What are the requirements for stacking materials?

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Stack lumber no more than 16 feet high if it is handled manually, and no more than 20 feet if using a forklift;
Remove all nails from used lumber before stacking;
Stack and level lumber on solidly supported bracing;
Ensure that stacks are stable and self-supporting;
Don’t store pipes and bars in racks that face main aisles to avoid creating a hazard to passersby when removing supplies;
Stack bags and bundles in interlocking rows to keep them secure; and
Stack bagged material by stepping back the layers and cross keying the bags at least every ten layers.
Store baled paper and rags inside a building no closer than 18 inches to the walls, partitions, or sprinkler heads;
Band boxed materials or secure them with cross-ties or shrink wrap;
Stack drums, barrels, and kegs symmetrically;
Block the bottom tiers of drums, barrels, and kegs to keep them from rolling if stored on their sides;
Place planks, sheets of plywood dunnage, or pallets between each tier of drums, barrels, and kegs to make a firm, flat, stacking surface when stacking on end;
Chock the bottom tier of drums, barrels, and kegs on each side to prevent shifting in either direction when stacking two or more tiers high; and
Stack and block poles as well as structural steel, bar stock, and other cylindrical materials to prevent spreading or tilting unless they are in racks.

['Materials Handling and Storage']

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