All About Pallets

Everything you need to know about those wonderful, wooden platforms...

When purchasing pallet racking, it is important to have an understanding of the products which you are looking to store and the vessels which they are stored in (or on, in the case of pallets) - for example: boxes, crates, pallets, etc. Pallet racking is suitable for storing pallets and crates of varying shapes and sizes, as well as carpet rolls, tyres and special products. This blog post will help you understand the variety of pallets available within industry, and the best ways to store them.

Q) What is a pallet?

A pallet is a flat transport structure that supports goods in a stable fashion whilst being lifted by a forklift, pallet truck or other jacking device. A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load which allows handling and storage efficiencies. There are various types of pallet, these include:

1) Euro Pallets (800mm x 1200mm)

These pallets have three supported slats which run the same way along the bottom of the pallet (see image below). When placing Euro Pallets on pallet racking, depending on which way they are loaded onto the racking, it can be difficult to ensure that they remain securely placed on top of the front and back beams. This can result in a health and safety risk.

If your company uses Euro Pallets, it might be worth investing in specialist racking accessories to ensure safe loading. Pallet support bars are ideal for placing along your beams to add a second section of support to your pallets. This means that when your fork lift operator is unloading a pallet onto the racking level, it will have double the support coming across the front and back of the pallet, as well as running along the centre.

2) Industrial Pallets (1000mm x 1200mm)

Industrial pallets are similar to Euro Pallets as, again, there are three supported slats which run the same way along the bottom of the pallet. These pallets tend to be bigger and therefore can support heavier loads, meaning the risk of them causing damage if they fall through the racking is increased. Again, we would suggest utilising pallet support bars.

3) Four-Way Entry Pallets (1000mm x 1200mm)

Probably the most popular (and not to mention most safe to store) is the four-way entry pallet. This is a non reversible, full perimeter based pallet which is supported both lengthways and width ways - thus reducing the need for pallet support bars. With this pallet type, you do not require any additional racking accessories. Hooray!

4) Post Pallets (Various Sizes)

Post pallets are difficult to store on standard racking (consisting solely of uprights and beams) as the forklift driver would be required to load the post pallet and ensure that all four corner posts are sat on a beam - not ideal, and certainly not easy to achieve! In this instance, post pallet channels are used which enable the posts to slide into the channels which run across the racking beams.

Want to know more about the best pallet racking to store your pallets on? Or perhaps you need help with designing a bespoke requirement for your warehouse? Call our office on 0845 017 8866 or drop us an email and we will help!