In brief
- Write the delivery date, supplier and batch number on each stack as it arrives, so a later problem can be traced to one load.
- Keep a cement register beside the store door and record every issue, so bag counts and batch marks match the physical stock.
- Test certificates are only useful when the batch number on the paper matches the batch mark on the bag.
Contents
A bag of cement with no batch mark cannot be traced. Write the supplier, delivery date and batch number on every stack when it arrives, then record each bag pulled from the store in a cement register. When a pour cracks or a cube fails, those marks tie the result to one load, one store position and one supplier, and give the engineer something to act on.
Why does a cement bag need a batch mark?
A batch mark is the only link between a bag on site and the supplier's test certificate. Cement from different production runs can behave differently, and a certificate that names a batch proves nothing if the bags in the store cannot be matched to it. The mark makes that match possible.
Ask the supplier for a delivery note that states the batch number and the production date, and keep the note with the certificate. Check the batch printed on the bag against the note before the load is unloaded. If the numbers do not match, hold the load apart and ask the supplier to explain before it goes into the store.
This matters most where more than one brand or load sits in the same store. Two stacks that look identical can carry different cement, and once the bags are mixed the trail is gone. The materials section covers the wider file, and the How do you check a supplier's test certificate in Somaliland? article sets out what a usable certificate should show.
How do you mark a stack so it can be traced later?
Mark the stack, not the individual bag. Paint or chalk a board at the head of each stack with the supplier, batch number and delivery date, and stack bags so the head board stays visible. Add a second board if a stack holds two loads.
Number each stack position, such as A1, A2, B1, so the register can name where a bag sat. Note the position on the delivery sheet. Bags drawn from position A1 then carry A1 in the register, and a failed cube traced back to A1 points to one load rather than the whole store.
Keep the oldest cement at the front and issue it first. Label the front row as the next to go. Cement stored too long can take up lumps and lose strength, and a first-in, first-out rule with marked positions shows which bags have been waiting. Confirm storage limits against the manufacturer's advice on the bag and the project specification.
What goes in the cement register?
A cement register is a sheet beside the store door. Every delivery in and every issue out gets a line: date, supplier, batch number, number of bags, stack position, and the pour or element the bags went to. The person issuing signs, and the storekeeper signs.
Count bags at each issue and write the running total. A register whose balance no longer matches the stack count tells the storekeeper to stop and search before the next pour. That check catches bags moved to another stack, damaged bags and short deliveries before they reach the mixer.
The register also gives the engineer a way to trace a failed cube. If a cube taken from a column fails, the register names the batch, the stack position and the delivery date that fed that column. The engineer can then decide whether to test again, check cover, or look at the mix. The How do you keep cement bags dry in a Somaliland store? article covers the storage conditions that keep the marked stock usable.
The concrete calculator shows the bag count a pour should need for a given volume, so the register can be checked against planned use and any unexplained draw becomes visible.
What to do next
Buy a chalkboard and a ruled register book for the cement store this week. At the next delivery, write the supplier, batch number and date on the board, give the stack a position number, and open a register page with the same details. Ask the engineer to sign the first page so the format is agreed before the next pour.
Frequently asked questions
Who should keep the cement register?
The storekeeper keeps it and signs every issue. The site engineer checks the balance against the physical stack count at least once a week and signs the check.
What if the bag carries no batch number?
Hold the load apart and ask the supplier for a delivery note with the batch and production date. Do not mix unmarked bags into marked stock until the engineer decides how to handle them.
Sources
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Somaliland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.