3.2 STEEL BUILDING WALLS AND ROOF PANELS

General Steel's wall and roof panels including color coated, galvalume and galvanized, provide excellent service under widely varied conditions. All unloading and erection personnel should fully understand that these panels are quality merchandise which merit cautious care in handling.

Under no circumstances should steel building panels be handled roughly. Packages of sheets should be lifted off the truck with extreme care taken to insure that no damage occurs to ends of the sheets or to side ribs. The packages should be stored off the ground sufficiently high to allow air circulation underneath the packages. This avoids ground moisture and deters people from walking on the packages. One end of the package should always be elevated to encourage drainage in case of rain.

All stacked metal panels are subject, to some degree,to localized discoloration or stain when water is trapped between their closely nested surfaces. General steel exercises extreme caution during fabricating and shipping operations to insure that all panel stock is kept dry. However, due to climatic conditions, water formed by condensation of humid air can become trapped between stacked sheets. Water can also be trapped between the stacked sheets when exposed to rain. This discoloration caused by trapped moisture is often called wet storage stain.

The stain is usually superficial and has little effect on the appearance or service life of the panels as long as it is not permitted to remain on the panels. However, moisture in contact with the surface of the panels over an extended period can severely attack the finish and reduce the effective service life. Therefore, it is imperative that all panels be inspected for moisture upon receipt of the order. If moisture is present, dry the panels at once and store in a dry, warm place.

CAUTION: Care should always be taken when walking on panels. Use safety lines and nets when necessary! Panels are slippery. Oil or wax applied to the roof and wall panels for protection against weather damage will make them a very slippery surface. Wipe dry any oil that has puddled from bundles stored on a slope. Dew, frost, or other forms of moisture greatly increase the slipperiness of the panels. Always assume panel surface is slippery and act accordingly. Think safety!!

Use wood blocking to elevate and slope the panels in a manner that will allow moisture to drain. Wood blocking placed between bundles will provide additional air circulation. Cover the stacked bundles with a tarp or plastic cover leaving enough opening at the bottom for air to circulate.

DRAINAGE

AIR CIRCULATIONS: When handling or uncrating the panels, lift, rather than slide, them apart. Burred edges may scratch the coated surfaces when sheets are slid over one another. Never allow panels to be walked on while on the ground.

Rough and improper handling of a panel is inexcusable and a prime example of poor job supervision.

NOTE : Use gloves when handling metal panels to prevent hand injuries. Be aware, of the dangers of handling panels on a windy day. A large panel can catch enough wind to knock a worker off his feet, even at ground levelof the steel building!! Safety first!

General Note:

Oil canning of panels is not a cause of rejection.

Extreme care must be exercised during the erection and trims foot,foot traffic may result in permanent pan finish abrasion.