KENYA STANDARD       DKS 2657:202 2 
ICS 67.060  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Warehouse and wa rehousing for bagged 
storage of cereals and pulses —
Requirements   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    © KEBS 20 22 Second  Edition 2022  
 
  DKS 2657:20 22 
 
ii  KEBS 20 22— All rights reserved   
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRES ENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the Techni cal Committee:  
 
Ministry of Public Health and S anitation  
Government Chemist 's Department  
Kenya Institute of Food S cience and Technology  
Agriculture and Food Authority  
Warehousing Receipt Council  
Capwell Industries  
Kenya Associat ion of Manufacturers  
Kenya Livestock and Agricult ural Research O rganization  
Kenya Institute if Research and Development  
National Cereals and Produce Board  
Unga Ltd.  
East African Grain C ouncil  
Kenya Bu reau of S tandards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
 
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed.  Suggestions 
for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Ken ya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 20 22 
 
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130  of 2001  of the Laws of Kenya, copyright 
subsists in all Kenya Standards and exc ept a s provided under Section 25  of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of 
Standards may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any means without prior permission in  writing 
from the Managing Director . 
 KENYA STANDARD                                            DKS 2657:202 2 
                                                                                                                              ICS 67.060  
KEBS 20 22 — All rights reserved    iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Warehouse and wa rehousing for bagged 
storage of cereals and pulses —
Requirements   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BUREAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
Head Office: P.O. Box 549 74, Nairobi -00200, Tel.: (+254 020) 605490, 602350, Fax: (+254 020)  604031  
E-Mail: info@kebs.org, Web:http://www.kebs.org  
 
Coast Region     Lake Region    Rift Valley Region  
P.O. Box 99376, Mombasa -80100   P.O. Box 2949, Kisumu -40100        P.O. Box 2138, Nakuru -20100  
Tel.: (+254  041) 229563, 230939/40  Tel.: (+254 057) 23549, 22396        Tel.: (+254 051) 210553, 210555  
Fax: (+254  041) 229448    Fax: (+254 057) 21814  
 DKS 2657:20 22 
 
iv  KEBS 20 22— All rights reserved   
 
Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared  and revised  by the Cereals and Pulses  Technical Committee under the 
guidance of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya 
Bureau of Standards.  
 
Warehouses are intended for the storage and physical protection of grains from the weather, prevention of 
the entry of pests and security. They also include materials and equipment required for inspection, drying, 
screening, sorting, grading, packaging  and handling of bagged grain and storage pest control.  
 
The structure should be properly built to provide good storage conditions, easy access and safe working 
conditions, and should not provi de harbourage for pests.  
 
In general, the condition of grain changes slowly while in storage; the extent of any change depends on 
ambient conditions at harvest. Changes in moisture content and temperature are limited to the periphery of a 
bulk or to the ou ter bags of a stack, unless the storage period is prolonged or the grain is ventilated.  
 
Heavy infestations of insects, however, may cause a rise in temperature in the grain mass, possibly due to 
the development of fungi. Ideally, the warehouse should per mit some control of temperature and humidity, to 
keep the grain cool, dry and at a uniform temperature as much as possible.  
 
The objective of this standard is to provide guidance to industry regarding appropriate storage of cereals and 
pulses in order to r educe on the level of post -harvest losses incurred in these commodities.  
 
This standard as well will be invaluable in promoting the Structured Trading Systems (STS) in the region to 
promote both regional and International trade in cereals and pulses. The standard will play a major role in 
the implementation of the Warehouse Receipt System (WRS) and the Commodity Exchange in the region  
 
This second edition replaces the first e dition of KS 2657:2016  
 
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following documents  
 
ISO 6322 -1:198 1, Storage of cereal s and pulse — General consideration in keeping cereals . 
 
ISO 6322 -2:2000, Storage of cereals and pulse  — Practical recommendations . 
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assis tance derived from these sources . 
 
  
KENYA STANDARD             DKS 2657:202 2 
 
 
KEBS 2016 — All rights reserved    1  
 
Warehouse and w arehousing for bagged sto rage  of cereals and pulses 
— Requirements    
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This Draft  Kenya Standard covers the location, structural, facility, safety and management requirements for 
a warehouse  for storing bagged cereals and pulses.  
 
This standard applies to public warehouse s, private c ommercial warehouses, bonded storage, cooperative 
warehouses and distribution centers .  
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
referen ces, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
ISO 6322 -3, Storage of cereals and pulses  — Control of attack by vertebrate and invertebrate animals  
 
3 Terms an d definitions  
 
For the purpose of this standard, the following te rms and definitions shall apply.  
 
3.1 
warehouse  
building for storage of grains meant for trade, exchange and food security programmes  
 
3.2 
Pallet/ spacers/ dunnages  
wooden, plastic or any oth er suitable frames used on concrete floors for stacking bags to prevent direct 
contact between the grains and the floor  
 
3.3 
competent authority  
any person or organization that has the legally delegated or invested authority, capacit y, or power to perform 
a designated function  
 
3.4 
warehousing  
performance of administrative and physical functions associated with storage of grains. These functions 
include cleaning and maintenance of a warehouse, inspection, drying, screening, sorting and grading of 
grains, st acking, pests prevention and control, records keeping and any other activity necessary to store 
grains safely.   
2  KEBS 20 22— All rights reserved   
3.5 
 defective grains  
 grains which are pest damaged, discolored , stained, rotten and diseased, immature and shriveled  grains 
and broken grain  
 
3.6 
 foreign matter   
all organic and inorganic material  
 
3.7  
organic matter  
any animal or plant matter (seed coats, straws, weeds) other than rice, damaged rice, other grains, inorganic 
extraneous matter and harmful/toxic seeds  
 
3.8. 
 inorganic matter  
stones, glass, pieces of soil and other mineral matter  
 
3.9  
non- food uses  
 Uses such as fuel and industrial  
 
3.10  
dusting   
 Application of  dry, finely powdered  pesticides  which may be  mixed with an inert carrier and applied with 
some type of blower  
 
 
4. Requirements  
 
4.1 Location  
Consideration shall be given to potential sources of contamination fro m the local environment  and the 
surrounding areas  
 
4.1.1 The location of a warehouse shall be authorized b y the  competent authority (ies) .  
4.1.2 The site shall be located at relatively high elevation to avoid water logging and safe from natural 
flooding calamities.  The topography of the location shall he in such a way that i t is elevated and should be 
well drained to avoid water logging  and natural flooding calamities  
 
4.1.3 The warehouse shall be accessible by road  and /or rail 
 
4.1.4 The warehouse shall have access to  clean water, communication facilities and power supply . 
 
4.1.5 The warehouse shall not be near any facility where the danger of fire is constantly present  
 
4.1.6 Warehouses near public facilities shall take necessary measures to mitigate the effects of their 
operations to the surroundings.  
 
4.1.7 There should be ample space to facilitate movement and parking of transport.  
 DKS 2657:2021  
KEBS 20 22 — All rights reserved    3 4.2 Structural requirements  
 
4.2.1  General  
 
4.2.1.1 The construction and building materials shall conform to the National Building Regulations and 
relev ant s tandards . 
  
4.2.1.1 . 2 The warehouse shall be designed constructed and maintained in a manner appropriate to the 
nature of the operations to be carried out, hazards associated with those operations and the potential 
sources of contamination  from the  environs  
 
4.2.1.1.3 The material shall be durable, nontoxic , wind and water tight.  
 
4.2.2  Orientation  
 
4.2.2 .1  The orientation of the warehouse shall be such that radiant heat gain from the sun is minimal.  
 
4.2.3 Founda tion 
 
The foundations shall be of adequate strength to take the weight of the building and of the grain filling, and 
should be termite proofed . 
 
4.2.4  Floor  
 
4.2.4.1 The floor shall be adequately strong and capable of withstanding heavy loads and vibr ations . 
 
4.2.4.2 The floor shall be elevated or constructed higher than the existing ground.  
 
4.2.4.3 The wall floor junction should be rounded to facilitate cleaning  
 
4.2.4.4 The floor shall be smooth,  easy to clean and  resistant to the cleaning  system applied  
 
4.2.4.5 The floor should be designed to avoid standing water  
 
4.2.4.6 The floor shall be free from cracks  and crevices  where moisture from the ground may affect the 
stored grains  or can  habour pests .  
 
4.2.5 Walls  
 
4.2.5.1 The internal surfaces of the walls shall be smooth , free from projections to eliminate dust -laden 
surfaces,  and  facilitate cleaning of the store  
 
4.2.5.2 The junction between walls and roof shall be well sealed in order avoid birds and rodents to access 
the store rooms .  
5.4.3  A water/damp -proof barrier shall be incorporated into the base of the walls. Water proofing 
compound may be incorp orated during the plastering and finishing of the walls.  
 
4.2.5.4    The walls  shall be free from cracks  and crevices  where moisture from the walls may affect the 
stored grains  or can habour  pests  
 
4.2.5.5 The internal surfaces of the walls should be painted using a bright colour for easy spotting of pests   
4  KEBS 20 22— All rights reserved   
 
4.2.6  Roofs  
 
4.2.6 .1 Roof design shall be in a way that facilitates pest control and other stock management procedures.  
 
4.2.6. .2  The roof shall be designed so as not to provide harbo urage for insects and mites. An internal ceiling 
is not advised, as it may provide harbourage for predators.  
 
4.2.6 .3 Internal pillars  within  the warehouse supporting roof frames should be avoided as much as 
practicable  as it affects warehouse opera tions  
 
4.2.6 .4 Roof shall be provided with the necessary lateral and vertical wind brace to resist forces due to 
strong winds and earthquakes . 
 
4.2.6.5  The roof covering materials shall be reflective and keep the warehouse dry . 
4.2.6.6  The inclination of the roofs shall be sufficient to drain rainwater quickly, taking into account that the 
water may be forced up by the wind.  
 
4.2.6.7  Roofs shall be watertight and gulleys kept clear of debris and leaves . 
 
4.2.6 .8 The roof shall be a  good thermal insulator, not affected by condensation, and give protection against 
attack by pests and moulds .  
 
4.2.6.9  Roofs with cyclones and ventilation fans shall ensure  that the condensed water is drained properly  
 
4.2.6.10 The roof ing materials  shall be designed to ensure proper temperature  controls in the warehouse   
. 
4.2.6. 11 Rainwater drainpipes shall not lesser than 90 mm in diameter.    
 
4.2.6.12 All drain pipes from roof gutters shall be external, wel l fitted , firmly fixed and protected  from 
damage  and shall have mesh baffles fitted inside their open ends  . 
 
 
4.2.7  Doors  
 
4.2.7 .1 The number of doors shall be determined by the frequency of access to the stored product . 
 
4.2.7 .2 The door  shall fit tightly  to ensure pest  control and fumigation . 
 
4.2.7 .3 The door shall be made of  food grade steel  or any other material with similar properties . If it is made 
of timber, the lower part of both the door and the frame should be co vered by a  steel strip  or any other 
material with similar properties , protecting them against attack by rodents . 
 
4.2.7 4 The door shall be provided with a secure locking system.  
 
4.2.7 .5 The size of the entrance shall depend on loading and unloadi ng operations and shall be not less 
than 2.5 -m wide and 2.5 -m high.  
 
4.2.8   Ventilation  
 DKS 2657:2021  
KEBS 20 22 — All rights reserved    5 4.2.8  .1  Vents shall be provided near the floor level in the wall  and  at the top of the walls near the grid line  
or  any other method of aeration that is  suitable . A suitable meshed ventilation duct should be placed in 
each gable so that warm air accumulating under the roof can escape  and to control the birds  
 
4.2.8  .2 Ventilation openings shall be fitted on the outside with anti -bird grills and on t he inside with pests 
screens, which will deter pests . 
 
4.2.8  .3 In addition to natural ventilation exhaust, fans may be introduced for forced ventilation . 
 
4.2.8  .4  Windows should be kept to a minimum or avoided. They should be le ft open as little as possible. 
Windows shall be protected by mesh grilles to keep birds out when the windows are open . 
 
4.2.9   Illuminations  
 
4.2.9  .1 Illuminations inside the warehouse shall be sufficient with  lights not being  too bright or too dim  
 
4.2.9  .2 Artificial lighting is preferable for the interior of the wareho use, where natural  lighting is used. , it 
shall be aligned along the corridors and not  directly above the grain stacks.  
 
4.2.10  Fence  
 
4.2.10 .1The site of the warehouse shall be secured against the unauthorized entry of person s and animals.  
 
4.2.10 .2 Gates shall be adequate for their purpose and wide enough to allow easy vehic le  access.  
 
 
 
4.3 Facility requirements  
 
There shall be annex rooms, separate from the grain storage areas and shall include the facilities for 
reception, offices, laboratory, equipment and chemical store, washrooms , changing  room and shower s. 
 
4.3.1  Office space and related facilities  
 
The office space shall be:  
 
a) easily accessible for staff and other visitors ; 
 
b)  clearly signposted;  
 
c)  well aerated;  
 
d)  safe and unobstructed; and  
 
e)  clean, naturally well -lit and s uitably furnished.  
 
 
 
 
 
  
6  KEBS 20 22— All rights reserved  4.3.2  Washrooms   
 
4.3.2.1 washrooms for male and female shall be separately provided in the premises of the warehouse.  
 
4.3.2.2 The floor of the washrooms  shall be non -absorbent, washable and non -slip materials.  
 
4.3.2.3 The wall  shall be constructed from non -absorbent, washable materials and shall be light colo ured, up 
to a minimum  height of 2 m  and they shall be smooth and without crevices and shall be easy to clean a nd 
disinfect.  
 
4.3.2.4 The washrooms shall be furnished with hand washing facilities . 
 
4.3.2.5 The number of washrooms shall be adequate for the number of employees. The number of 
washrooms may be determined using Tab le 1. 
 
Table 1 — Number of washrooms in Warehouse and warehousing for bagged storage of 
cereals and pulses  
 
SL No  Number of employees  Number of washrooms  
i) 1 – 15 1 
ii) 16 – 35 2 
iii) 36 – 55 3 
iv) 56 – 80 4 
v) 81 – 110 5 
vi) 111 – 150 6 
 
NOTE  Over 150 employees , one additional fixture for each additional 40 employees . 
 
 
 
4.3.3 Changing room s and shower s 
 
4.3.3.1 The warehouse shall provide suitable changing room and showers for workers . 
 
4.3.3.2 Changing rooms shall be furnished with labelled lockers.  
 
4.3.3.3 All cleaning materials shall be provided.  
 
 
4.3.4 Equipment store  
 
4.3.4.1 Equipment such as for fumigation, sampling, cleaning may be provided in the warehouse . Such 
equipment shall be appropriate ly stored and separate from the grain storage and chemical storage areas.  
 
4.3.4.2 The floor shall be non -absorbent and washable . 
 
 
4.3.5  Chemical store  
 
4.3.5.1 Chemicals such as pesticide, rodenticides, fumigants may be stored at the warehouse.  Such 
chemicals shall be stored in a separate room under lock and key .  DKS 2657:2021  
KEBS 20 22 — All rights reserved    7  
4.3.5.2 The chemical store shall be well ventilated  and the fumes  released should not be harmful to the 
environment  
4.3.5.2 Chemicals shall be clearly labelled for easy identification . 
 
4.3.5.3 The floor and the wall shall be easy to clean . 
 
4.3.5.4 Chemical store shall be clearly identified as such . 
 
4.3.6  Laboratory  
 
4.3.6.1 The warehouse shall be provided with laboratory for internal control.  
 
4.3.6. 2   The  laboratory should h ave an a djacent office for the lab  workers  
 
4.3.6.3; The laboratory shall have facilities to undertake basic tests such as moistu re content, organoleptic 
test, physical tests, aflatoxin screening and grading . 
 
4.3.6.4 The laboratory shall have suffic ient area for test to be conducted and eq uipment. These equipment 
may include moisture meters, sieves, aflatoxin screening kits, weighing balance.  
 
4.3.6.5 The laboratory equipment shall be calibrated,  
 
4.3.6.6 The laboratory shall be well aerated  
 
4.3.6.7 The floor and the wall shall be easy to clean . 
 
4.3.6.8  The testing area shall be sufficiently lit . 
 
 
4.4 Safety requirements   
 
4.4.1  The Warehouse and the warehouse site  shall have Warning signs or boards displayed in 
haza rdous/dangerous places   
 
4.4.2 Firefighting equipment in working condition (fire extinguishers, fire hydrants) shall be provided and 
be installed in a conspicuous and accessible location.  
 
4.4.3 There shall be provisions for  well-equipped  first aid fac ilities.  
 
4.4.4 Safety signs, fire exits, eyewash stations, shall be indicated  
 
  4.4 .5 Smoking zones (  where smoking is allowed) shall be clearly indicated  
 
 
 
4.5 Management requirements  
 
4.5.1  Cleaning and maintenance  
 
4.5.1.1 The buildings, eq uipment, utensils and all other physical facilities of the establishment, including 
drains, shall be maintained in good  and orderly condition.   
8  KEBS 20 22— All rights reserved   
5.4.1.2 The store shall be cleaned and treated prior to any storage operation.  
 
4.5.1.3 The store and environment of the warehouse shall be kept clean and shall be disinfected  /disinfested  
regularly to prevent insect and mites infestation . 
 
4.5.1.6 Changing facilities and washrooms  shall be kept clean . 
 
 
4.5.2 Waste disposal  
 
4.5.2.1. Waste  from sorting and screening shall be disposed in such  a way that does not harbour rodents 
and other pests.  
 
4.5.2.2. Waste from the warehouse shall be collected and disposed in environment ally  friendly manner.  
  
 
4.5.3  Inspection, drying,  screening, sorting and grading unfit materials  
 
Such operations shall be carried out in a clean and sanitary manner. Only clean, sound product shall be 
stored.  
 
4.5.3.1  Inspection  
 
4.5.3.1.1 The general appearance of the products shall be observed during the process of unloading; if the 
grains are moist, insect infested, insect damaged, or contain an unusual amount of dirt, debris or other 
foreign material.  
 
4.5.3.1.2 If the observations from sensory ana lysis do not allow taking the decision, a sample from the 
suspected lots shall be taken and accurate tests conducted before any acceptance of the lot.  
 
4.5.3.2  Drying  
 
4.5.3.2.1 If grains brought to the warehouse do not comply with maximum moisture cont ent stated in 
relevant East Africa n Standards, the grains shall be dried and moisture content reduced to the specified 
level.  
 
4.5.3.2.2 If heated air is used for moisture reduction, temperature and drying time shall be 
synchronized so that they do not re sult in adverse effect on the nutritional composition and quality of the 
grain in its intended use . 
 
4.5.3.2.3 If drying is done under the sun, drying should be held on  a clean environment on  clean   
drying sheets, preferably black. The grain sho uld be spread in a thin layer and raked  at intervals, to remove 
the moisture . 
  
4.5.3.2.4 Whatever the drying system, care shall be taken to avoid attack by  pests . 
 
 
 
 
4.5.3.3  Screening, sorting and grading  DKS 2657:2021  
KEBS 20 22 — All rights reserved    9  
Ungrade d grains shall be screened and sorted before being graded according to relevant East African 
Standards as soon as the y reach the warehouse . 
 
4.5.3.3.1 Grains shall be screened and/or aspirated to remove all   defective grains and foreign matter  
 
4.5.3.3.2 Screening shall be done in such a way that  the operation does not pollute the environment  
 
4.5.3.3.3 Sorting shall be done  before any grain treatment to ensure the removal of  all defective grains .   
 
4.5.3.3.4 Defective grains , shall be bagged separately and tagged as unsuitable for human consumption . 
 
4.5.3.3.5 Containers of defective grains shall be removed as soon as practicable from the warehousing area . 
 
 4.5.3.3.6  materials which carry the danger of contamination by mycotoxin s shall be diverted to non -food 
uses . 
 
4.5.4  Loading and unloading  
 
4.5.4.1 Loading and unloading may be done mechanically or manually.  
 
4.5.4.2 If manua l loading and unloading is used , the floor  should be 1 -m above the ground to permit easy 
loading or unloading into trucks at the sides of the warehouse.  
 
4.5.4.3 Loading and unloading shall not take place in open area when it is raining. A canopy should be 
constructed over every entry door to allow continuous lo ading and unloading even when it rains . 
 
4.5.5  Provision of pallets  
 
4.5.5.1 The spacers (pallets) /, dunnages shall be used to avoid the sacks being in  direct contact with the 
ground  
 
4.5.5.2 Spacers /pallets  should be of  standard manageable size,  and therefore easy to lift. They  shall be 
treated with pesticides and stacked neatly when not in use.  
 
4.5.6  Stacking  
 
While deciding the whereabouts of bag stacks the following shall be considered:  
 
a)  Bags of grains in eac h lot shall be stacked in basic patterns of cluster formation so that bags can be 
easily counted, and quality maintained;  
 
b)  Stacking around pillars shall be avoided, as this makes inspection and fumigation difficult,  and it can 
damage the building ; 
 
c)  The bag stack shall be built at least 1 m away from the walls of a store. This allows easy inspection, 
prevents moisture ingress from contact with the wall and facilitates fumigation treatments since a 
gastight sheet can be placed over all sides of the st ack; 
 
d)  Gangways leading to the doors shall be at least 1 -m wide to allow for proper inspection and 
spraying. An inspection walkway shal l always be left between stacks;   
10  KEBS 20 22— All rights reserved   
e)  The bag stack shall not be built too high and not closer than 1.5 m to the store  roof beams so that 
staff can work on top of stacks;  
 
f)  When using jute or sisal bags , the bag stack can be built to around 18 - 20 layers.  any higher then 
there is a risk to stability and it is difficult for sto rage workers.  (When  using polypropylene or plastic 
bags the stack heights must be lower as they are less stable than jute or sisal ) 
            The stacks should not cover the ventilations in the warehouse ; 
 
g)  The size of the stacks shall conform with fumigating sheets in situations where warehouses cannot 
be made airtight; and  
 
h)  Different commodities, of new and old consignments shoul d be placed in different stacks  i.e. 
separated in batches based also on the time of thei r reception in store, as far as the available space 
will allow.  
 
4.5.7  Pests prevention and control  
 
4.5.7.1 Pests can be prevented and controlled by  
 
a)  keeping grains in a modified atmosphere  
 
b)  spraying the floors and walls with pesticides ; 
 
c)  dusting of grains by pesticides ; and  
 
d)  fumigation . 
 
e)           Maintain the  walls and the floors free from cracks and crevices  
 
f)         The warehouse shall be kept clean  and tidy  both inside and outside for easy management and to 
keep away pests  
 
4.5.7.2 Where control is by fumigation , the following pr ovisions shall apply : 
 
a)  fumigants shall only be used by properly trained and authorized persons, who know the dangers and 
the necessary safeguards . 
 
b)  there shall be no human habitations within 100 m  of the planned fumigation; if there are, the 
arrang ements shall be made for people to be relocated during the treatment.   
 
c)  fumigated stacks shall be kept closed and post warning signs displayed until the gas concentration is 
at the safe level for human beings   
 
d)  the stacks shall be well covered  during fumigation and where  direct fumigation  is done there shall be 
no store imperfections, e.g. cracks in the floor, unfilled floor joints, roof leaks etc., which might 
jeopardize  the success of the fumigation.  
 
e)  at the end of the fumigation, warehouse shall be aerated carefully  according to the standard  
procedure  to minimize dangers . 
 DKS 2657:2021  
KEBS 20 22 — All rights reserved    11 4.5.7.3 The control of attacks by vertebrate and in vertebrate animals shall be done in accordance with ISO 
6322 -3. 
 
4.5.8  Structural management and maintenance  
 
4.5.8 .1. Floor cracks and crevices should be repaired as soon as possible  to prevent pests and moisture in 
the warehouse  
 
 
4.6 Record keeping  
 
Warehouse shall keep records of:  
 
a)  origin, history of and volume of each lot of cereals and/or pulses kept;  
 
b)  laboratory tests carried out;  
 
c)  names of chemicals used for pests control;  
 
d)  fumigation detailing the fumigant used, the date and me thod of fumigation, person or company  
carrying out the fumigation ; 
 
e)  names of employees and training undertaken;  
 
f)  authorization by Envi ronmental agency;  
 
g)  servicing a nd calibration of all equipment;  
 
h)  cleaning ; and  
 
i)  pest control detailing the pesticide used, the date and method of spray/dusting, person or company  
carrying out the pest control . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
12  KEBS 20 22— All rights reserved   
ANNEX 1  
INFO RMATIVE ANNEX  
CATEGORIES OF WAREHOUSES  
1. Private  Warehouses:  
These are owned and managed by the channe l suppliers (manufacturers/traders) and resellers and are used 
exclusively for their own distribution activities.  
Examples:  
(a) Warehouses constructed by farmers/producers near their fields/places of work.  
(b) Warehouses owned and managed by wholesalers an d retailers close to their selling centers.  
(c) Warehouses constructed by manufacturers near their production units.  
(d) Warehouses taken on rent by retail stores.  
(e) Retailers may have several regional warehouses to cater the needs of their stores.  
(f) W arehouses owned/leased by a wholesaler where it stores and distributes. Maintaining private 
warehouses involves fixed as well as variable costs. Examples of fixed costs are basically the investments 
made in terms of insurance, capital, interests and taxes.  The variable costs on the other hand, include 
maintenance costs and operating costs.  
Note: when these private warehouses  are used for commercial purposes, this standard shall apply  
2. Public Warehouses:  
These warehouses are owned by government and semi g overnment bodies and are made available to 
private firms to store goods on payment of rent. The public warehouses are usually set up to help small 
traders who are not in position to have their own warehouses due to financial constraints.  
Therefore, in orde r to promote trade and industry, central or state governments come forward to cater such 
storage needs of traders/retailers. Anyone can avail these facilities to solve its short -term distribution needs. 
Retailers sometimes due to increased sales even find their private warehouses insufficient if their facilities 
have reached capacity or if they are making a special, huge purchase of products for some reasons.  
3. Bonded Storage:  
These warehouses are owned, managed and controlled by government as well as priv ate agencies. Bonded 
warehouses are storage facility used to store imported goods for which import duty is still to be paid. The 
bonded warehouses run by private agencies have to obtain license from the government.  
In actual, this enables the government bo dies to hold control on private firms to pay their taxes on time. 
Without paying duties, importers cannot take over or open the goods. Globally, it has been seen that these 
warehouses are found near the ports and are usually owned by dock authorities. Bond ed warehouses are 
subject to two types of taxes: (a) Excise duty and (b) Custom duty.  
4. Co -operative Warehouses:  
These warehouses are owned, managed and controlled by co -operative societies. These societies provide 
storage facilities on the most economica l rates to their members only. The basic purpose to run such 
warehouses is not to earn profit but to help their members.  
5. Distribution Centres:  
This type of storage facility usually has large space, which enables fast movement of large quantities of 
stores for short period. While, on the other hand, conventional warehouses hold goods for long time, say 2 
months or 1 year.  DKS 2657:2021  
KEBS 20 22 — All rights reserved    13 These warehouses basically by nature, serve as points in the distribution system at which goods are 
procured from different suppliers a nd quickly transferred to various customers. These centers provide 
computerized control, which make movement of goods quick, fast and reliable.  
In order to minimize delivery time, these storage facilities are found close to transportation centers. In some 
cases, distribution centers handle the goods for less than a day period such as in case of fast foods or 
perishable products. Most of the goods enter in the early morning (dawn time) and is transferred/distributed 
by the evening time.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
14  KEBS 20 22— All rights reserved   
 
 
Annex II 
Informative annex  
competent Authorities  for approving building of warehouses  
 
1. Building permit  
It is issued by the City planning department of the county . Can also be issued by National Construction 
Authority  
 
2. Environmental permit  
 Given by National Environmental Managem ent Authority  
 
3. Occupancy Certificate  
Given by the municipal Authority upon completion of inspection of the building