WOOD PALLET SAFETY
Working around pallets can present hazards for both workers and the environment.
Workers can suffer cuts and abrasions from pallets in disrepair, and unstable pallets can break, dropping freight and causing potential damage to equipment and injury to workers.
Follow these tips for working safely with pallets:
- Inspect every pallet for any defects such as loose nails, splinters, cracks or weaknesses. Discard or repair any pallet that is not in good working order.
- When not in use, properly store pallets, stacking them in flat, stable piles no higher than 4 feet.
- Make sure pallets are loaded with even weight distribution, and do not exceed maximum weight capacity when loading or stacking.
- Keep pallets clear of areas that may need to be accessed, such as doorways, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, emergency equipment and switch boxes.
- Do not drop or bang pallets on floor.
- Be cautious when lifting – if necessary, use two employees for heavy loads to reduce the risk of strain and ensure proper weight distribution.
- Avoid walking over pallets.
- Always be sure to use appropriate personal protective equipment.
Ever wonder what those strange markings are on a Pallet or Shipping Crate?
Those are ISPM markings….. what is ISPM 15 you ask?
ISPM 15, is the acronym for International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures #15. It was created by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), which is a part of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization. The measure states all wood packaging made of softwood or hardwood species must be treated. It requires packaging that has been treated to carry a special mark to certify it as such. The treatment could be for each individual piece or the completed packaging and the method of treatment could be either via heat treatment (designated by the HT below) or fumigation.
Untreated lumber poses a risk of carrying harmful plant pests. ISPM15 was developed to reduce the risk of transferring those pests across international borders. For example, America and Canada have a microscopic pest, called the Pinewood Nematode that is hazardous to the trees of other continents. China has the Asian Longhorn Beetle that is hazardous to native trees in the United States and Canada.
ISPM 15 attempts to limit or reduce the chances of such pests being transferred from country to country. Since wood packaging (boxes, pallets, crates, dunnage) is typically made from the lowest grade of lumber, the instances of pests is often higher due to the presence of bark.