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Safe
Stacking
and
Storage

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Published by the Occupational Safety and Health Service

Department of Labour
Wellington
New Zealand

ISBN 0-477-03449-7

First published: 1985

Reprinted: 1988

Revised for OSH web site: 1999

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Contents
Introduction and Scope ................................................................. 5
A Safe Work System ...................................................................... 6
Floors and Supporting Surfaces ................................................... 7
Stock Holding Structures .............................................................. 8
Pallet Construction and Loading ................................................. 8
Positioning of Stacks ...................................................................... 9
Size and Shape of Stacks ............................................................. 11
Stability and Bonding of Stacks ................................................. 12
Stacking Different Types of Goods ............................................. 13
Rules for Destacking .................................................................... 16
Segregation of Stock .................................................................... 17
Fire Safety .................................................................................... 19
Materials Handling Equipment .................................................. 21
Safe Stock Movement .................................................................. 22
Automated Storage ...................................................................... 23
Housekeeping ............................................................................... 23
Lighting ........................................................................................ 24
Noise .............................................................................................. 24
Protective Clothing and Equipment .......................................... 24
Training of Employees ................................................................. 24
Appendix: Incompatible Chemicals ........................................... 25

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Introduction and Scope

hatever the nature of your

business, it is likely to
involve the stacking and storage of
goods and materials. Every year
accidents occur while goods are
being stacked or destacked and put
into or taken out of storage. Many
of these accidents are serioussome
are fatal.
This booklet is designed to
help employers and employees to
develop safe and effective methods
for stacking and storage and so meet
their obligations under health and
safety legislation.
There is an enormous variety
of storage systems and stacking
methods in use today. Materials
handling equipment, too, is
extremely diverse, ranging from
hand trolleys through various types
of forklift truck to sophisticated
warehouse robots.
Obviously, this booklet cannot
deal with all these in detail.
However, it does set out the general
requirements and principles for safe
stacking and storage which apply

irrespective of the particular systems

used.
The advice in this booklet is
intended to cover all types of goods
and materials, with the exception of
timber and loose bulk materials such
as sand or grain, which are the
subject of separate publications
issued by the Department of Labour.
Also, it does not cover the storage
of dangerous goods and explosives
which are subject to:
The Dangerous Goods Act 1974
The Dangerous Goods Regulations 1958
The Dangerous Goods Class 2
Gases Regulations 1980
The Explosives Act 1957
The Explosives Regulations
1959.
Advice on the legislative
provisions covering these goods can
be obtained from the Occupational
Safety and Health Service.
Dangerous substances not
falling within the above legislation,
should be stored in accordance with
these guidelines.

Platform truck

Hand truck

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A Safe Work System

mployers must take all

reasonable steps to ensure that
all goods, materials, substances and
equipment in workplaces are so
stacked, stored, secured, and kept
that they do not constitute a danger
to persons in their vicinity during the
course of daily operations and in an
earthquake.
Such steps should ensure these
items cannot, whether of their own
accord, or by virtue of any external
force (intentionally applied or
otherwise), so flow, move, roll, or
collapse, as to constitute a danger to
persons in their vicinity.
All workers who are or may be
responsible for stacking, storing,
securing, or keeping any goods,
materials, substances, or equipment
require full training in safe methods
of doing so.
Given the great diversity of
goods and materials to be stored, and
the wide range of storage methods
and handling equipment in use, how
can these obligations best be met?
The answer lies in developing
a safe system of work that will
integrate the three main components
of people, materials and machinery
within a safe and healthy working
environment. We shall look at each
of these in turn.

PEOPLE
People, of course, are the
critical factor. In safety and health
we are looking mainly at injury and
damage to people (concepts of loss
control and risk management are not
forgotten). Also, it is largely people
who perpetrate such injury and
damage.
A safe work system relies on:
(a) Adequate training and instruction for all the workforce;
(b) Comprehensive planning, incorporating the views and opinions
of those who will operate the
systems whenever possible;
(c) Adequate supervision and control; and
(d) Adequate information to enable
the workforce to carry out their
tasks in a safe and healthy manner.
One way of covering the above
is to determine the important criteria
for safety and to set specific
parameters which may be used, such
as planning, the provision of
information, training and instruction,
and to set the framework for
supervision and control.

MATERIALS
The basic materials handling
and storage systems common to a
wide range of stores and warehouses
are pallets and racking systems.
Accidents associated directly
with pallets occur for five main
reasons:
(a) Poor pallet design;
(b) Poor pallet construction;
(c) Use of an unsuitable pallet for
the load or storage method;
(d) Continued use of damaged pallet; and
(e) Bad handling.

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There are basically six reasons

for a racking system failure, either
acting singly or in combination:

being used in the wrong place by the

wrong people.

(a) Design fault i.e. rack is inherently unsafe;

ENVIRONMENT

(b) Installation fault;

(c) Materials handling equipment
fault;
(d) Materials handling equipment
operator fault;
(e) Supervision and control fault;
and
(f) Store or warehouse structural
fault.

EQUIPMENT
Because of the bewildering
range of equipment available in an
increasingly competitive market, it
is better to simplify the reasons for
failure. Basically, accidents occur
because of the wrong equipment

The essential need is to

incorporate
environmental
considerations such as heating,
lighting and ventilation into the
overall work system.

CODE OF PRACTICE
Not all recommendations for
safe stacking and storage in this
booklet may be relevant to your
workplace. And, there may be
special conditions or requirements
in your workplace that this booklet
does not cover in detail. It is
recommended that companies
prepare their own in-house code of
practice for stacking and storage,
taking into account the particular
materials handling and storage
systems in use.

Floors and Supporting Surfaces

he safe load for every floor

should be known and strict
supervision should be exercised to
prevent this limit being exceeded.
As a general rule, a level floor
is essential. However, where large
stacks are regularly built, it is an
advantage if the floor on the site for
each stack is given a fall to the centre
from all sides.
Timber, concrete or other
surfacing may be required to support
stored materials off the ground.
Floors or surfaces required to

support stacks, shelving, racks or

other means of storage should be
capable of sustaining the intended
load together with shock loads.
If there is a possibility of the
stored
material
becoming
waterlogged through rain or after
extinguishing a fire, due allowance
should be made for this extra weight.
The supporting surface should also
be sufficiently strong to withstand
the effects of any damage to or
deterioration of stored materials.

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Stock Holding Structures

acks, shelving, bins, hoppers

and other structures for the
storage of materials should be
adequately designed to support and
contain the materials for which they
are used. Allowance should be made
for the possibility of stored materials
becoming waterlogged, and for
shock loads from placing materials
or from accidental contact by
handling equipment.
When partitions are used to
increase storage capacity, or to

Storage bin

separate stored materials, they

should be adequately designed and
be of sufficient strength to contain
the stored material safely.
Fire-protective partitions
should be used between stored items
of differing vulnerability to fire.
The corners or ends of shelving
and racks should be protected from
damage by forklift trucks or
mechanised equipment by steel
posts, angle irons or other means.

Fire-protective partitions

Pallet Construction and Loading

allets should be of sound

construction, and be of
adequate strength for the loads and
conditions under which they are
used. Where pallet loads are stacked
tier on tier, the lower pallets should
be of suitable strength and in good
condition and the unit loads must
be able to support the weight above.
Pallet

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The stability of stacked

pallets or unit loads should be
maintained by suitable bonding,
avoiding excessive stack heights,
to ensure that the contents of any
pallet or unit load cannot collapse.
The stability and structural strength
of each pallet or unit load should
be assured by bonding, taping,
shrink wrapping or other means.
When pallet or unit loads of
cartons or sacks are stacked, care

should be taken that they are not

damaged by equipment.
Pallets or other supports used
for forming unit loads should be
regularly inspected for damage and
wear. Items which could cause
damage to materials should be taken
out of use until repaired, or be
destroyed.
Reference should be made to
NZS 2010: 1970 Specification for
flat pallets for materials handling.

Positioning of Stacks

tacks should not be built within

450 mm of a wall. Most building
and party walls are not retaining
walls and may not withstand the
pressure set up by stacks laid against
them. A 450 mm gap between the
stack and the wall also enables the
construction and the condition of
stacks to be checked.

Stacks should not be created

where any part will be within 1.5 m
of a rail track. This clearance should
be continued all the way along the
stack.
Extra care should be taken if
the storage area is subject to
vibration from rail or road traffic,
outside or inside the premises.

Access for loading

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Care should also be taken in

stacking material in the vicinity of
machinery or operations which
cause vibrations. Some objects are
liable to creep and lose stability
under the influence of vibration.
Sacks or bales made of synthetic
materials
are
particularly
susceptible, especially when first
used. (Impregnation with wax can
help to overcome this problem.)
Stacks, shelving and other
fixtures for holding or storing
materials should be so laid out and
designed that there is sufficient
access for safe loading and
unloading by either manual or
mechanical means.
Storage areas should be
specifically designated, be clearly
marked, and be in the charge of a
responsible employee. Aisles should
be clearly marked, be of ample width
for the type of storage, and be kept
free from obstacles and waste
materials. Stacks should not be
created which will block gangways,
aisles, walkways, thoroughfares, and

particularly doors and exits.

Stacks should have clear
spaces of at least 1 m on all sides,
apart from walls, where a 450 mm
space should be allowed. Goods
must not be stacked within 1 m of
the ceiling, roof or sprinkler heads.
Base areas and heights of
stacks should be kept as small as
circumstances permit. Goods should
be kept well clear of light fittings,
heating pipes and appliances,
firefighting and alarm equipment,
and doors.
No stack, shelving, fixture or
other means of storage should be
placed in a position, or extended in
height, so that a person climbing on
to it or removing stored goods, either
manually or mechanically, can come
into contact with live electrical
wiring or unfenced machinery.
No material should be loaded
or unloaded from stacks, shelving or
fixtures if there is a risk of workers
directly or indirectly contacting
unfenced machinery, or touching
live electrical wiring, until that

Clearways in a store: exits are sited

at each end

Lane and aisle markings

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machinery or wiring is isolated or

made safe.
Storage racks and shelves
should preferably be noncombustible and not prone to retain
water.
Where unpalletised material,
which is otherwise secure, is handled
by a crane or forklift truck, it should
be placed on battens or other devices
to aid the use of slings or forks.
Suitable means should be used
to protect workers from injury due
to sharp corners, projections or edges
on structures and/or stored material.
Corners of stored material should be
clearly marked.
Safe access, by means of
ladders, platforms or walkways,

must be provided for workers

required to climb or remove goods
from stacks, shelves and fixtures. On
occasions, it may be necessary to
erect scaffolding.
Safety belts are useful aids
when dealing with high stacks and
awkward shapes.
Work platforms used in
conjunction with forklift trucks to
elevate workers should be designed
and constructed in accordance with
NZS 5426: 1980 Part 1 Work
platformslow-lift and high-lift
trucks.
Markings on labels and signs
for the identification and selection
of materials and goods should be
clear and easy to read.

Size and Shape of Stacks

he size and shape of a stack

depends on the storage space
available and on the size, shape,
bulk, weight, rigidity or fragility of
the articles to be stored.
The following are the
commonest forms of stack:
ColumnSingle articles
placed one above the other.
SquareAny stack, other
than a column, with all sides vertical.
(Note the stack does not have to be
square in the ordinary sense of the
word.)
PyramidA stack in which
the plan area is reduced in every
succeeding tier.
SteppedStacks with two or
more adjacent tiers of the same area
and each succeeding group of tiers
of a smaller area than the group on
which it is set.
TriangularStacks
in
pyramid or stepped form on two

Column stack

Square stack

Pyramid stack

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opposite sides, the other two sides

being vertical.
Lean-toPyramid
or
stepped on one side and vertical on
the other three sides. (Note the term
does not mean that the stack actually
leans against a support.)
It is important to remember
that the aggregate weight of the stack
is borne by the lowest tier, which, of

Stepped stack

course should be strong enough to

bear the superimposed load.
Untidy stacks offend the eye
and are rarely safe by construction,
since it is usually bad methods of
construction that cause the
untidiness.
If a stack appears to be
unstable, it should be immediately
broken down and rebuilt properly.

Triangular stack

Lean-to stack

Stability and Bonding of Stacks

Stable construction of the stack is
entirely dependent upon the
following factors:
Safe relation of height to dimension of base;
Sound interlocking of the goods;
Contents of the sacks or cartons;
Compact construction and
avoidance of transfer stress in
any dunnage used for artificial
bonding;
Shape of articles e.g. meat carcasses;
Determination of the aggregate
weight to be borne by the components in the lowest tier of the
stack;
Good placing of every component forming part of the stack,
with special care taken to avoid
overhang on any side or end of
a stack intended to be vertical.

Resistance to collapse, strength

and the stability of stacks should be
maintained by bonding, stepping,
tying or other means. The ratio of
height to base dimensions of large
stacks should be correctly
proportioned so that failure of part
or whole of the stack does not occur.
Experience has shown that the
height to base ratio of an
unsupported stack should not exceed
3:1. As most stacks are erected by
visual alignment, a slight error in
calculation near the base can easily
result in a barely noticeable
overhang, with a resultant loss of
stability. However, where effective
bonding can be achieved, and where
there is a good frictional grip
between the contacting surfaces, the
ratio of height to base can be safely
increased to 4:1.

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The shape of goods or

packages to be stacked will have a
great bearing on the type of bonding
used. When one dimension is
appreciably greater than the other
two, it will be possible to use natural
bonding, i.e. to secure stability by
interlocking the articles themselves.
In other circumstances it will be
necessary to introduce other
materials (e.g. canvas sheets,
battens, piling sticks, etc.) to prevent
movement of the articles stacked:
this is known as artificial bonding.

Outdoor stacks are affected by

weather conditions such as rain,
wind, frost and sun. These
conditions can greatly influence the
stability of stacks over time and
should be taken into consideration.
Materials which could be
dislodged or blown off the top of a
stack under windy conditions should
be tied down or otherwise restrained.
If tarpaulins are used to secure or
protect the stacks, they should be
fastened to independent anchorage,
not to the stack itself.

An outdoor stack secured by tarpaulins

Stacking Different Types of Goods

BAGGED GOODS
The first tier should be so
arranged that the bags can be spread
flat, and the same should be done in
succeeding tiers. Interlocking should
be used if possible. Where possible,
the mouths of the bags should be on
the inside of the stack.
Bagged material of differing
sizes and shapes (e.g. seeds,
granules, pellets etc.) should not be
stacked on top of each other unless

proper precautions are taken to

prevent movement by settling or
vibration.
Pallets with spacers or some
form of horizontal bonding should be
used if there is a risk of such
movement or if it is intended or
necessary to stack high.
Special precautions should be
taken with synthetic bags or sacks,
which have a tendency to slip when
new.

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Stacking bagged
goods

CARTONS

BALES

Careful consideration should

be given to the weight of stacks of
cartons. Dampness will reduce the
strength of cartons, and a damp flow
may well lead to damage of the
lowest tier and ultimate collapse of
the stack. Interlocking (e.g. the
bricklaying method) can be used in
stacking cartons.

Bales should be stacked with

care to ensure their stability.
Attention should be paid to possible
vibration, and if possible stacks
should lean into their centre. Extra
care should be taken with synthetic
bales, which have a tendency to slip
when new.

FROZEN CARCASSES
CASES (BOXES)
As most boxes are reinforced
with external battens, care should be
taken to see that the battens bear the
weight, not the box.

Because of their shape,

carcasses lend themselves to a form
of interlocking and this method
should be used if possible, together
with pallets with spacers or some

Frozen meat store

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form of horizontal bonding. A

suitable type of mesh netting can be
used to retain carcasses on pallets if
necessary, provided it meets hygiene
requirements.

COILED WIRE
Coiled wire may be stacked
horizontally or vertically. Wedges or
other supports must be used to
prevent the stack from spreading.

GLASS BOTTLES AND

JARS
Care should be taken stacking
bottles and jars, whether full or
empty. Small quantities can be laid
on their sides on top of each other,
using wedges as necessary.
Otherwise they should be stacked in
cases, boxes, cartons or racks
designed to hold them.
If pallets are used, spacers or
some form of horizontal bonding
should be incorporated. The overall
weight of stacks should not be borne
by the glass itself.

DRUMS, CASKS AND

CYLINDERS
Drums, casks and cylinders
may be stacked on their sides or ends
unless specifically required to stand

upright on instructions from their

manufacturer or supplier, e.g.
acetylene cylinders. If stacked on
their sides, wedges should be fixed
at the ends of each row to prevent
movement.
If gas cylinders are stored on
end, restraining chains should be
fitted to prevent them toppling. The
valves of gas cylinders under
pressure must always be protected.
Power-operated clamps on
forklift trucks enable cylindrical
objects such as cable drums or pipes
to be stacked on end, allowing
greater economy of space and
greater stability.

SHEET MATERIALS
Sheet materials, including
glass, may be stacked flat or on edge.
Sharp edges should be protected to
prevent injury to workers and
passers-by. The supports used in
edge-on stacking must be of
adequate strength to bear the side
thrust of the vertical sheets.
Extra care should be taken
when stacking and handling glass.
Owing to the weight of metal and
glass sheet in bulk, care should be
taken not to overload racks and the
floor.

Drum rack

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STEEL TUBES BARS AND

JOIST SECTIONS
Suitable racks should be
provided for steel tubes, bars, joist
sections and similar materials.
Large-diameter tubes or pipes can be
stacked on their sides, as for drums.
Wedges, chocks, stakes or
other means should be used to
restrain the bottom tier of round
objects which are stacked or tiered
and which could cause the stack to
collapse by rolling or moving.
Where successive tiers are not
nested but rest on battens, planks or
other flat surfaces, they should be
restrained from moving by wedges
secured to the battens or planks.

Pipe storage

Where the collapse of a stack

or tiers of round objects could cause
damage or injury, material to be
removed should always be taken
from the top of the stack or from the
top tier first.

Steel storage

Rules for Destacking

estacking is largely the reverse

process of stacking. Most
accidents involving the collapse of
stacked materials occur during
destacking. The prime cause of this
is haphazard removal.
Basic rules for breaking down
stacks are:
One person only should be responsible for the manner in

which the stack is reduced. This

is particularly important where
gangs are employed.
If the person in charge of
destacking had no part in erecting the stack, he or she should
ascertain its construction before
work begins.

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The stack should be taken down

tier by tier, so that no part is in
danger, as would happen if the
stack were bitten into locally.
When a large stack has been
given a natural fence by building the periphery higher than the
centre, this fence should be
maintained during destacking.
The work should be done outward from the centre, reducing
the periphery last so that there
is a barricade to prevent people
falling off.
If tubular or other fencing has
been built in or around the stack,

it should be dismantled and adjusted as the height is decreased.

As there is a high tripping hazard in the working area of a
stack, tidiness and systematic
work methods are essential.
Care should be taken to ensure
that people working on stacks are
at all times clear of overhead
travelling cranes. Proper signalling
arrangements should be made and
a lookout should be posted.
All stacking and destacking
should be carried out under
competent supervision.

Segregation of Stock

lammable liquids, gas cylinders,

aerosols, materials liable to
spontaneous combustion and
hazardous chemicals should not be

stored in the same area as other

goods.
Chemicals liable to react with
each other or other materials should

Flammable liquid storage

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not be stored together unless

adequately protected from
contacting each other, either directly
or by spillage. (The chart in
Appendix 1 gives a guide to
chemicals which should not
normally be stored together.)
Acids should not be stored in
plastic containers for long periods or
in direct sunlight.
Flammable liquids in drums,
cans or similar containers should be
stored separately in a separate area
or building constructed for the
purpose. Similar provision is
recommended when storing toxic or
poisonous chemicals or substances.
The storage area or building
should be signposted to indicate that
it contains flammable or hazardous
chemical materials and that smoking
and naked flames are prohibited.
Electrical equipment used in or

around the storage area or

building should be suitably
explosion-protected, and protective
equipment should be provided
nearby for use in emergencies.
Workers handling corrosive or
hazardous chemicals should be
provided with suitable protective
clothing, or other necessary
safeguards.
Liquefied and compressed gas
cylinders should be stored in well
ventilated areas, out of direct
sunlight and well away from
possible sources of ignition,
especially electrical fittings or fuse
boxes.
All containers, drums and cans
should be clearly labelled with their
contents.
Earthing or bonding should be
used to eliminate the possible
build-up of static electricity.

Earthed containers for storing flammable solvents

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Fire Safety

ire instruction notices should be

prominently displayed in all
storage areas. Workers should be
thoroughly trained in the operation
of the fire alarms to prevent delays
in evacuating the premises and
calling the fire brigade in the event
of a fire. They should also be trained
to operate firefighting equipment to
deal with small fires.
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.
There should be no plant or
production processes, such as carton
assembly, in storage rooms unless
the area is designed for the purpose
and any necessary precautions taken.
Vehicles should not be garaged or
refuelled close to stored material.
An inventory of all goods held
in store should be kept and
maintained daily, especially for
hazardous chemicals and substances
and flammable goods. The local fire
brigade should be advised of the
goods and quantities stored at least
on a weekly basis. Large movements

of such goods, inwards or outwards,

should be notified to the local fire
brigade immediately.
Bulk storage of combustibles
should be sited so as to, minimise
the risk of fire occurring within the
stack or spreading from adjacent
areas. In general, stacks should be
at least 2 m clear of perimeter
boundaries and be divided by cleared

Fire-fighting equipment and emergency route sign

gangways of at least 1 m.
These clearances may need to be
extended for stacks of readily
combustible materials.
Smoking should not be
allowed within 6 m of stacks.
Incinerators should be sited well
clear of the storage area and
combustible materials.
Undergrowth around outdoor
stacks should be kept down,
although never by burning or by
using weed killers which aid
combustion (e.g. sodium chlorate).

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Outdoor storage area showing minimum distances for storing items vulnerable to fire

Storage Inspections

ll materials held in storage

should be inspected to
determine whether they are
susceptible to damage, heating,
deterioration, swelling, shrinking,
corrosion or attack by insects or
rodents. The frequency of inspection
will depend on the type and method
of storage. Where these conditions
are evident and could cause loss of
stability, collapse, fire or any other
harmful effect, action should be
taken to eliminate the hazard.
Incoming goods should be
carefully inspected for damage of
any kind before being placed in
store.
Racks, shelving, fixtures and
other equipment used for storing,
loading and unloading materials
should be regularly inspected for
damage and other defects which
might cause loss of strength or result
in damage or injury.
Any damaged or defective

equipment should be taken out of

service until repaired. Fencing off or
isolation of such equipment may be
necessary to prevent its use.
Electrical equipment and fittings
should also be inspected and tested
regularly.
All fire protection equipment,
including fire doors and partitions,
should be inspected, tested regularly
and be maintained in good working
order. Fire doors should be kept
closed at all times unless required to
be opened for the movement of
goods.
Any repair, maintenance or
alteration work carried out in storage
areas should be closely supervised
to ensure the safety of workers and
other people on the premises.
Use of equipment likely to give
rise to a fire hazard should be closely
monitored, and the use of a hot work
permit system is recommended.

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Materials Handling Equipment

quipment such as trolleys, hand

trucks,
pallet
trucks,
chainblocks and slings used for
moving and handling materials
should be kept in a safe and
serviceable condition. It should be
free of cracks or other defects which
could cause failure of the equipment
or injury to employees using it. Such
equipment should be used only for
the purpose for which it was
designed.
Mechanical equipment such as
cranes, hoists, scoops, stackers,
forklift trucks and ladders used in
stacking, moving or loading
materials should be kept in a safe and
serviceable condition, and should be
regularly inspected and maintained.
Materials handling equipment
should be used only for the purposes
for which it was designed and should
not be operated on steep or rough
surfaces which could result in an
accident.
No worker should ride on
equipment used for the moving,
handling or storage of material
unless it has been designed for the
purpose.
All equipment should be
operated in a safe and efficient
manner and should not be loaded
beyond the capacity for which it was
designed.
Materials handling equipment
is susceptible to fire from friction
heat generated by accumulations of
grease and dirt. Fires involving
forklift trucks can be caused by
equipment failure due to lack of
maintenance.

Block and tackle

Platform truck

Drum-handling truck

Bag truck

Hoist

Dolly

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All such equipment should be

inspected regularly and maintained
in good working order. A system of
regularly scheduled maintenance
based on engine-hour or motor-hour
use is recommended.

Forklift truck:

Safe Stock Movement

oods must be stacked to

prevent movement during
transportation and be secured so that
they will not fall off when corners
or inclines are being negotiated.
Precautions must be taken to
protect workers in the storage area
from moving vehicles. If necessary,
a responsible employee should be
designated to direct traffic in the
storage yard or area.

Good lighting is essential, and

the wearing of reflective clothing
will increase safety.
Forklift trucks should be fitted
with horns and lights and these
should be used, especially when
reversing.
Special care must be taken in
handling
and
transporting
flammable liquids. These should not
be stored at an unsafe height.

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Automated Storage

here automated, computer or

remote controls are used for
racking, selection of materials or
other stores functions, care should
be taken that workers or other people
in the area are not exposed to risk of
injury through the operation of
equipment.
Automated storage equipment
is designed for machine access,
which can create hazardous areas
between moving equipment and
fixed installations. Non-essential
people should therefore be kept
away from operating areas.
Automated equipment should
be isolated, or manual control
applied, before attempting to rectify
faults, particularly if parts of the
equipment are extended.

A means of access or egress

from extended equipment must be
provided to eliminate the need to
escape through any racking system
installed.
Controls should be such that,
when switched from the
disconnected off mode back to
automatic, the previous cycle is
unable to continue until a reset
control has been operated.
Access to racks from other than
the operating side should be
prevented unless complete safety is
assured.
Conveyors and elevators
should be properly guarded and be
capable of being isolated from
automatic control.

Housekeeping

aste should not be allowed to

accumulate. A regular and
frequent waste removal and cleaning
procedure should be adopted.

Storage areas should be kept

clean and free from all refuse and
incorrectly stored materials.

Fire exits must never be

blocked

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Lightng

ufficient and suitable lighting,

whether natural or artificial, must
be provided in every part of an
undertaking where workers are
employed or pass. This includes
outside yards and storage areas.
Lighting in these areas should be such
that dark shadows or glare is avoided

on the working area of stacks and

storage fixtures. Lighting can be
supplemented
by
painting
appropriate surfaces white or
off-white.
Appropriate lighting standards
can be found in NZS 6703:1984
Interior Lighting design.

Noise

mployers are required to take all

practicable steps to protect
workers from harmful noise, either
by controlling the noise at source or
by isolating or insulating the noisy
activity or process. Where such
controls are impossible or

impracticable, or in the interim

period while controls are being
developed, the employer must
provide, for each worker exposed,
individual hearing protection of a
type approved by OSH.

Protective Clothing and Equipment

rotective
clothing
and
equipment such as overalls,
aprons, gloves, gauntlets, leggings,
safety helmets, ear protection, eye
protection (face shields and safety
glasses), safety footwear, face
masks, respirators, safety harnesses,
belts or other equipment must be
provided by the employer as and

when necessary.
Employees must wear the
protective clothing and equipment as
and when necessary.
If hazardous chemicals or
substances are stored, e.g. corrosive
acids, an emergency shower and eye
wash should be installed in each
storage area.

Training of Employees

mployees involved in the

storage, stacking, loading and
unloading of materials must be
trained to carry out their tasks safely
and efficiently. They should be made
aware of the nature of the goods
stored, the hazards involved and the
precautions to be taken, protective
clothing and equipment to be worn,
and action to be taken in
emergencies. Employees operating

mechanical equipment need special

training for the particular types of
equipment used.
The correct method of dealing
with breakages or spillages and
neutralising hazardous chemicals
and substances should also be
explained.
Fire safety, including the use
of fire-fighting equipment, should be
part of all training.

24

Kerosine, white spirit

Alcohols

Methyl ethyl ketone

Acetone

Other metals

Magnesium

Aluminium

Cvanides

Ammonia solution

Sodium carbonate

Caustic soda

Acetic acid

Perchloric acid

Nitric acid

Phosphoric acid

Sulphuric acid

Hydrochloric acid

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.

Oxidising
agents

Organic
solvents

Metals

Bases

Acids

Hydrochloric acid
Sulphuric acid
Phosphoric acid
Nitric acid
Perchloric acid
Acetic acid
Caustic soda
Sodium carbonate
Ammonia solution
Cyanides
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

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Appendix: Incompatible Chemicals

25

Sawdust

Hypochlorites

Potassium permanganate

Chlorates, perchlorates

Chromates, dichromates

Nitrates

Organic peroxides

Hydrogen peroxide

Phenol

Formaldehyde

Methylene chloride

Trichloroethylene

Other hydrocarbon solvents

Styrene

Toluene, xylene