IBC tote base and pallet

Three base materials

Steel bases are the toughest and the heaviest. Plastic bases do not rot, do not splinter and do not hold moisture, which makes them a favourite where totes are washed or sit outdoors. Wood bases are the cheapest and the most likely to fail, particularly when they have been soaked, split by a tine or eaten by termites.

All three give the same 48 by 40 inch base, a pallet area of 13.3 square feet. A tote on any of them rides the same racks and the same jacks, as long as the base is whole.

What to check

Look underneath. A forklift needs room for tines, so check that the fork openings are clear and whole. Press down on the deck; flex means a split board or a cracked plastic. Look at the feet or runners for breaks, and at the frame where the cage meets the base for movement.

A tote on a damaged base can look fine until it is lifted. Tines catch a split board and it fails under the load. That is how a good tote ends up on the floor.

Fix, swap or scrap

• A wood base with one split board: replace the board or the base.
• A plastic base with a cracked deck: replace the base; do not patch.
• A bent steel runner: the base has to be replaced.
• Fit and footprint: confirm 48 by 40 inches if your racks or trucks expect it.

Wood, plastic or steel

The base comes in three materials. A wooden pallet is cheap and repairable but absorbs liquid and can rot. A plastic pallet is easier to clean but can crack under cold or sun. A steel base or a composite is the sturdiest and the heaviest.

When inspecting one, press down on each corner and look for a board that flexes, a runner that has split or a plastic edge that has chipped. A damaged base is dangerous because a full tote can drop through it when lifted.

Forklift entry

Check which sides take forks. Some bases are four-way entry; others only two. A forklift driver who guesses can puncture a bottle.

Questions people ask