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iGPS Calls for Fire Safety Testing of All Pallets
Obsolete safety standard allows tens of millions of wood pallets to pose severe fire risk
iGPS Calls for Fire Safety Testing of All Pallets
Obsolete safety standard allows tens of millions of wood pallets to pose severe fire risk
Published 07-23-09
Submitted by iGPS Company LLC
ORLANDO, Fla., July 23 /PRNewswire/ -- iGPS Company, operator of the world’s first and largest pallet rental service offering all-plastic pallets with embedded RFID (radio frequency identification tags), today called for wood pallets, which number in the tens of millions, to be subjected to the same fire safety standards as pallets made of plastic, aluminum and other materials.
"As pallet fires break out across the U.S., causing millions of dollars of damage and putting workers' and firefighters' lives at risk, it is time for the fire safety testing exemption given to wood pallets to be rescinded and all wood pallets should undergo the same independent fire safety testing applied to pallets of alternative materials," said Bob Moore, CEO of iGPS. (See: Crews Still Dousing Phoenix Pallet Fire) "For too long, the industry has turned a blind eye to what everyone knows: wood pallets do not pass the very same fire safety tests that pallets of other materials must pass, leaving lives and property at risk."
"The existing fire testing exemption for a wood pallet was established over 30 years ago when wood pallets were smaller than today and made of hardwood. Baseline sprinkler configurations were set to control a fire consisting of those pallets, so they were exempt from fire safety testing," added Moore. "However, the typical wood pallet in use today is very different -- it is substantially larger, heavier, contains more wood and utilizes softwoods, such as resin-rich Southern Yellow Pine, a type of wood that burns very differently. Despite these changes, which have altered the flammability of wood pallets, they are still exempt from testing based on assumptions that are over three decades out of date. This exemption is indefensible and is literally playing with fire."
The National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA) recently issued a highly inaccurate and self-serving press release questioning the fire safety of iGPS pallets, which, unlike wood pallets, have received both UL and FM Approvals certification. In doing so, NWPCA attempted to imply that the National Association of Fire Marshals shared its partisan views, which is patently false and an attempt to deflect attention from the dangers presented by wood pallets.
"We call upon the NWPCA to put people's safety above its partisan interests and to reassure the public by beginning independent testing for all types of wood pallets," Moore said. 'The nation's businesses, workers and firefighters are entitled to nothing less."
About iGPS
iGPS is the world's first company to provide manufacturers and retailers with an all-plastic pallet pool with embedded RFID-tags. iGPS' state-of-the-art pallets are 30 percent lighter than wood, which saves on transport costs, are easier to handle and eliminate protruding nails and splinters that cause workplace injuries and damaged equipment. In addition, embedded RFID tags enable shippers and receivers to track and trace shipments in real time. Launched in March 2006, the company is led by pallet and supply chain veterans with decades of experience. iGPS (www.igps.net) is headquartered in Orlando, FL.
