# Stacking and storing materials

URL: https://hardhatbinder.com/en/toolbox-talks/material-storage
Last updated: 2026-10-23

We have a lot of material coming onto the site this week, and every pile we make can tip, slide, or fall on someone. Good stacking keeps walkways clear and keeps loads from crushing hands, feet, or a coworker. Let's set up storage right the first time.

## Key points

1. Stack on firm, level ground or on blocking. Never stack on mud, loose fill, or a slope where the pile can settle and lean.
2. Keep stacks stable and self-supporting. Use blocking, interlocking, or banding, and limit the height so the pile can't tip over.
3. Lumber: remove or bend over nails before stacking, and keep stacks on level, solid supports. Keep lumber piles low enough to handle safely.
4. Block brick and block piles: taper back or step back the pile as it gets higher. Pipe, rebar, and other round stock must be chocked or racked so it can't roll.
5. Keep aisles, walkways, exits, and access to fire extinguishers and panels clear. Don't store material where it blocks a path.
6. Keep material back from floor edges, openings, and the edge of excavations. Don't overload a floor, scaffold, or deck with stored material.
7. When you pull from a pile, take from the top and work evenly. If a stack looks like it's leaning, stop and tell the foreman before anyone touches it.

## Talk it over

- Which stack on our site right now would you not want to stand next to, and why?
- Where is material blocking a walkway, exit, or an edge, and where should it go instead?
- What deliveries are coming this week, and where will we put them so they sit on solid ground?

> **Remember:** Stack it stable, keep it low, and keep the path clear.

## Official sources

- [29 CFR 1926.250](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.250) — Materials storage

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Source: HardHat Binder, operated by Leadspire LLC. Templates to be reviewed by a competent person before use; not legal advice; not affiliated with OSHA.