Stacking totes safely

What the sources say

The two sources differ on empties, so follow the more careful number, or better, the plate. The stacking test load on the UN plate is the figure for the tote in front of you.

Racks, trucks and floors

A 275 gallon tote filled with water weighs over a ton, and a 330 gallon tote weighs more. A rack bay, a floor and a truck bed each have a rating, and the stack load is on top of the pallet. Check the beam rating, not only the tote.

In a truck, a standard 53 foot trailer is listed as fitting up to 60 IBCs, or 28 to 56 medium-capacity ones, depending on how they stack. Plan with the lower number.

Rules of thumb that hold

• Never stack a damaged tote under another.
• Never stack a tote with a bent cage; the cage carries the load. See the cage.
• Stack straight, base on base, with no overhang.
• Do not stack on soft or uneven ground.
• Empties in the sun still chalk, stacked or not.

A rack-bay example

A rack bay with a beam rated for a stated load per pallet position cannot be judged by tote count alone. A full 330 gallon tote of water weighs well over a ton once the pallet, cage and liquid are added, and a bay rated below that is a hazard before anyone stacks a second tote on the first.

Empty totes are light, and sites often stack them four high for storage. The risk there is wind and forklifts: an empty stack in a yard catches the wind like a sail, and a stack leaning a few degrees is one tine strike from falling. Strap or chock outdoor stacks, and keep a clear aisle behind them.

Never stack across product lines

A leak from an upper tote runs down. If the upper tote holds a reactive product and the lower one something else, a small leak becomes a large problem. Keep incompatible products apart.

Pallet jacks and forklifts

Never push a tote with a forklift mast or drag it by the cage. Lift from the pallet openings, and keep the forks level.

Questions people ask