Pallet Wrapping 101 – Pallet Packing, OSHA, Safety & More! | Apex Safety Spotlight

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Stretch Your Warehouse Safety Dollar with Proper Pallet Wrap Guidelines & Enforcement

While holiday music may be playing in the background, wrapping isn’t a seasonal activity for most warehouse facilities. In fact, pallet wrapping is an all-year-round activity and a critical component of warehouse safety. Pallet wrapping secures otherwise loose items onto a pallet to protect the inventory from damage and your workers from injuries. In some facilities, pallet-wrapping machines handle the task; however, that isn’t always the case. Instead, it becomes a manual operation with the goal of ensuring a uniformly distributed and stable load –here’s how that works.

Load stability and uniform weight distribution across the pallet are crucial elements of safe palletizing and wrapping. The reason is simple –forklift operators must be able to safely secure the pallet onto the forks, lift it and place it into a pallet rack system, conveyor, truck, etc. If the load is point loaded, meaning that it’s unbalanced and heavier in one area, it could easily shift, causing it to fall or dislodge all or some of the contents. The following guidelines will help you secure your pallet loads and protect your workers in the process –however, if you are working with content known to shift, such as bagged or loose materials, follow the guidelines detailed in our companion blog Palletizing Bagged Inventory.

Pallet Wrapping 101 

  1. Good wrapping starts with good stacking. Stack inventory without gaps as much as possible and use slip sheets between layers to help prevent shifting. Start with larger and heavier items on the bottom, and use a column-style stacking pattern where possible. Finish with lighter boxes at the top. Confirm your pallet load weight is within the pallet specifications. 
  2. Check the work area for hazards that could impede safe worker movement.
  3. Release about two feet of stretch wrap and thread it through the corner block of the pallet –knot it to secure it to the frame.
  4. Hold the wrap at both ends –without putting your hands inside the roll– and begin wrapping around the base of the pallet with a consistent, firm force while stretching the wrap. Make several passes (approx. 4), paying close attention that the corners are tight.
  5. Work your way up the pallet in overlapping layers –continue to apply force while stretching the wrap.
  6. When you get to the top, drag the wrap across the top and wrap around one corner. Repeat the process, alternating corners until the pallet is sufficiently covered.
  7. Cut the wrap and smooth the loose end to the pallet. Do not leave the wrap loose, as it can get caught in machinery and cause injuries and damage.
  8. Check the load for stability-contents should not shift if pushed against it; check the load’s top, middle, and bottom.

OSHA Safety Concerns for Pallet Wrapping

OSHA has identified several workplace injuries common to pallet wrapping. Implementing safe procedures and protective equipment can save your workers from painful injuries and your operation from downtime and worker’s compensation costs. 

According to OSHA, back injuries are sustained from bending and pulling the wrap using the required force. You can mitigate these concerns with an ergonomically supportive wrap dispenser, lift tables, and wrap products that require minimal force while applying.

Wrap Up Your Warehouse Safety Concerns

The Apex team has you covered, whether you need help optimizing your warehouse operations, designing or installing your pallet racking systems, or conducting safety inspections and training. We provide full-service support to our customers. 

Warehouse safety and productivity are our priorities, so we created the Apex Rack Repair App. It’s a free-to-download app that guides you through a rack damage inspection. With the app, you can quickly address rack incidents, assess damage severity, order a repair, and, ultimately, protect your team from harm.

Just follow the prompts on the app to scan and photograph the damaged area, capture the system specs with preloaded selections and upload your findings. The Apex PROs will promptly assess the damage and provide any next steps.

If you need a professional warehouse safety and pallet rack inspection, just give us a call. The Apex PROs will come to you to do that job and provide a comprehensive report detailing any concerns… and solutions! All our repair kits are independent and custom-fit to ensure the most cost-effective, long-term solution.

Give the Apex Rack Repair App a try today. You can find it on and in the App Store.