13 Safety Considerations & Material Handling - USG Corporation

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Stacking Board
Generally, it is safer to
stack board flat.
– When parking a lift truck, set the parking break and lower the
forks to the floor. Turn truck off.
For more information on forklift safety, see:
OSHA CFR, (800) 321-OSHA (6742)
National Safety Council, (800) 621-7619; nsc.org
Gypsum Association literature states unequivocally that board should
be stacked flat because stacking boards vertically against a wall poses
a safety hazard. According to the Handling and Storage of Gypsum
Panel Products: A Guide for Distributors, Retailers, and Contractors,
Gypsum Association publication GA-801-07:
“Stacks of gypsum board are very heavy and can become unstable if
proper stacking and handling procedures are not followed. Workers
must always be extremely careful when stacking or working in an area
where gypsum panel products are stacked. For example, a 4' wide by
12' long by 1/2" thick gypsum board can weigh over 80 pounds; this
means a stack of only 25 boards weighs over a ton” (page 2). The
capacity of the floor to support the load whenever wallboard is stacked
must be examined and considered when stacking panel products.
“The safest way to store gypsum panel products on a job site is to
stack them flat on risers that are placed on a solid surface. Storing
gypsum panel products on edge leaning against wall framing can
pose a serious hazard. Panels stacked on edge can easily become
unstable, and the entire stack can accidentally topple or slip, which in
turn can result in serious injury or even death” (page 9).
While the vertical stacking of paneled material should be minimized,
there are some situations where stacking the board flat creates different
safety hazards. For example, in residential construction where
rooms are small and hallways narrow, vertically stacking against the
wall allows installers to move around the room.
Also in residential construction, floor load limits often are not sufficiently
high to be able to accommodate a concentrated point load of
gypsum panels, cement board or gypsum fiber panels in the center of
the floor; instead, the safer procedure in this situation is to distribute
the board in vertical stacks around the sides of the room. Sometimes,
when different sizes or widths of board are required (for example, 5/8"
for the ceiling and 1/2" for the walls) vertical stacking makes it easier
for the wallboard hangers to find the board they need.
While vertical stacking of panel material can be appropriate and helpful
it can also pose a falling hazard. When vertical stacking is used,
be sure to leave at least 4" to 6" of space between the bottom of the
first board in the stack and the wall. Leaving less than 4" creates a
risk that the stack could be pulled over; leaving more than 6" applies
too much weight laterally against the wall. Warning tape or signage
should be used to alert people of the potential for leaning wallboard
to fall if disturbed.
chapter13.indd 406 1/13/2009 10:36:31 AM