Which agency provides guidelines that girders and beams should be unloaded and stored upright and shored?

• A. OSHA
• B. AISC
• C. Caltrans
• D. ANSI

Answer: (C)

Handling and storage guidelines for large structural members are all about preventing damage and ensuring safe, accurate field connections. Caltrans—the California Department of Transportation—provides state-specific guidelines for how girders and beams should be unloaded, stored, and braced on projects. Their guidance calls for unloading methods that minimize impact and keeping these members stored upright with proper shoring or bracing. This upright, braced storage helps prevent bending, twisting, or end damage to long steel members and keeps bearing surfaces protected for any subsequent fit-up and installation.

OSHA covers general safety rules for handling and lifting, but it doesn’t prescribe the specific storage orientation for girders on California projects. AISC offers industry design and fabrication standards, and ANSI provides broader standards development, but the question points to the authoritative storage guidance tied to California state projects, which is provided by Caltrans.