End Deck Boards: the leading or edge member of the top and bottom face of a wooden pallet.
Entry: Refers to space permitting the entry of the lifting device in a particular direction.
Exchange Pallet: A pallet that is exchanged at the time a unit load of product is shipped or received. A pallet under load is accepted or re3leased in compensation for a similar empty pallet.
Expendable Pallet: A pallet intended for use only for a single trip, involving a limited series of handlings.
Fastener: A mechanical device for joining pallet components such as nails, staples, bolts or screws.
Flush Pallet: A pallet with deck boards flush to the stringers, stringer boards or blocks along the sides of the pallet.
Fork Entry: Opening between decks, beneath the top deck or beneath the stringer notch to admit lift truck forks.
Four-Way Block Pallet: A pallet with openings at both ends and along pallet sides sufficient to admit pallet jacks.
Frame: Wooden or plastic framework, open or solid, used to enclose small items, or to provide stable loads or supplement vertical support.
Free Entry: Entry through which the wheels of a front-supported pallet truck can pass without leaving the ground.
Free Span: The distance between supports in a warehouse rack.
GMA Pallet: The hardwood 48x40 inch double sided, non-reversible flush stringer pallet commonly used by the grocery industry, originally developed as a standard pallet by the Grocery Manufacturers of America (GMA). This pallet is critical to pallet recycling.
Handling: A single pick-up, movement and set-down of a loaded or empty pallet. A pallet trip may consist of several handlings.
Hardwood: Wood from broad leaf species of trees (not necessarily hard or dense).
High Density Wood Species: Dense wood generally from broad leaf trees that exhibit superior strength, durability and nail holding properties.
Inner Deck Board: Any deck board located betweeen the end deck boards.
Intermediate Stringer: Stringer parallel to, and confined by, an outside stringer, including the center stringer or twin center stringers.
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC): Group charged with the development of standardized itnernational phytosanitary requirements for solid wood packaging and pallets.
Joint: Intersection and connection of components, often identified by location within the pallet as the end joint, center joint and corner joint.
Knockdown: The pallet or pallet container in disassembled form, to reduce storage or shipment costs.
Lead Board: Deck board located at the leading edges, includes the top and bottom lead boards.
Leading Edge: Edge of a pallet deck associated with the pallet ends, including the top and bottom leading edges.
Length: Refers to the stringer or stringer board (in block pallets) length, also the first dimension given to describe the dimensions of a pallet, i.e., 48x40 inch, where 48 inch is the pallet length.
Load Bearing Surface: Actual area of material in contact with and supporting a unit load.
Loose Knots: Knots not firmly affixed due to shrinkage or advanced decay, and therefore providing no structural strength.
Mold: A family of organisms found throughout nature, needing food and water sources in order to survive. The food source often takes the source of wood or cellulose. Pallets and pallet material should be kept dry in order to minimize problems with mold growth.
Multiple Use: Category of pallet intended for repeated use.
Nail: Fastener made from wire by cutting a point and forming a head at the shank end opposite the point.
National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA,: The U.S. national association with the goal of promoting the purchase of wood pallets and related services by industry, and supporting member businesses involved in the wood pallet sector.
