The storage Area must be free of moisture, dampen-chemicals, dirt and work traffic.
It must not be exposed to weld spatter or molten metal or falling heavy objects and cleared of any sharp objects or protrusion.
Cover the expansion joints/ its assembly with water proof / resistant sheets.
Do not remove desiccant / protective coating in the packing.Keep them through out the period of storage.
Do not stack Expansion Joints one above another.
Do not remove the shipping brackets before installation, they should remain in place.
Keep the Expansion joints on horizontal flat surface resting on weld end pipe or flange if not installed.
Do not place the Bellows element directly touching the ground. Do not keep the Expansion Joints on bare earth.
Consider the Bellows Expansion Joint as a highly engineered product and not a general commodity item.
Utmost care shall be given during storage of an Expansion Joint.
Check for possible damages during transit when an Expansion Joint is received at site.
Check for broken hardware, loose shipping bars, dents and scratches.
Check the container for Gaskets, Fasteners, Removable Liners and any other components which form a part of Expansion Joint assembly.
Lift the expansion Joint only with designated lifting lugs.
Do not use chains or any other handling devices directly on Bellows element or Bellows Cover.
Do not use Shipping bars (painted in yellow) to lift the Expansion Joint. They are not designed to lift the Expansion Joint.
Never lift an unrestrained Bellows / Expansion Joint. Doing so will result in damage and the unit will fail in service.
For Expansion Joints not provided with lifting lugs (less than 250 kgs.) the best lifting method should be evaluated at the time of installation.