How to inspect used plastic pallets

To inspect a used plastic pallet, walk around it in four places: deck, corners, runners and fork pockets, then check marks and the rating. This is the same walk we do for every lot, written so you can repeat it with a tape and a flashlight.

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Tools: Tape, flashlight, flat floor
Walk: Deck, corners, runners, pockets
Then: Marks and rating
Time per pallet: A minute, once you know where to look

The walk-around, in order

Put the pallet on a flat floor. If it rocks, a foot, leg or runner is bent or broken.
Deck: run your hand over every rib or board. Cracks that reach an edge are a reject. Hairline cracks in the middle are a question.
Corners: fork-strike gouges are normal. A chipped corner that has lost a piece is not.
Runners: tip the pallet and look underneath. Scuffs are normal. Splits, deep gouges and flattened edges are rejects.
Fork pockets: look into each opening with a flashlight. Collapsed or scraped walls matter.
Marks: find any name, logo or tag. Photograph them.
Rating: read the deck plate, then find the maker's page.

What is normal and what is a reject

Part	Normal on a used pallet	Reject
Deck	Scuffs, faded colour, nest marks	Cracks to an edge, bow, missing piece
Corners	Fork-strike gouges on the surface	Chips that lose material, through-cracks
Runners	Floor and rack scuffing	Splits, deep gouges, flattening
Fork pockets	Light scrape marks	Collapsed or torn walls
Welds	Fine, if declared and counted	Undeclared, or on a load path for racking
Marks	Maker's raised logo or part number	An owner's name, logo or tag

Sampling a big lot

Do not inspect only the top of a stack. The bottom pallet carries the load and the middle ones hide the damage. Pull one pallet from each of several stacks, including the bottom, and tally what you find. A lot where one pallet in five fails the walk-around is a mixed lot, whatever the label says.

Bottom of the stack: look for bow
Middle: look at runners
Top: look for sun fade
Every stack: look for marks

Where the rating comes from

Pallet capacities are issued by the manufacturer from calculation and lab or field tests, and they assume an evenly distributed load. A used pallet is not retested by the walk-around. Nelson, a maker and reseller, advises consulting a pallet professional and sample testing before putting a pallet into use. That is good advice for racking, food and pharma.

A quick order for the walk-around

Begin with the top deck, then the corners, then the runners, then the fork pockets, and keep a count of faults at each. Pick three pallets from different stacks and run the same four checks on each. A fault at the same point on all three suggests a problem with the lot, and a fault on one only suggests an accident. Write down the counts. They are the start of a grade.

Equipment for a walk-around

Bring a tape measure, a torch, a pair of gloves, a notepad and a phone for photographs. Add a straight edge for checking deck flatness and a rag for wiping a suspicious stain. These cost little and turn an impression into a record. A buyer with a record can compare the next lot against this one.

On the receiving dock

Count stacks before pallets, then count the pallets in two stacks to confirm the tally.
Lay a tape across the deck and along the runners of three pallets from different stacks.
Look for pooled marks, bar codes and moulded owner names before anything is put away.
Sign for the count and note any shortfall on the delivery receipt in the driver's presence.
Photograph the stacks from both ends while the trailer doors are still open.

Paperwork to keep

The written lot description and the date it was sent.
Your own count, signed and dated by whoever received the load.
Photographs of stacks, plates and any marks, stored with the order number.
The maker's papers for resin, colour or rating, where the job needs them.
A line naming who agreed to which exceptions, so a later dispute has a record.

Walk-around checklist

The same four stops for every lot, in order. Tick each as you go.

1Deck: flat on the floor, no rocking, no cracks to an edge
2Corners: gouges only on the surface
3Runners: whole along their length
4Fork pockets: open and undistorted
Marks photographed
Rating read from the plate or sourced from the maker

Words used on this page

Welding repair: Plastic is hard to glue, so cracked parts are normally welded.
Pooling: Renting pallets from a company that owns, tracks and collects them instead of buying.
Racking load: Weight a pallet carries bridging an open span in unsupported racking. Often the lowest rating.
Runners: Bottom rails that touch the floor or rack and carry the load.
Fork pocket: Opening in the pallet where the forks go.

What the sources say

That Nelson model is under 5 in tall, which the page says suits air freight, and works with automation and most roller conveyors. nelsoncompany.com
Rehrig Pacific's 40 x 48 rackable pallet weighs 44.2 lb with a dynamic rating of 4,000 lb, static 10,000 lb and edge rack 2,000 lb. rehrigpacific.com
Resin identification codes do not indicate whether a product is recyclable; ASTM D7611 governs the coding. en.wikipedia.org
A used Nelson 48 x 40 x 6.3 in HDPE one-piece pallet weighs 49 lb with 30,000 lb static, 5,000 lb dynamic and 2,200 lb racking ratings. nelsoncompany.com

How a request works

Pick the footprint, then the grade you can live with.
Say what the pallets will carry and how many you need.
Read the written lot description that comes back.
Agree the lot before anything moves.

The four grades, in a line each

Like new. A few trips only. Clean, no cracks, no missing parts, deck and runners flat.
Used and clean. Many trips, scuffs and colour variation, but whole and usable for general-purpose or closed-loop work.
Repaired. A cracked or chipped part welded or swapped. Some designs use snap-lock parts for repair.
Mixed lot. Mixed makers, colours and sizes sold by the truckload, sorted by footprint.

Questions people ask

How do I inspect a used plastic pallet?

Check the deck, corners, runners and fork pockets in that order, then marks and the rating. The walk-around above is the same one we use.

What is the first thing to check?

Whether it sits flat. A rocking pallet has a broken or bent support.

Do I need to test the load?

For racking, food or pharma, consult a pallet professional and sample-test before use.

Ask for a lot

Pick a footprint and a grade. The reply describes a matched lot in writing.