How to build and send pallets safely
A pallet is only as safe as the way it’s built. This short animation walks through each step, in order, so your loads arrive the way they left.
For warehouse teams, shift leaders and anyone who builds or loads pallets.
What the guide covers
Every step, in order
The pallet-building process from the base to the label, in the order it should happen.
Structural integrity
How to build a load that supports its own weight, layer by layer.
Load stability
Ways to stop layers shifting, sliding or leaning on the road.
Secure in transit
How to keep loads secure from your dock to your customer’s.
The essentials, step by step
A quick checklist to use alongside the animation.
| Step | What to check |
|---|---|
| 1. Start with a sound pallet | No broken boards, missing blocks or protruding nails. |
| 2. Build a square, stable stack | Heaviest goods at the bottom, cartons squared to the edges and no overhang. |
| 3. Protect corners and layers | Edge protectors stop strapping and film cutting in; anti-slip sheets stop layers sliding. |
| 4. Wrap from the base up | Lock the film to the pallet itself, and use the same pattern and tension on every pallet, by hand or on a wrapper. |
| 5. Check it before it leaves | Leaning stacks, loose film tails or torn film? Fix it at your dock, not your customer’s. |
| 6. Load and secure it | DVSA guidance says everyone involved in loading a vehicle is responsible for making sure the load is secure. See GOV.UK. |
Free, with no obligation. Most benchmarks take a single visit.
The same pallet, every time. Many load failures come down to inconsistency: different stacking, different tension, different wrap patterns from one operator or shift to the next. A simple standard that everyone follows is one of the biggest improvements most sites can make.
Want us to check your pallets?
We’ll look at how your loads are built and wrapped today, and show you where they could fail. Free, with no obligation.