General rigging appliances and storage

Single trip Bulka bags

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Find out about industry best practice risk controls for using bulka bags.

Use of bags to lift bulk materials

Bulka bags are known as Flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC). There is concern in the industry about inappropriate use of FIBC and lifting techniques from a crane above a workplace or a public area.

Background

A trend in the construction industry is to supply bulk materials in large bulka bags that are lifted into position by a crane. These materials could include:

sand
blue metal
reo bar
landscape materials.

The loads being lifted are considerable. Bags sometimes hold up to three cubic metres or three tonnes of materials.

Many of the bags used for this purpose are designed for either single trip or multi-trip use. This means they could become damaged through over use, exposure to certain substances, or environmental conditions.

Risk controls

To use bulka bags safely, best practice may involve a combination of risk control measures.

Follow the risk control measures below, unless a risk assessment shows other methods to be more appropriate.

General risk controls

Follow these recommendations to control the risks associated with a freely suspended bulka bag failing.

Bulka bags should only be freely suspended when:

being loaded and offloaded for the purposes of transportation to site, and
where it is necessary to lift or lower the material in the bag more than 2.5 metres.

The bags should be placed on a pallet and be properly secured or enclosed by a cage. Or, the contents should be transferred to an appropriate lifting medium, such as a kibble or a bin.

Supplier risk controls

People who supply bulka bags for use at the workplace should make sure that:

manufacturer’s specifications and instructions are provided
sufficient information is provided so it can be used accordingly.

Bags used to lift bulk material should only be supplied with the following information attached:

the name and address of the manufacturer and supplier (if different)
manufacturer’s or supplier's reference (which shall be unique to any one FIBC type)
date of manufacture (month and year)
working load limit (WLL) expressed in kilograms
for single-trip FIBCs, the words ‘fill once only’
for all FIBCs, instructions on the method of lifting
the words ‘protect from direct sunlight’.

On site risk controls

All bags should be used according to manufacture's specifications and instructions.

You should not use bags that:

arrive on site without the manufacturer’s specifications (unless on a pallet and restrained in a brick cage)
show any sign of damage.

All lifting should be carried out by a competent person who may be required to hold a High Risk work licence for dogging, forklift or telehandler. Lifting should be in compliance with slinging techniques specified by the manufacturer.

Inspection

Faults to look for when inspecting bulka bags can include:

missing or damaged tag
abrasion
cuts
contusions
ultra violet degradation
damage to coatings or the bag.

Putting bags out of service

Bags that are intended to be used only once should have their tags removed. Once they have been used for the first time they should be put out of service. This can be done by cutting.

Bags that should also be put out of service are:

bags that are damaged
bags that have been exposed to any chemical damage.

Storage

Bags should be stacked so the contents don't leak and the liner doesn't protrude (if fitted).

Empty bags and liners should be stored in a way that avoids:

accidental damage
exposure to prolonged sunlight
exposure to extreme climatic conditions.

Storage of filled FIBCs

It is important that the manufacturer’s storage recommendations are followed. This is to obtain the maximum life and performance from the container, and to avoid damage to the contents.

Recommendations for usage of bulka bags

Do	Don't
Read the instruction label on the bulka bag. Inspect multi-trip bulka bags before refilling.	Don’t exceed the safe working load under any circumstances. Don’t drag bulka bags. Don’t allow personnel to be underneath suspended bulka bags. Don’t refill single-trip bulka bags.

Note: The table above is not a complete list. Some or all of the recommendations may be used in isolation or in conjunction with each other. The risk needs to be assessed on an individual basis. It is industry best practice to use a pallet and or cage to lift bulka bags where possible.

The information in this guide is aligned with AS/NZS 3668 Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers—Non-dangerous goods. It is intended to be used as a guide only.

Proprietary Lifting frames are available. They are: