You will find any efficient warehouse stacked with pallets, they play a huge role in the moving and stacking of goods in a warehouse and play a fundamental role in the whole distribution process, without them, the fact is, the system would break down.
Warehouse distribution processes can be hugely affected when pallets are not treated with the necessary care required – when used with forklift trucks the pallet forms part of the machines lifting mechanism – if the pallet is in poor condition, this could have a dangerous, even fatal, outcome. So, to reduce risk it is important that your warehouse pallets are checked and stored properly and that employees follow simple best practice guidelines on usage and care.
Most common pallet accidents:
- Poor pallet handling
- Falling stacks caused by unstable or unsafe stacking
- Mixing UK pallets with European pallets that are generally smaller
- Use of old/damaged pallets
- Using pallets not suited to a particular load, handling or storage method
By following the pallet care advice below it will ensure your operations are more efficient, safer and more productive:
Warehouse pallet care.
Old or damaged pallets are a very common source of accidents within a warehouse, they are a general hazard and especially dangerous to forklift truck operators and colleagues working in close proximity to the trucks – as mentioned above. So, make sure all old or damaged pallets are removed from the warehouse and replaced with new, stronger pallets.
General rules with stacking – your load height should not exceed the longest base dimension of the pallet. You can improve the stability of the stack by wrapping with shrink or stretch wrap, minimising movement.
Pallet types and stacking guides.
Different goods require different types of pallets for storage and it is important for employees to be aware of the types of pallets used to store different types of goods and how they should be handled and stored.
A pallet designed to store very light goods is not suitable for transporting a concentrated load, such as an internal combustion engine. When these pallets are stacked employees need to consider the load on the bottom of the pallet and the capacity of the baseboards of the pallets when spreading the load. This ensures the payload does not distort over time and make the stack unstable.
Choosing the right pallet for your load is highly important, the weight and distribution of the load whether it is even or concentrated in a particular area will affect the choice of pallet used. Risks don’t just occur when working at height, so ensuring your pallets are loaded correctly and efficiently to reduce potential injuries to truck operators. It is vital that all staff whether workers of trucks or hand-operated pallet or pump trucks are trained efficiently.
Legislation.
The use of work equipment involved in pallet handling is covered by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). This states that equipment must be “constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided”, as well as meeting inspection and maintenance requirements.
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 also requires businesses to produce risk assessments that are specific to the working environment and the equipment and loads in question. A risk assessment must be provided and must include the risks and hazards associated with moving and stacking pallets in the workplace.
