Hazard Knowledge

Stacked materials may present hazards including:

• Firespread
• Collapse of the stack
• Materials in the stack falling
• Falls from height
• Falls into the stacked materials

Stacked materials may be encountered at industries such as:

• Paper mills
• Timber yards
• Pallet manufacture and storage sites
• Warehouses and storage facilities
• Agricultural sites
• Waste sites

Waste sites store and stack materials in various ways:

• Sometimes the waste is heaped into a pile, which may collapse into itself as the material underneath burns away
• Other waste, such as scrap vehicles or baled products, may be stacked in such a way that it could fall over and create a hazard in the surrounding area

Further information published by the Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) Forum can be found in their publications, such as Reducing fire risk at waste management sites, membership to the forum is required and can be requested here. 

Stacked materials may be stored inside buildings. If the stacks become unstable or fall, they may affect the structural stability of the building.

The materials and packaging in stacks may be affected by fire or water, resulting in a loss of integrity of the stack. There may also be hidden voids, making the stack non-load-bearing.