Pipe Handling and Storage

Handling

• Proper handling of pipe starts the moment it comes out of the corrugator. Ensure cuts are proper, edges are reamed, and labeling is accurate (see Line Operation Quality Assurance document).
• Before the pipe is rolled onto the holding-rack, make sure the rack is pressed completely up against the downstream belts. If there is a gap, the pipe could hit the edge of the rack and result in dents. (See Picture 1 for how it should be, and Picture 2 for how it shouldn’t).

  

  

 

• When the pipe is ready to be taken to the yard, the forklift operator is to slowly and carefully use the forklift to lift pipe off the holding-rack. Make sure the forks are situated so the pipe load is secure and balanced on the forks when lifted.
• Slowly drive the pipe load out of the warehouse. Watch the bay doors, and make sure not to hit the door edges with the pipe or the forklift.
• Drive the load carefully to the proper stacking location on the yard. Watch for other vehicles and potholes in the ground.

Storage

• When you are at the proper stacking location, use the lift to carefully unload the pipe onto the stack.
• Use wood wedge blocks (three blocks for 12”- 30” and two blocks for 36”- 60”) to stabilize new segments of a stack (See Picture 3).

  

• Stack heights by diameter, and lengths between new blocks, are as follows:

DIAMETER	MAX ROW HEIGHT	MAX ROW LENGTH BETWEEN BLOCKS
12	13	12
15	11	12
18	9	12
24	6	12
30	5	6
36	5	6
42	3	6
48	2	3
60	2	3

• For diameters 24” and above, stack rows head to toe (direction of bell and spigot alternating row by row), and for diameters 30” and above, use the trenching tool to prepare a trench for the bells on the bottom row (See General Production and Yard Organization document).
• On diameters 24” and up, when stack of pipe is too high to properly deposit head-on with the forklift, use the forklift lifting pole (See Picture 4) to stack pipe one at a time from the side of the stack.

  

• If pipe is damaged, whether by the forklift or somewhere in the production process, do not place in stack with other M294 pipe. Transport to a designated quarantine area, marked off by orange pallets (See Picture 5).

  

   

• If an entire section of a stack is found to be defective in any way, mark that section off by placing orange pallets to mark off all defective pipe.
• Any pipe on the yard marked off by orange pallets is less than M294 quality.