Steel (pipe, bar, coil) stacking and storage

Michelle Gillman

Morning all,

I have a colleague in logistics who is looking for 'best practice' guidance in steel storage in warehousing. The steel is in large volumes and can be in long lengths (re-bar), coils or large (and very heavy) steel plates in various sizes. Most cannot be palletised.

I have two questions:

Question 1: Does anyone have any resources they'd be prepared to share about 'best practice' guidance for construction steel stacking/storage that they have developed around this?

Secondly:
The steel in the various configurations described above comes delivered in shipping containers. Some of the loads e.g. bundled steel rebar lengths are difficult to remove from containers because of their dimensions. Items often need to be dragged/partially lifted from containers by forklifts which challenges the forklifts centre of gravity. The forklifts are rated for the work - it is a centre of gravity challenge.

Question 2: Does anybody have any resources they'd be prepared to share about 'best practice' removal of large, heavy, long loads from containers that deal with this issue?

Any information, internal standards or guidance appreciated. My email address is michelleatplanitworksdotcodotnz

Steve H

Hi Michelle

Previous clients of mine, have used side loaders, gantry cranes and forklifts to handle long loads like yours.

Hopefully someone who is directly dealing with the materials you are grappling with, will respond, meanwhile here are a few links that might give you some ideas.

https://www.truninger.com/fileadmin/Application_notes/MK0022EN.pdf

https://theconstructor.org/practical-guide/handle-store-reinforcing-bars/65391/

https://www.reinforcing-bar.com/technology/handling-and-storing.html

Andrew P

The forklifts are rated for the work - it is a centre of gravity challenge. — Michelle Gillman

Forklift ratings are usually based on center of load 500 or 600mm from the back rest. for example, we have to use a 4 ton forklift to remove 1.8 ton packs from our containers as the center of the load is 1400mm from the back rest on the forklift. We learnt this the hard way over lock down last year when we suddenly got bigger packs which our forklift couldn't unload! As your load center moves further from the back rest of the forklift, the amount you can lift drops substantially, so you are quite possibly overloading your forklifts.

I would go back to your steel suppliers and come up with a way to be able to safely remove the loads.
I know Aluminum extrusion often comes in on steel frames with rollers underneath that can be rolled out so the Aluminum can be forklifted off from the side or craned off.
You may be able to have some kind of skid plate fitted at the other end so you can lift the front and slide it out.
Be careful about pulling with the forklift. Some forklifts aren't rated for pulling loads with strops etc. fixed to the backrest. You should also be using rated strops as if something snaps it could be like a whip!
Check out how they load the container. YouTube has clips of timber etc being slid into container on a platform they then slide back out. I have always wondered how the guys at the other end unload them - now I know - they have trouble. :-)

Michelle Gillman

↪Andrew P

Really helpful comments and tips Andrew. Thanks.

Don Ramsay

↪Michelle Gillman

I have a lot of photos and reports on Steel storage solutions, from a previous job, which include methods of storing Horizontal coils safely and product handling solutions.

I am busy this week but will try to get something to you in the new year.

Steel (pipe, bar, coil) stacking and storage

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