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Guidelines and Best Practices:

Shipments can include palletized items, boxes that are too large, or multiple non-palletized pieces. They must be properly packed to ensure damage free transportation with normal care in handling. The proper packaging of goods for transportation requires a good understanding of the product and distribution environment and also requires knowledge of packaging materials and experience. Understanding and following the below packaging guidelines can help you ensure damage free freight movement.

HAZARDS OF DISTRIBUTION
Below are the most common hazards in distribution and they must always be considered when preparing your shipment.
Punctures and Abrasion

Punctures and Abrasion

This happens when packages bump into each other or other things during shipping. Sometimes, the items inside the package aren't packed well enough, so they move around and get damaged, or the package breaks and can't hold the items.
Shipment Handling

Shipment Handling

Using soft materials to pack items can help protect them from damage when they are moved around during shipping. It's important to remember that packages are often lifted by machines, so they need to be packed well enough to withstand being dropped or bumped.
Compression

Compression

This happens when packages are squeezed or hit from the sides, top, bottom, or corners. This can happen when packages are stacked on top of each other, dropped, shaken, or moved around by machines. To protect the items inside, the package needs to be strong enough to withstand these forces.
Shock

Shock

This happens when packages are hit by things like forklifts, shelves, or other packages during shipping. Using soft materials to pack items can help protect them from damage caused by these impacts. Most products need some level of protection to prevent damage during normal shipping.
Environmental exposures

Environmental exposures

when packages aren't shipped by air, they can still be affected by changes in air pressure. High or low humidity can cause damage, especially to paper-based products. Extreme temperatures, from very cold to very hot, can also harm packages and their contents. Other things like dirt, dust, smells, and rain can also damage packages. If a product could be damaged by these things, the shipper needs to make sure the package is strong enough to protect it.
Vibration

Vibration

This happens when packages are moved in vehicles like trucks, planes, or ships, or on machines like forklifts or conveyor belts. Using soft materials to pack items can help protect them from the shaking and jolting that can damage them during transport.
DETERMINING IF FREIGHTS SHOULD BE PALLETIZED
Palletized Freight

Palletized Freight

Palletizing freight helps multi-piece shipments remain together and provides increased protection from damage. Each pallet, including its contents, is.
Non-Palletized Freight

Non-Palletized Freight

Loose items, such as boxes or containers that have not been secured to a pallet, are considered non-palletized freight. Each loose item is considered one piece.

PALLETIZING YOUR SHIPMENTS

Pallets are portable rigid platforms used to consolidate shipments and allow for ease of freight movement. Quality pallets are commonly made of either wood or plastic and can weigh between 20 and 70 lbs. Pallets should be large enough to accommodate the shipment without overhang. Anything overhanging the pallet edges will be subjected to impacts that can result in punctures, abrasions, and compression damage.

The following are basic step-by-step instructions for palletizing your shipment:
  • Choose pallets large enough to prevent overhang of shipment pieces
  • Pallets must be sturdy enough to support the load
  • Select pallets with closely spaced pallet deck boards
  • Never exceed the rated capacity of your pallet
  • Do not select pallets with broken boards or protruding nail heads
  • Pallets with four-way forklift entry are preferred as they help to improve handling and reduce damage to the shipment
  • Align boxes in columns, corner to corner, for the greatest stacking strength
  • Avoid interlocking or rotating layer patterns
  • Do not align corners over the spaces between pallet deck boards
  • Boxes should not extend past the pallet edges
  • Do not pyramid the boxes; keep the top layer flat to prevent damage from top loads
  • Use a slip sheet under the load and every third layer when possible to help distribute the weight evenly and protect the bottom layer

Use strapping or banding to secure your shipment to the pallet, and stretch wrap to prevent pieces from getting lost or separated from the load.

Label each pallet with telephone numbers and complete address information or any other pertaining information that you deem necessary to identify your shipment. Some special labeling may also be required according to the nature of the goods being shipped. Please check Labels section (below) for most commonly used shipping labels.

PROTECTING YOUR PALLETIZED SHIPMENTS

Load protectors are layers of corrugated fiberboard or heavy paperboard that help to evenly distribute the weight of shipments that can be stacked upon one another.

Corner boards increase vertical stacking strength, prevent damage to corner edges, and stabilize the load. They should extend to the full height and length of the load, and should be used on all corners.

Stretch wrapping is an effective way to keep all pieces of a shipment together. The plastic stretch wrap should first be applied around the pallet and continued upward around the load. Stretch wrap is designed to stabilize the load, not to secure it to the pallet. Strapping or banding should be used in conjunction with stretch wrap to secure the load to the pallet.

 

  • Must be tight to prevent load shifting
  • Capture the pallet when wrapping bottom layer
  • Can be twisted like rope for greater strength

Label each pallet with telephone numbers and complete address information or any other pertaining information that you deem necessary to identify your shipment. Some special labeling may also be required according to the nature of the goods being shipped. Please check Labels section (below) for most commonly used shipping labels.

Use Strapping or Banding

Strapping prevents pieces from getting lost or separated from the load. It should be drawn tightly to the load which may require running it underneath the top deck boards of the pallet.

If you do not plan to secure your shipment to pallets, follow these steps:

  • Reinforce edges to protect from bending.
  • Securely seal closures and seams with reinforced tape.

  • Ship freight in corrugated boxes, crates, or shipping containers when possible.

  • Use a container strong enough to support the weight of contents, and consider double boxing

  • If you are reusing containers, remove all old labels, tags, and markings. Avoid reusing boxes.

  • Label each piece with telephone numbers and complete address information, including postal code of the shipper and the consignee or any other pertaining information that you deem necessary to identify your shipment.

  • Use at least two inches of appropriate cushioning material to protect internal items from each other and the corners, sides, top, and bottom of containers. Appropriate cushioning material may include corrugated fiberboard, multiple layers of folded newspaper, styrofoam sheets, or packing blankets, depending on the shipment contents

Non-flammable, Non-poisonus Gas This division includes compressed gas, liquefied gas, pressurized cryogenic gas, compressed gas in solution, asphyxiant gas and oxidizing gas. A non-flammable, nonpoisonous compressed gas (Division 2.2) means any material (or mixture) which- 1. Exerts in the packaging an absolute pressure of 280 kPa (40.6 psia) or greater at 20°C (68°F), and 2. Does not meet the definition of Division 2.1 or 2.3.

It is important to cushion the contents of your package properly.
Please be sure that you wrap each item separately. Fragile articles need separation from each other, and from the corners, sides, top, and bottom of the box
Please use proper cushioning material, combined with a strong outer container, to protect your shipment fully. Make sure you use enough cushioning material to ensure that the contents do not move when you shake the container.

Improper cushioning material includes clothing, blankets, towels, newspaper/newsprint, and pillows. Instead, please use the materials listed below to cushion and protect your shipment:
Crumpled kraft paper

Crumpled kraft paper

Primarily used as a void-fill material for light-to-medium weight, non-fragile items and items suitable for such packing materials, crumpled paper must be tightly packed. At least two inches (5.08 cm) of paper should be placed between contents and the outer box.
Inflatable packaging

Inflatable packaging

Used primarily as void-fill materials for lightweight items, air bags are not recommended for items with sharp corners or edges. Extreme hot or cold temperatures may affect the ability of air bags to provide adequate protection.
Air-encapsulated plastic

Air-encapsulated plastic

Designed to protect and cushion lightweight items, bubble wrap is used in multiple wraps and layers to ensure that the item is completely protected, especially on corners and edges.
Foam

Foam

A foam, sprayed into the box or mixed in packets, that expands and forms a protective mold around contents must be properly used to ensure even foam distribution around the item.
Expanded polystyrene

Expanded polystyrene

Bubble wrap offers all-around protection for lightweight items, especially corners and edges. Air bags are suitable for lightweight items but avoid sharp edges and extreme temperatures. Peanuts are versatile for lightweight items, but avoid overfilling and using them with flat or narrow products. Maintain a 2-inch cushion around contents and use anti-static peanuts for electronics.
Engineered Foam

Engineered Foam

Materials may include expanded polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, or copolymers, and enclosures should be pre-engineered for specific products.

Note: Fragile objects such as electronics, glass, ceramics, and artwork, require special packaging for safe shipment. Packages containing these and similar items may require added cushioning or a double (over) box.

CLOSE YOUR CONTAINERS SECURELY

Pressure-sensitive plastic
  • Generally the easiest, most convenient tape to use
  • Versatile because it adheres without water and sticks to a variety of surfaces and shapes
  • Apply three strips to both the top and bottom flaps of the box. For regular slotted containers (RSC), where the flaps meet in the center, apply three strips of tape to both the top and bottom of the box, so the middle and two edge seams are sealed. For corrugated containers where the flaps overlap (FOL), apply three strips of tape to both the top and bottom of the box, so the three edge seams are sealed.
Nylon reinforced filament tape

Use 60 lb (27 kg) grade tape at least three inches (7.62 cm) wide Apply three strips to both the top and bottom flaps of the box. For regular slotted containers (RSC), where the flaps meet in the center, apply three strips of tape to both the top and bottom of the box, so the middle and two edge seams are sealed. For corrugated containers where the flaps overlap (FOL), apply three strips of tape to both the top and bottom of the box, so the three edge seams are sealed.

LABEL YOUR SHIPMENT

Label each package with telephone numbers and complete address information or any other pertaining information that you deem necessary to identify your shipment. Some special labeling may also be required according to the nature of the goods being shipped. Please check Labels section for most commonly used shipping labels:

SHIPMENTS LABELS