But while pallets have long provided an ideal shipping platform for manufacturers and retailers, they have more recently been discovered by homeowners and others wanting a cheap or free source of wood for projects, firewood, etc. Unfortunately, this widespread use of pallets for unintended purposes has led to an alarming number of serious injuries.
This article will discuss the potential hazards associated with such non-commercial uses of pallets and how injuries can be avoided. We found more than 30,000 cases of visits to an emergency room for pallet-related injuries from 2014–2018. This suggests the need for a higher level of knowledge about pallet hazards and for caution when using them.
Pallets Background
With approximately 400 million new wooden pallets produced in the United States every year, and around 2 billion in use at any given time in the country, pallets are nearly ubiquitous in retail stores, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities. Wood pallets are a very sustainable type of packaging since they are easily recycled and repaired, and can be used multiple times. Essentially no trees are cut down to make new pallets; pallet stock typically comes from the lower-value parts of trees that are primarily harvested for dimensional lumber, millwork, etc.
Pallets made in the U.S. can contain either hardwoods or softwoods, and are made from a variety of different wood species such as pines from the South or oaks from Pennsylvania. If you are really lucky you might even see a pallet with tropical hardwoods!
There are two basic formats for wood pallets: the block pallet and the stringer pallet. Block pallets are generally much sturdier than stringer pallets, are designed to carry heavier loads and have a longer lifespan. A distinguishing factor with block pallets is the "block" of wood seen at each corner of the pallet. Stringer pallets are cheaper to make (using lower quality boards) and on average do not last as long (see photo below). Individuals are thus more likely to encounter broken stringer pallets that have been discarded or are being given away.
Typical Stringer Pallet
While pallets are designed and built to be a sturdy shipping platform, and can be repaired numerous times, they are often discarded after a few uses or when it is no longer economically viable to repair them (especially true of stringer pallets). Parts from these broken pallets are seen as an easy source of boards for projects or artwork, or as a source of firewood. Wood pallets that are still in good condition have become very popular on Pinterest, Instagram, and other social media sites, with an endless number of suggestions for how to use pallets or pallet parts as components in a wide variety of residential projects (like the pallet bed frame below).
Pallet bed frame
These unintended uses by homeowners can lead to a variety of injuries, some of which are quite serious. We recently conducted an investigation of non-occupational injuries that occur due to unintentional contact with pallets in order to better understand the hazards[1]. Results suggest there were an estimated 30,493 people who visited hospital emergency rooms for pallet-related injuries during the period from January 2014 to December 2018. Approximately 15% of those injuries were to patrons visiting a retail store, but the remainder occurred at locations such as homes or schools.
Hazards to Avoid When Using Pallets
As our results suggest, lots of people get hurt while using pallets for home projects and other unintended uses, so if you are going to use them, here are common hazards to avoid.
Many injuries occur when a pallet is being "deconstructed." Deconstructing a pallet involves taking apart the various boards by such means as pulling, cutting, or even smashing. Each of these methods can present its own hazards and extra care should be taken not to get hurt while prying apart or cutting off boards. We strongly recommend that you never kick or jump on a pallet in an attempt to break off parts.
Anyone attempting to deconstruct a wooden pallet should be aware that most pallets use specialized nails that are very difficult to pull out. Pallet nails generally have what is known as a "screw shank" which is designed to make pallets last longer but is much harder to remove without specialized equipment. These nails also make prying off boards especially challenging.
Discarded pallets often have broken deck boards and may also have protruding nails. Extra care should be taken when handling such pallets to avoid puncture wounds; use thick gloves and never stand on a pallet or jump on one in an attempt to break it up. Be especially wary of rusty nails that could cause injuries needing medical treatment.
Block pallets can be heavy and often tip the scales at 50 lbs or more. Many of the injuries we reviewed were caused by over-exertion; soft-tissue injuries such as back strains are often caused when someone attempts to lift and/or move a heavy pallet on their own. Many other injuries occurred to feet or ankles when a pallet was accidentally dropped or fell onto a foot. We suggest that everyone take precautions and use proper lifting techniques, and if possible ask someone for help when moving pallets.
Treated pallets are rare but are worthy of extra caution. A relatively small number of pallets are chemically treated to eliminate insects and parasites. Any pallet that is going to travel between countries must have a treatment stamp, even if no treatments have been applied (heat treatment is an option that causes no risks to humans). There are a few different chemical treatment types, some of which are no longer used, but you may still encounter an older pallet with one of these stamps. All stamps consist of a two-letter code which indicates the type of treatment applied; there are five possible treatment stamps commonly in use.
The treatment designation that you should be the most cautious of is "MB." This stands for Methyl Bromide. Pallets with an MB stamp have been treated with a highly toxic pesticide which can be necessary in certain regions of the world where there are pests that can't be eliminated by heat treatments. You should never use pallets with a MB stamp for any home project nor should they be burned. It is very unlikely that you would encounter a pallet treated with methyl bromide, but if you do see one it is best to avoid any contact.
You should assume that any painted pallet is owned by one of the large pallet rental companies. The most common colors seen in the U.S. are red (PECO) and blue (CHEP). These pallets are never discarded by their owners and it is technically illegal for them to be used in noncommercial applications. If you encounter a painted pallet you should not use it for personal purposes. But if you do obtain one, look for the toll-free number on the pallet so you can contact the owner for instructions to return it.
Recommendations
Here are a few basic recommendations to keep in mind when considering personal use of pallets:
- Never take pallets from a business without permission.
- Plastic pallets and crates are almost always the property of a company and should not be obtained for personal use.
- Be careful carrying pallets since they can be heavy and muscle strains are a common source of injury, as are foot injuries from dropping a pallet on oneself.
- The nails used to construct pallets are a special design and can be very difficult to remove. Extra care should be taken when trying to pull out nails from a pallet or pry apart boards.
- Be very careful using a saw to deconstruct a pallet; if the saw blade hits a nail you could suffer from a kick-back injury. Knots can also be dangerous, and some hardwood species, especially when wet, are difficult to saw through.
- Follow best practices for safety whenever using power equipment to deconstruct a pallet or when building items from pallets; this includes using proper PPE (personal protection equipment) such as eye protection and a mask to avoid breathing in wood dust when sawing or sanding.
- Never jump on or kick a pallet in an attempt to break it apart. This often results in lower extremity injuries such as cuts or twisted ankles.
- Given the unknowns regarding what a pallet may have been exposed to, we recommend not using pallet wood for cutting boards.
- Look for a stamp burned into the wood. Do not use pallets with an "MB" stamp for any purpose.
- Never burn any treated wood products, whether it be pallet parts or treated lumber.
Used pallets are widely available for little or no cost, and the wood in pallets can serve a variety of purposes. Whether it is the whole pallet, or just component parts, they have become popular choices for a wide variety of creative projects ranging from furniture to dog houses. Many DIY projects require the pallet to be cut into pieces or component parts, and this "deconstruction" phase is where accidents often occur.
Pallets may seem like simple combinations of wood and nails, but they are marvels of design and innovation. The fact that they are built to carry thousands of pounds of goods across the country or around the world reflects the strength of the materials used to build them. This strength can help to make cool and durable items such as wine racks, bed frames or compost bins, but it can also present a challenge when trying to dismantle a pallet from its original form.
Stay safe and avoid the common mistakes that can land you in the ER!
Acknowledgements
Funds to support this publication and the associated research came from the Nationwide Insurance Endowment for Ag Safety & Health
[1] See Michael, J.H. and S. Gorucu. 2020. "Non-occupational Injuries caused by Transport Packaging: residential and retail hazards". Journal of Safety Research, Vol 76, 9-15.
