The Acme Warehouse Company received a consignment of 20' lengths of 3" diameter stainless steel pipes. Acme had never handled pipe as part of their warehousing operation. The forklift truck operator assigned to this job used the truck's forks as a ram to load, handle, and unload the pipe. Inspection of the pipe by the owners revealed that the forks were bending and damaging the pipe.

Question:

Suggest several alternative methods for eliminating the problem of pipe damage. From a cost and ease in application standpoint, select one alternative solution for adoption.