According to Pete Hagstrom, B. Braun's director of distribution, the company uses plastic pallets for its raw materials, stainless-steel pallets for steam sterilization, and wood pallets for the finished goods. The plastic pallets are for raw materials that require minimal contamination, such as dextrose and salt for saline solutions. After the IV bags are made, they are sterilized in a large, pallet-sized steam sterilizer unit. We use stainless-steel pallets for this. They are also safe for storage in racks in warehouses with a sprinkler system, whereas some of the plastics used for plastic pallets may create fire safety concerns.
Extreme pallets offer the durability of plastic at the same level of fire safety as wood.
Because of this risk, facilities using standard polyethylene and polypropylene pallets may require a commodity class upgrade. This upgrade could require costly changes to the warehouse sprinkler system, water control, and aisle widths. Pallets meeting UL 2335 will carry the UL or comparable label. The Extreme fire-retardant pallets from GE Plastics are UL classified and typically require no modification to the user's facility. Automation and fire protection systems can usually remain the same.