Pallets are used at many job sites and companies every day. From shipping product out the door to moving items internally, pallets are part of our daily life.
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.
Please take a moment to review the following safety tips for working around palletized loads:
- Develop a pallet inspection program. Before you use a pallet, inspect it for cracks, weaknesses, and other damage. If you find damage, mark it unsafe for use until it is either fixed or thrown away. This can prevent a lot of potential problems;
- When loading a pallet, make sure the load is centered and not out of balance;
- If the pallet is holding several loose items, make sure the entire load is secured with shrink- wrap or banding;
- Exercise caution when stacking several pallets. Make sure the stack is not leaning because of weak or broken segments, which may cause the whole pile to fall over;
- Always know the load limit of the pallet jack or forklift you are using. Neither the pallets nor mechanical lifting devices should ever be overloaded;
- Load limits should also be established and marked on warehouse floors, balconies, mezzanines etc. Always comply with these limits; and
- Make sure your forklift has an overhead cage or screen to protect the driver from falling objects when merchandise is being stacked overhead.
Remember: Thinking ahead can save a lot of trouble. It is a waste of production time and effort to reload a pallet that has fallen. But, more importantly, an effective pallet/warehouse safety plan can prevent injuries and save lives!
SAFETY DOESN’T SLOW THE JOB DOWN…MISHAPS DO!
Download flyer: STOTW_936-Pallet-Safety Download Spanish flyer: STOTW_936-Pallet-Safety_esp
