Although there are all sorts of repurposing ideas that people have for wooden pallets, these items are still mostly utilised within industrial settings, primarily for conducting deliveries of goods. These days, you will see pallets being broken up to use as fence panels, to make garden furniture or even for firewood. However, wooden pallets should only be recycled in these sorts of ways once they have come to the end of their working lives.

In many cases, pallets can be used for years to store items on and to be loaded onto delivery trucks. Of course, over time, they deteriorate — like anything else that is used in industry — but that does not mean that, with the right level of care, they cannot continue to provide exceptional levels of quality. What do you need to know about their use today?

Industry-Focussed Pallets

In many cases, a new wooden pallet will go into service within a certain industrial sector and continue to stay within it for years. Though, some are used for general deliveries and can go in and out the warehouses of a number of different business types. Some are only used within manufacturing businesses, for example, employed to take items back and forth between a supplier and a factory. Anyone who is seeking used wooden pallets should pay attention to the use they have been used for previously. Some, for example, they may have been used to convey pesticides or other hazardous material repeatedly. If so, these should be avoided by firms in certain sectors, such as the food processing industry.

Dry Deliveries

Some wooden pallets are used to transport wet items, such as vats of oil or even bottles of wine. In such cases, they can become damaged from spillages. Although some wooden pallets are heat-treated to resist fluids, not all are. Therefore, if you are inspecting pallets for delivering manufactured goods, check them for any stains which may be a sign of damage from liquid spillages. In some cases, spills which have never dried out fully can lead to mould, which makes them unpleasant to handle. Purchase new ones if these are the only second-hand option around.

Handling Advice

Although high-quality pallets are often made to a high specification, not all are. Used ones may have superficial damage which can also impact on handling. This means that you can experience splintered sections of wood, in some cases, as well as nails that might be sticking out. As such, manual handling of pallets should always be undertaken with care. In most cases, operatives should wear gloves or used specialist handling tools, such as pallet trolleys. Look for wooden pallets you could use.