Packaging a pallet correctly is important, it helps to ensure your cargo remains intact and arrives safely and securely at its destination. A pallet is a stable platform made from wood, plastic or metal. It is intended to make several small packages, heavy packages, or large bulky items easier to move with machinery like a fork lift or pallet jack. Stacking the packages incorrectly, or failing to secure or strap the packages or cargo to the pallet can result in injury to the handlers or damage to the cargo. Here are some tips to properly package your shipment.
When it comes to stacking multiple boxes on a pallet there are a few things to keep in mind, make sure the boxes you are using are sturdy, you don’t want them to crush under other boxes as we stack them. Make sure all item are properly placed inside the boxes and cushioned if needed. Now lets begin stacking, lets start with the largest and heaviest boxes and place them on the bottom, make sure all the boxes are against each other and evenly placed on the pallet. This way our pallet will stack nice and remain stable when on the ground. Then we place smaller and lighter packages on top of the larger boxes in a staggered formation, overlapping boxes will help keep the stack stable. Once we have all of our boxes on the pallet and our stack is solid, lets go ahead and apply some plastic wrap around our load, first start at the bottom of the pallet, hook the plastic wrap to the corner and stretch it around all four side of the pallet and bottom layer of boxes. Keep the plastic wrap tight as you wrap the base around five times, this will keep the packages solid. Continue to make your way up the stack pulling the wrap firmly around every turn. Remember, the tighter the wrap job the more secure your pallet will be.
Packaging your freight on a pallet
Packaging a pallet correctly also applies to large items, they need to be placed on the pallet for the best balance. Straps are used to secure large item and can also be plastic wrapped as well for added security, it will also help to keep moisture out as well. So just remember packaging a pallet correctly will keep the people who handle your pallet safe, and will also help to insure your cargo is shipped and delivered safely!
