Double stacking advice
Double stacking of pallets doubles the effective storage area and transport, however incorrect double stacking brings about increased risk.
Successful double stacking requires the upper pallet to be placed squarely and level onto the pallet below so that the weight is evenly shared by all sides of the bottom stack. The problem for FLT drivers is that they cannot see to accurately set the upper pallet level before stacking. Any error in tilt angle as the upper pallet is lowered will apply more load to one side of the lower stack. Any attempt to correct the tilt once the loads are touching will impart lateral forces to the lower pallet, which is likely to cause the carton walls to deform.
To achieve successful double stacking, AEC Designs advises the following:
- The use of correctly applied stretch or shrink wrap to stabilise the carton side walls as well as holding the cartons into a close stack
- Use only the correct pallets, as not all pallets are suitable for double stacking
- Ensure Forklift trucks have a ForkAngles mast tilt indicator so that the pallets can be accurately stacked
- Take care when forming a row of double stacked pallets. If these are pushed close together there is a build up of forces down the row which can cause the whole row to collapse.
There are strict rules relating to the correct stacking and restraining of pallets for transportation due to the additional dynamic forces experienced during shipping.
