The Leading Cause of Pallet-Related Incidents

Falling pallets, damaged pallets, and mishandling can all cause injury. However—and this may surprise you—none of these is the leading cause of pallet-related incidents. Instead, stacks of pallets are the culprit and pose the biggest risk. Why? The reason is quite simple: they obstruct sightlines.

In fact, more collisions and injury result from improperly stacked pallets. That’s because storing pallets in tall stacks creates blind spots. Navigating these obstacles is tricky and oftentimes causes workers to bump into each other, equipment, or objects on the warehouse floor. Towers of pallets can also block important signage, creating confusion or even danger in the event of an emergency. Furthermore, the higher the stack, the greater the likelihood that it may tip, which can lead to personal injury or property damage.

What can you do?

• Pallets stored indoors should be kept four feet below rafters throughout the warehouse or facility and stacks should never exceed 12 feet in height.
• Pallets stored outside should not exceed 16 feet in height and must be at least 50 feet away from combustible objects such as buildings and trees.
• Whether inside or out, sections of stacked pallets should be spaced 15 feet apart.
• To avoid accidents, employees should be properly trained in moving, handling, and storing pallets.
• For more information, please consult OSHA Regulations for stacking pallets.

Who can help:

Rose Pallet can come on site to your operation, assess your storage, and provide recommendations for optimizing the space while ensuring worker safety. Contact us today to set up a day and time that works for you.