Los Angeles Blaze Highlights Serious Fire Dangers Posed by Wood Pallets

ORLANDO, Fla., March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The need for national fire safety standards for shipping pallets came into focus again Tuesday night, as more than 150 firefighters battled a massive wood pallet fire that erupted in a Los Angeles commercial structure, causing a partial roof collapse, downed electrical wires and heavy smoke.

News video of the fire--the latest in a string of such fires nationwide--showed large stacks of burning wood pallets with heavy smoke reported as visible for miles.

"This latest wood pallet fire again highlights the urgent need for uniform fire safety standards for all pallets.  With more than one billion wood pallets in circulation, fires are common, and can quickly spread out of control in commercial settings--in this case, putting the lives of at least 150 firefighters at risk," said Bob Moore, Chairman & CEO, Intelligent Global Pooling Systems (iGPS Company LLC).

"In the face of this massive fire and others like it, one has to ask why the wood pallet industry is not required to treat its product with a fire retardant," added Moore. "Doing so would save lives and millions of dollars in property damage."

Wood pallets are not currently subject to the same fire safety testing requirements as pallets made of other materials.  When stacked in and around warehouses, they provide potent fuel for intense fires that endanger the lives of workers, firefighters and surrounding businesses and homes.  In the course of a typical day, wood pallets are damaged, crushed, splintered, and rubbed together, creating wood dust.  If left close to an ignition source, this dust can trigger a severe explosion.

Examples of other recent pallet fires include:

• Los Angeles, CA (South Gate) – Nov. 16, 2009 - A quickly-spreading fire with flames reaching 30 feet or higher; approximately 35 firefighters responded.
• Monticello, IN – Oct. 27, 2009 - A massive fire at Riverview Pallets destroyed the warehouse in which it was a tenant.
• Glendale, AZ – Jul. 17, 2009 - A four-alarm fire at a commercial site; approximately 150 firefighters responded.

iGPS is a provider of all-plastic pallets embedded with RFID technology.  iGPS pallets have received both FM Approvals 4996 and UL 2335 (file no. R25482) listing, establishing that sprinkler systems meeting National Fire Protection Association Standard 13 can control any situation in which they might catch fire.

Wood pallets are currently exempt from the fire safety testing required of pallets made of plastic and other alternative materials.

"We have been calling for wood pallets to be subjected to the same fire safety standards as plastic and composite pallets.  Now we have another example of why action needs to be taken – firefighters and the public deserve better."

Burning wood pallets release toxic fumes and chemicals such as carbon monoxide and aldehydes, but also cause an economic toll with local businesses suffering billions of dollars in damages, lost jobs and productivity.  This can have a trickle-down effect on other businesses that rely on the goods shipped on these pallets.

iGPS also has been calling on the federal government to establish national sanitary standards for the pallet industry to curb the threat of contamination to the U.S. food supply.

About iGPS

iGPS operates the world's first pallet rental service providing shippers and receivers with all-plastic pallets with embedded RFID tags. iGPS' state-of-the-art pallets are 30 percent lighter than wood, which saves on transport costs and helps reduce green house gases.  Its pallets are also more hygienic, easier to handle and, because they eliminate protruding nails and splinters, reduce workplace injuries and damaged equipment.  Embedded RFID tags enable shippers and receivers to track and trace shipments.  And iGPS pallets are 100% recyclable. Launched in March 2006, the company has created nearly 2,000 new green jobs in the U.S. and is led by pallet and supply chain veterans with decades of experience.  iGPS (www.igps.net) is headquartered in Orlando, FL.

SOURCE iGPS