The initiative follows on from the work NAPD members were involved in to create BS EN ISO 18613: 2003: Pallets for materials handling – repair of flat wooden pallets.
NAPD members can now send their pallet nails for independent testing to BS EN ISO 12777-1: 1997 Methods of test for pallet joints – Part 1 – Determination of bending resistance of pallet nails, to ensure joints are strong enough to withstand pallet loads.
The testing is carried out by PalletLink which also provides an advice hotline on timber and fastenings for NAPD members.
“The NAPD advises users to specify adequately and fastenings are just as important as the timber components in a pallet,” said NAPD secretary Paul Tait.
“Sometimes we need to get specialist advice and most of the membership has used PalletLink’s nail test facilities and we welcome the one-stop call for all advice and testing on the mass of technical requirements we are faced with,” he added.
