A wrong or damaged pallet tips the load. Here are the main load carriers — EUR/EPAL pallet (800×1200 mm according to EN 13698-1), disposable and plastic pallets, half-/quarter pallets and cages — their dimensions and load capacities, when a pallet should be scrapped, and how you build a stable, secured load unit.
Introduction
The pallet is the load carrier's foundation: it lifts the goods off the floor, gives the forks room to go under, and keeps the load together as one unit. If you choose a pallet that is too weak or damaged for the goods — or stack the load unit poorly — it will tip during transport or in the rack. Therefore pallet and load unit knowledge is fundamental warehouse knowledge.
Pallet openings: 2-way and 4-way
A 2-way pallet can be taken with the forks from two opposite sides; a 4-way pallet has cutouts in the blocks so the forks can enter from all four sides. Pallet terminology is established in ISO 445, and the main dimensions for flat pallets for intercontinental material handling in ISO 6780. The EUR pallet is a 4-way pallet, which makes it flexible to handle in narrow aisles.
EUR/EPAL-pallen
The EUR pallet (EPAL 1) is the most widely used European flat pallet. It is made of wood, assembled with a fixed pattern of 78 special nails and manufactured to EPAL's Technical Regulations (the standard for 800 × 1200 mm wooden flat pallets is DS/EN 13698-1). The quality requirements are strict precisely because the pallet is reused and exchanged in a closed loop.
| Property | Value (EPAL 1) |
|---|---|
| Mål (L × B × H) | 1200 × 800 × 144 mm |
| Tare weight | ca. 25 kg |
| Safe working load | 1,500 kg |
| Static load (bottom pallet in stack on flat, solid floor) | at most 5,500 kg |
| Load in rack | not specified by EPAL — follow the rack's load sign |
Other load carriers
- 01One-way pallet ('INKA'/press pallet): lighter and cheaper, not designed for reuse or heavy loads — always check the bearing capacity before heavy goods.
- 02Plastic pallet: hygienic and weather-resistant, used in food and pharmaceutical; load capacity varies greatly by type.
- 03Half and quarter pallet (e.g. 800×600 and 600×400 mm): for displays and smaller shop units.
- 04Industrial/chemical pallet (1000×1200 mm): larger module sizes, used in many industries.
- 05Cage pallet/pallet cage: steel frame with base for loose or irregular goods; often stackable — check stacking weight and that sides are locked.
Discard damaged pallets
A pallet with damage is a safety risk, no matter how small it looks. Discard (take out of use) a pallet if:
- 01A board is missing, broken or so splintered that a nail head or nail protrudes.
- 02A block (the bearing «foot») is cracked or missing.
- 03The pallet is crooked, warped or clearly rotten/waterlogged.
- 04There is doubt that the pallet can bear the goods — so it is not used for that lift.
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