The average lifespan of a wooden pallet is about three to four years. However, this does not account for the multiple repairs you require along the way.
It is how we can accurately predict pallet life expectancy. Each pallet will have a different impact on the damage. So no two pallets are the same while transporting and being exposed to the elements.
Business owners and warehouse managers can only give advice to treat wooden pallets as vital machinery.
Repair them immediately if there is damage.
Recycle the pallet if they are not up to the job.
Usually, you cannot control everything.
You can rely on the efforts to maintain the pallets durable and functional.
In today’s post, we will advise on how to reuse pallets for more cost-effective solutions and increase their shelf life.
1. Provide Proper Training And Pallet Handling Technique To The Employees:
Pallet damage often results from human error and the pressure to act swiftly.
You may minimize pallet damage by instructing staff to load and manage pallets correctly.
The lifespan of wood pallets will get extended as a result. Here is some advice that you can give to your staff.
Suggestions for handling pallets
You must never try to push or drag the pallets across the ground.
Fix the forklift to protect the leaderboard on the pallet. Try to move the pallets slowly.
Make sure the pallet jack and forklift tines get fully inserted before lifting.
Do not let pallets fall.
Do not step on pallets. If a stringer or block is applicable to reinforce a board on a pallet, avoid stepping on it.
Pallets should not be stacked more than four to six feet high. It makes them manageable and stops them from toppling over and inflicting harm.
Pallets in a standardized way. Stacks that are straighter are less prone to fall over.
Pallets shouldn’t have a position on their sides. They might easily fall over, harming the pallet.
Verify the load capacity before shipping pallets.
2. Regularly fix wooden pallets
It is crucial to emphasize that you should not use broken pallets for long because they present a safety risk. However, you are not required to discard broken pallets.
You can repair a small portion of the pallet at the price of new ones.
For best performance, inspect your pallets frequently, and make it a point to have any damage fixed as soon as it got discovered. By doing this, they will have the most prolonged potential lifespan.
You don’t have to discard the damaged pallets. Use what works instead, and repair the rest.
Broken boards can be reinforced with new stringers and replaced. It produces pallets that are new and will last many years.
3. You might want to use treated pallets.
Even though treated pallets might cost more upfront, you might save money overall.
Untreated pallets are more susceptible to being degraded by moisture, unhealthy weather, and insects, which will shorten their lifespan. Virginia Tech researchers found that employing air-dried material rather than green lumber results in a 43 percent increase in durability.
4. Participate in a pallet recovery program
A closed-loop system called a pallet recovery, repair, and return program enables you to reduce expenses and increase the lifespan of your pallets by doing routine pallet repairs.
Many organizations offer pallet recovery programs. It will enable you to reuse the same pallet three to four times for up to eight years. It is roughly twice as long as the typical wood pallet lifespan.
5. Select the Appropriate Pallet Design
Before buying, ensure the pallets support easy transportation. The pallets need to offer the best services to transport the merchandise you intend to.
Pallets with specific manufacturing are applicable to transport big objects, oddly shaped objects, etc. While regular pallet sizes might be appropriate, talk to your pallet provider to see whether bespoke pallets would be a better choice.
6. Design of wooden pallets
The ideal pallet supplier will employ the Pallet Design System (PDS), which can identify the pallet design that best suits your items.
It will guarantee that your pallets are robust enough for their load.
The PDS structural analysis and safe load estimates, which may be found on the NWPCA website, “reduce concerns over human health and safety, and decrease or eliminate product damage that can occur from inadequate pallet strength, stiffness, or durability.”
7. Put quality first
When buying pallets, it can be tempting to pay less upfront, but this is one sector where the adage “You get what you pay for” is undoubtedly applicable. Poorly built pallets are more likely to sag under weight and endure less time than well-crafted pallets.
Therefore, buy a quality pallet from the best to receive the most value. It will lessen the need to replace inexpensive pallets with a limited lifespan.
Summary:
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