Pallets are a fundamental part of warehouse and industrial life. They’re immensely helpful in allowing workers to move loads around in a safe and quick manner. Their use is so ubiquitous though that we often forget just how hazardous they can be when misused. Here are some important tips to keep in mind for safely using pallets.
Wood Pallet Safety Tips
- Before using a pallet, inspect its condition to make sure it can be safely stored with a heavy load.
- If the pallet has any cracked or broken pieces, you will need to buy a new pallet.
- Make sure the stringer is in good condition. Damaged stringers should be properly repaired with plugs or mending tape to ensure pallet safety.
- Check the pallet for any protruding nails or splinters of wood.
- If a pallet does not meet these safety conditions, the pallet must be immediately taken out of use until it is repaired or replaced.
- It is important to clean wood pallets regularly, especially when dealing with food. Global Pooling Systems recently released results of a survey that found E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella growing on wooden pallets. Keep this in mind when buying wood or plastic pallets.
Pallet Safety Tips when Loading
- Make sure the size of the pallets you are loading are compatible with the safety standards of your material handling equipment.
- A pallet’s load capacities must not be exceeded, especially when loading and unloading.
- Check your material handling equipment for its load capacity and loading specifications. You must not exceed the load capacity of your material handling equipment.
- Be aware that as the load center of a pallet increases, the lifting capacity of the handling equipment decreases.
Safe Pallet Use and Handling
- Gloves are required when handling wood pallets.
- The safest way to move a pallet is to stand it on its edge and slide it across the floor. Be sure to never leave or store a pallet on its side or on its end. Pallets stored this way can fall and cause injury.
- Never throw a pallet for any reason.
- Never walk on top of pallets.
- Be sure to separate any unsafe pallets from those ready for use.
- Avoid manually stacking high numbers of pallets. Use a forklift or other handling equipment to stack pallets higher than 8.
Pallet Safety Conclusions
- Inspecting pallet safety on a daily basis will keep the workplace safe from injury and accident.
- Use common sense when handling pallets. Be sure to stack pallets properly and do not exceed load limits.
- It is important that everyone who handles pallets understands and practices pallet safety.
Premier Handling Solutions offers pallets to meet all your warehouse and material handling equipment needs: