How to Handle Pallets

Pallets have myriad purposes, ranging from storage use to makeshift building materials for structures such as a low fence. If you do not handle the pallets properly, however, you may damage them or sustain injuries. Rain-soaked planks may collapse under too much weight, rough wood can result in splinters and you can run into serious health problems if you snag your skin on a rusty protruding nail.

Things You'll Need

• Work gloves
• Tarp
• Wood

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Instructions

• 1

  Don a pair of sturdy work gloves whenever you need to transport a pallet by hand. This helps shield your hands from splinters and nails. Wear a long-sleeved shirt to protect your arms.

• 2

  Stand the pallet on its side, but do not lift it completely off the ground. Firmly grasp the horizontal wooden slats (one in each hand), and slide the pallet to its new location. Avoid lifting the pallet, or you may strain your back.

• 3

  Lay the pallet down once you have moved it to the new location. Do not leave it standing on its side, or it may fall and cause damage. You can stack the pallets one on top of another, but for safety, do not exceed eight pallets per stack.

• 4

  Drive any loose nails back into the pallet. If the protruding nail looks old, pull it out and replace it with a new one. Replace worn-out planks of wood with sturdy ones.

• 5

  Cover the pallets with a tarp if there is moisture in the area. Water is a pallet's worst enemy, and it will quickly wear away its strength.

• 6

  Avoid walking on the pallets. Pallets regularly bear weight if used in traditional manner, but it is not a good idea to add more weight than is necessary. If you can just as easily scoot around the pallet as walk on it, take the safer route.