PIPE SYSTEMS
Storing , handling and transporting plastic pipe Members of SAPPMA (Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association) go to great lengths to ensure their products are manufactured according to strict quality standards. Thereafter, the way in which these pipes are stored, handled and transported to site is equally important, says Jan Venter, CEO, SAPPMA, who shares some important tips.
P
lastic pipes are durable, despite their lightness. Although this makes handling the pipes much easier, it could also potentially mean that they are likely to be mistreated. According to Venter, there are certain reasonable precautions that should be taken to ensure this doesn’t happen. Storing plastic pipes in direct sunlight, for example, should be restricted to a period of six months from their manufacture. It’s also important to ensure that rubber seals are not exposed to direct sunlight during this period. Flanged pipes should also not be stacked in large piles, especially under warm conditions: the lower pipes in the stack may become distorted with consequent difficulty in jointing. Additionally, pipes of different diameters should not be nested, one inside the other, when stacked.
Supporting and stacking techniques During storage, the way pipes are supported and stacked is equally important. Plastic pipes should be supported evenly over their whole length. When stacked, pipes of dif ferent diameters and dif ferent thicknesses should ideally be stacked separately; however, if this is not possible, the largest and thickest pipes should be placed at the bottom. Furthermore, pipes should be stacked on a reasonably flat sur face, free from sharp objects, stones or projections likely to deform or damage them.
Handling While plastic pipes are highly durable, they should not be dropped on to a hard sur face or dragged along the ground. In addition, there are seasonal factors to consider. For instance, the impact resistance of PVC is reduced in cold weather and more care needs to be taken in handling during winter. If the temperature falls below –5°C, special instructions should be requested from the manufacturer.
Transportation
Jan Venter, CEO, SAPPMA
During transportation, the correct loading and offloading practices will ensure that end products arrive in good condition. When loading socket-end and spigot-end pipes, for example, they should be stacked so that the sockets do not take any load. Thicker-walled pipes should also be loaded before thinner-walled ones. Once the pipes are delivered, it is important for the purchaser to carefully
inspect the pipes at the place of deliver y. The markings of the pipes should be checked to ensure that they correspond to the specifications of the order, and all seal rings are properly in place. “Plastic pipes should be synonymous with reliability and trust. While SAPPMA regularly conducts audits to confirm the raw materials that have gone into the pipes, and that quality processes were followed during manufacturing, it is impor tant that this same attention to detail and care be extended to the handling and transpor tation of these pipes. The latter should be as reliable as the pipes that our members manufacture,” Venter concludes. For more information, visit www.sappma.co.za
IMIESA May 2021
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