STACK UP the Safety Benefits for Your CAROLINA WAREHOUSE with an EMPTY PALLET STACKING PLAN

read more

Optimize Floor Space & Reduce Hazards With A Pallet Stacking Plan

Worker and warehouse safety are top priorities for every North and South Carolina warehouse operator. While much focus is spent on equipment and pallet rack safety, it’s important to remember your pallets. You may have thousands of pallets streaming in and out of your facility, but if you have a stockpile of empties, that can create a safety hazard. A pallet stacking plan is easy to create and enforce and pays you back exponentially regarding warehouse safety. 

EMPTY PALLET STACKING TIPS

  • Stack only to a safe height
  • Lay pallets horizontally, not vertically
  • Create uniform stacks 
  • Only stack same-size pallets together
  • Discard or repair broken pallets
  • Avoid electrical panels, lighting, and ventilation units
  • Group in stacks of 4 with space between stacks
  • Consider stacking frames or racking for stability

Building a Pallet Stack – Safety First 

Start on a flat surface and position each pallet squarely on the pile. A misaligned pallet can cause instability in the stack and compromise safety. Set aside damaged pallets opting instead for recycling or repair. Damaged pallets can have comprised load capacity making them unavailable for palletizing and, if stacked, can pose a safety threat to your operation.

 If your workers are loading pallets by hand, they should: 

  • Work in pairs
  • Wear proper PPE
  • Adhere to OSHA lift guidelines
  • Never climb on pallet stacks

PALLET STACK HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS

There are several reference sources for empty pallet height restriction information; for example, the National Fire Prevention Agency (NFPA) states that idle pallet stacks should not be greater than 15’ high or 400 sq. ft. However, the supreme authority regarding empty pallet stacking may come from your insurance provider. While each carrier can have its own requirements, major insurance providers typically agree on the following:

  • Floor stacking – Wood pallet stacks should not surpass 6’ in height. If empty pallet stacks are taller than 6’, they should be protected by an automatic fire sprinkler system. Group pallet stacks in sets of 4, leaving a minimum of 8’ between groups.
  • Pallet rack stacking – Stacking empty pallets in remote and high-up spaces is a smart and easy way to free up floor space and enhance warehouse traffic flow. This storage solution also creates an opportunity to use empty pallet rack space or maximize over the dock door vertical space. Again, be sure proper fire suppression is in place.

LET APEX CAROLINA HELP YOU BUILD WAREHOUSE SAFETY

Apex Rack Repair Mobile App

Warehouse hazards are inevitable, but warehouse accidents are not. An empty pallet storage plan helps create better traffic flow and mitigate confusion and risk resulting in less risk to your team. Contact the Apex Carolina team today for an on-site consultation or Zoom call to get the ball rolling on your next warehousing project. 

We make it easy for our North Carolina and South Carolina customers –just One Call Does it All with Apex. 

Got Rack Damage? At Apex Carolina, we understand the importance of warehouse safety. That’s why we created a free tool Apex Rack Repair App, that puts the power of safety into the palm of your hand. The Rack Repair App helps you assess pallet rack damage to minimize further risk. The App prompts you through a pallet rack evaluation capturing all necessary data, including pictures. The Apex rack repair PROs evaluate your findings. If needed, we will supply an independent repair solution. Try the Free Rack Repair App today.