Make Totes Last Longer

We all know that nothing lasts forever. Nonetheless, you can take several steps to preserve the tote containers your business relies upon to store and/or ship liquids and other items. Also known as intermediate bulk containers (IBC), IBC totes are ideal for storing various liquids such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food, and other compounds.

When taken care of properly, you can reuse your tote containers many more times than storage drums. As such, you should have a vested interest to ensure your tote lasts as long as possible. Read on to learn how you can make your totes last a long time.

Clean Your Tote Containers Properly

You can reuse tote containers several times. However, you should clean the container thoroughly in between uses. A thorough clean is an important step, especially when storing and/or transporting hazardous materials. The reuse process involves sending the empty tote containers are emptiers before they are sent to fillers. This process involves following a strict set of guidelines.

To classify an IBC as “empty,” it must be drip dry and free from solid material. In legal terms, if the container stored dangerous items, the empty container should not contain 3% or more by weight of the container’s capacity. For instance, if the IBC has a total capacity of 330-gallon, it should not hold more than 1 gallon of material to be legally considered empty. If the IBC container contains more than 3%, it can only be sent to the filler by the emptier.

Tote containers that store Acutely Toxic P-listed hazardous materials must be triple rinsed and drip-dried. Importantly, they must be certified for compliance before reuse.

Furthermore, all IBCs you send for emptying must be in a serviceable condition. You should also label them properly per the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. You must also include an MSDS sheet with every tote.

Contracting a professional company to thoroughly empty and clean your totes helps prevent the dreaded cross-contamination, improve your safety, and allow you to reuse the same container multiple times.

Prevent Damage

Environmental damage is detrimental to the structural integrity of tote containers. With this in mind, when you store liquids in totes in cold conditions, you should take steps to prevent liquids from freezing. Frozen liquids expand and crack the container. In most cases, the cracks that develop are micro-cracks that are nearly impossible to identify visually. Nonetheless, they compromise the structural integrity of the affected IBC.

Avoiding tore container freezing is an excellent way to prevent structural damage induced by freezing. You can avoid freezing by storing the totes in a heated facility. Alternatively, you can invest in heated blankets designed for keeping tote containers warm and preventing freezing.

Forklift Truck Bulk Container Shipping

Improper handling is another cause of tote damage. When moving IBCs, you should be mindful of the container’s valves. If you are a forklift, use the side without the discharge valve. Ensure the valve is shut and locked, and you’ve installed the second closure before filling the container. Doing so helps to prevent overfilling and spillage. When opening the container, always remove the lids slowly and carefully to release any pressure build-up in the container.

Businesses should ensure their entire team is adequately trained to handle and move the IBCs. Proper training goes a long way in helping to negate accidental damage. Additionally, train your team on the industry standards on how to inspect the container regularly visually. While the law requires you to test the tote containers periodically, they should watch for cracks, leaks, and corrosion.

Periodic Examination And Testing

For tote containers to DOT standards, they must be tested every 30 months. IBCs without a valid test certificate must not transport controlled products and goods. As such, owners of tote containers must run a program or regular inspections, thoroughly document all the test procedures, and record the results.

Every IBC’s external should be thoroughly examined after every two and half years. During this test, the container should be tested for cracks and other kinds of damage. Moreover, the totes’ leakproofness should also be tested. After that, each tank should bear the dates of the most recent test on the manufacture’s plate. You should use the retest certificate bearing the results.

You should also conduct a thickness test every five years and record the results.

Pallet Capacity With Diesel Fuel

Following a routine-testing schedule protects your investment in IBCs in both the short and long term. Scheduled testing also ensures your company remains compliant with DOT laws and regulations.

Tote containers are essential. You can use IBCs for the storage and transportation of a wide variety of materials. Importantly, when you take care of your containers well, you can reuse them severally. Reusing the containers improves business efficiency and cuts down environmental impact. When you follow the tips we’ve discussed above, you maximize the lifespan of your containers.