Once you consider increasing your storage from a simple handstack to greater heights, the Fire Code regulates how and where the products may be stored. 

High Pile Storage is defined as the storage of combustible materials in closely packed piles or combustible materials on pallets, in racks, or on shelves where the top of storage is greater than 12 feet in height. Where required by the fire code official, high-piled combustible storage also includes certain high-hazard commodities, where the top of storage is greater than 6 feet in height.

Please view COMMODITY CLASSIFICATION for more information. 

If the area of High Pile Storage is over 500 square feet, a permit is required. These code regulations keep employees and businesses safe by minimizing hazards that arise from storing combustible materials in inappropriate ways.

High Pile Storage requires combustible materials to be stored in specific storage configurations like pallet racks, portable pallet racks, or in palletized and solid pile configurations. NFPA 13 determines the maximum storage height and fire sprinkler requirements for High Pile Storage.