the scene in industrial or commercial sites where bigger storage rooms are waiting for construction, manufacturing and other workplace materials. From lumber and bricks to chemicals and glass, different materials demand various ways of storage, disposal and handling.
Here are just some general requirements for the storage of various kinds of materials in the workplace:
1. Make sure all maximum safe load limits of floors in buildings and structures (in pounds per square foot) are posted in conspicuous locations of all storage areas.
2. Never exceed the maximum safe load limits.
3. Ensure that incompatible materials are segregated well.
4. Keep all aisles and passageways of storage areas clear to allow free and safe movement for personnel and material handling equipment.
5. When materials are stored inside buildings or structures under construction, they should not be placed within 6 feet of any hoistway or inside floor openings. Neither should they be within 10 feet of an exterior wall that does not extend above the top of the stored materials.
6. When stacking bagged materials, layers should be stepped back. Cross-key at least every 10 bags stacked high.
7. Proper fall arrest equipment must be provided to personnel working on stored material in hoppers, tanks, silos and other similar storage areas.
8. Make sure to stack, block, rack or interlock materials that are stored in tiers.
9. Brick stacks should never be more than 7 feet high. All loose brick stacks that are 4 feet high must be tapered back 2 inches in every foot of height above the 4-foot level.
10. Masonry blocks stacked higher than 6 feet must be tapered back one-half block per tier above the 6-foot level.
11. When stacking lumber, make sure they are on level and solidly supported sills.
12. Ensure that used lumber no longer has nails attached to them.
13. Lumber piles should never exceed 20 feet in height. Manually handled lumber must be stacked only 16 feet in height.
14. Cylindrical materials like structural steel, pipes, poles, and bar stock, unless racked, must be stacked and blocked.
Related Links:
Materials Handling: Top 13 Tips for Greater Sling Safety
Fall Protection for Roofs, Floors, and Walls with Holes or Openings
Safety Measures in Using Portable Ladders
Top 10 OSHA Fines for Small Companies
All You Need to Know about Safety in Handling, Lifting and Storing Lumber
