Pallet Testing Standards: ISO 8611, EN 13698 and ASTM D1185

Pallets are tested to establish how much load they can safely carry and how long they last. The main test-method standards are the ISO 8611 series (and its European adoption EN ISO 8611), ASTM D1185 in the United States and ANSI MH1 for North American unit-load specifications. EN 13698, often mistaken for a test standard, is actually a production specification for specific wooden pallets.

Test standards versus specification standards

A common source of confusion is that pallet standards do different jobs:

A pallet described as "tested to EN 13698" is therefore a loose description. EN 13698-1 (2003) and EN 13698-2 (2009) describe how a pallet of that size must be manufactured and marked and include safety considerations; they are the technical basis for exchange pallets such as the EPAL Euro pallet (see the Euro pallet). Performance testing in Europe relies on EN ISO 8611.

The ISO 8611 series

ISO 8611 is maintained by ISO technical committee TC 51 and is adopted in Europe as EN ISO 8611. The standard has three parts, and it has been revised more than once; the 2004 edition was followed by newer editions, and the national adoptions carry their own publication dates, so confirm the current version before specifying it.

• Part 1, test methods, applies to new flat pallets. It sets out three groups of tests: nominal load testing, maximum working load testing and comparative durability testing. It excludes pallets with fixed superstructures or rigid containers attached.
• Part 2 gives performance requirements and tells the user how to select the tests that match intended use.
• Part 3 deals with maximum permissible working loads.

The point of working loads is that a pallet does not have one capacity. It depends on how it is supported and loaded, which is why ratings are stated separately for static, dynamic and racked conditions; see pallet load capacity.

PHOTO 1A pallet on a laboratory test rig being loaded in a bending test, with deflection gauges attachedassets/img/rehber/pallet-testing-standards-1.jpg

What the tests measure

Test programs vary by standard, but they use a common set of mechanical checks:

• Bending (deflection) tests, with the pallet supported on its ends or on rack beams, to measure how much the decks sag under uniform load and whether anything fails.
• Compression and stacking tests, which load the pallet from above to represent a stack in a warehouse or on a ship.
• Fork-handling and drop tests, which simulate lifting, impacts and rough use.
• Shear and corner tests, which examine how well fasteners and joints resist forces during handling.
• Durability comparison tests, which let a pallet design be compared against a reference design.

The result is not only a pass or fail but also measured deflection, failure loads and failure mode. Producers use those results to set safe working loads and to improve designs.

ASTM D1185 and ANSI MH1

In the United States, ASTM D1185, Standard Test Methods for Pallets and Related Structures Employed in Materials Handling and Shipping, defines laboratory procedures used by pallet producers and researchers. ANSI MH1, Pallets, Slip Sheets, and Other Bases for Unit Loads, is the other key North American document, published through the Material Handling Industry. Together they form the basis for comparing wooden, plastic and composite designs on a consistent footing.

In practice, the North American industry often uses engineering software based on these methods and on wood mechanics, rather than testing every design physically; pallet design software explains how.

PHOTO 2A loaded pallet on a racking test frame with its deck boards deflecting between two beamsassets/img/rehber/pallet-testing-standards-2.jpg

Why testing matters commercially

• Safety: pallet collapse in a rack can injure workers and destroy goods. Rated pallets reduce the risk. See pallet racking systems.
• Cost: testing lets a producer remove unnecessary wood, saving material, while still meeting load requirements.
• Disputes: a documented test result gives buyer and seller a neutral basis when a pallet fails.
• Quality systems: routine production checks complement type testing; pallet quality control covers the factory side.

Practical advice for buyers

1. Ask which standard and edition was used and whether the test report belongs to the exact design being supplied.
2. Ask for working loads under the conditions you actually use: floor stacking, forklift movement, racking.
3. Do not treat a figure from one pallet type as valid for another, even in the same footprint.
4. Remember that moisture, wood species and fastener type change results; request test samples at representative moisture content.
5. For exchange pallets, check the license and rules of the issuing system rather than relying on a general standard alone.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. EVS-EN ISO 8611-1:2022 Pallets for materials handling — Flat pallets — Part 1: Test methods — Estonian Centre for Standardisation and Accreditation
2. BS EN ISO 8611-1 Pallets for materials handling — Flat pallets — Part 1: Test methods — BSI
3. EN 13698-1:2003 — UNI
4. EN 13698-2:2009 — UNI
5. Pallet — Wikipedia