9. General aspects regarding storage
9.a. Compliance with cardinal rules
Always follow the 5 Cardinal Rules of Occupational Risk Prevention.
Despite the progress made in occupational health and safety, there is still a general disrespect for safety guidelines, which can sometimes lead to very serious incidents. Some of these guidelines are basic, such as using safety bars or personal protective equipment, and the need to comply with these obligations has been emphasised in many informative campaigns, training sessions and written communications.
In order to make gradual but irreversible progress in this respect, management has decided to emphasise a series of 5 rules which are critical to health and safety and must be enforced hierarchically by all managers. Our Cardinal Rules are explained in further detail in section 9.
9.b. Tidiness and cleanliness
Keep the warehouse tidy and clean at all times.
9.c. Preparation of racks
1. State and maintenance
The racks must be in good condition.
2. Separation distance
When installing them, they must be correctly aligned.
The separation between both must be 1.80 m.
3. Polyethylene trays
Protect the base of the rack with polyethylene trays before supporting the slabs, to prevent them from becoming chipped.
4. Signs
Mark off the area where the racks are placed, and leave a free area of at least one metre in passageways.
9.d. Warehouse organisation
1. Classification
Place Silestone, Dekton and Natural Stone in separate areas. Group slabs together based on their colour and thickness.
2. Organisation
Place materials with the highest rotation (A and B materials and elaborated products area) near the entrance and materials with a lower rotation (C and D materials) farther away.
3. Marking
It is advisable to put a visible mark on each rack with the colours/materials it contains.
4. Planning
Leave at least 3 pairs of empty racks near the door (at the sides of the area where the trucks are): 2 racks for unloading and 1 for preparing loads.
5. Faulty slabs
Faulty slabs and scraps must be placed on a rack that is hidden from sight.
6. Prevention
PPCC and marketing tools must be properly organised and identified on the shelves. They must never be left on the ground, and certainly not in passageways.
Place the heaviest ones at ground level and the lighter ones on the top levels. All pallets in which there is a risk of falling objects will be shrink-wrapped.
9.e. Slab storage process
1. Reinforcement with jumbo slabs
It is important to provide a firm support base for 0.8cm and 1.2cm slabs. To do this, we recommend placing one or two non-compliant 3cm. jumbo Silestone slabs on the rack first.
2. Slabs facing each other
The slabs must always be facing each other.
3. Recommendations
It is advisable to install agglomerate planks between each slab package (3 planks for 2 and 3cm, 5 planks for 1.2cm and 0.8cm), placing them in the centre and at the ends, to ensure firm support and prevent the materials from twisting.
* Note: Ask the Plant for these agglomerate planks.
| Silestone | Dekton | |
| 3 cm | 10 tx/paquete | |
| 2 cm | 14 tx/paquete | 10 tx/paquete |
| 1 cm | 14 tx/paquete | 10 tx/paquete |
| 0,8 cm | 10 tx/paquete |
4. Slab packs
9.f. Tools and work equipment
Safety bars
They must always be installed on all racks and as close as possible to the slab packs.
They must be protected by safety plugs.
As a general rule, slabs must never be supported on the safety bar in the opposite direction to the inclination of the rack. If this is necessary due to loading needs, no more than 2 slabs may rest on the bars and they must be returned to the correct position after loading.