Shipping damages can cause a dramatic dip in your bottom line, so you should consistently re-evaluate your shipping standards to prevent costly returns. The International Safe Transit Association (ISTA), an industry leader in setting shipping standards provides tips to thoroughly test your shipping procedures including drop testing, vibration, and shock testing.
To effectively test your shipping procedures, you’ll need to look for the most frequent types of damages and then review your entire supply chain to find the damage culprits. One of the most common reasons for damage is improperly fortifying and stacking shipping pallets. If you fail to use edge protectors to secure the corners of pallets, chances are that when the pallet is lifted with a forklift or moved onto a delivery vehicle, the edges could get dented, torn or heavily damaged, which can affect many items in the pallet.
The best solution is to stabilize the entire shipment by securing the boxes together and protecting the edges of the boxes.
How Edge Protectors Work
Edge protectors are added to the outside corners of rows of boxes to protect all edges and corners of the pallet Edge protectors are easy to apply, but since they need to stay in place to protect the boxes, they need to be secured with something. The most common way to secure edge protectors is with the use of stretch film, poly strapping or steel strapping.
Edge protectors also do double duty in stabilizing a pallet from coming apart, and can add support to pallets that are able to be double-stacked.
Edge Protectors Come In Several Varieties
The first thing to consider when ordering edge protectors for pallets is the weight of the load itself. Edge protectors come in light, medium or heavy-duty fiberboard or durable plastic. They can be ordered in cases or in large skids if you ship pallets on a consistent basis.
Specialty edge protectors also serve a purpose in protecting boxes from pallet straps. Strapping protectors and plastic strap guards protect from damaged caused by tight straps when the pallets are moved. They come in a variety of fiberboard or plastic colored varieties and can be reused. Another specialty edge protector is pre-printed with the words “DO NOT DOUBLE STACK” to inform warehouse workers and freight handlers of special instructions for fragile loads.
Shipping pallets without edge protectors is a recipe for disaster, in which you can expect your shipment to arrive at its destination with damage.