Plastic pallets increase firefighter hazards
The lower cost and greater flexibility of plastic pallets over wood pallets has led to the increased use of the former. This increased use, warns Factory Mutual (FM), has increased the potential for extreme nonthermal damage caused by plastic`s high combustibility and the toxic compounds released during combustion.
Fires involving plastic require a higher level of sprinkler protection than those involving traditional wood pallets, FM says. In fact, facilities that change from wood to plastic pallets may not be receiving adequate protection from their existing sprinkler systems.
Factory Mutual Research Corporation standards call for a one-level increase in commodity classification when plastic pallets are used instead of wood. Protection requirements for plastic pallets are covered in detail in FM Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets 8-0, 8-9, and 8-24. n
