Full Case and Pallet Picking
Full case picking from pallet storage locations and full pallet pulls from reserve, covering pallet condition checks, load build and stability rules for a picked pallet, powered industrial truck interaction in pick aisles, and stretch wrap and banding before the load travels.
- Audience
- Case pick associates, pallet pullers, and certified powered industrial truck operators
- Review cycle
- annual
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-15
- Revision
- 1
What is in the procedure
7 sections. Regulatory language is fixed and passes through verbatim. Sections marked customized get rewritten around your facility, your equipment, and your job titles.
- 01
Purpose
FixedThis procedure establishes how full cases are picked from pallet storage locations onto a picked pallet, and how a full pallet is pulled intact from reserve and moved to staging.
- 02
Scope
CustomizedThis procedure applies to full case picking from floor level and lower level pallet positions onto a pallet, and to full pallet pulls from reserve or bulk storage where an entire pallet is moved without being broken...
- 03
Responsibilities
CustomizedCase pickers select a sound pallet, build the load to the facility pattern and height limit, wrap or band it before travel, and stop work rather than reaching into or climbing on a rack position.
- 04
Procedure: Case Picking and Load Build
FixedThe load build is the procedure, not the finishing touch.
- 05
Procedure: Full Pallet Pulls and Travel
CustomizedA full pallet pull moves a load someone else built, so it is inspected before it is lifted rather than after it falls.
- 06
Exception Handling
CustomizedStop and resolve rather than working around the problem whenever any of the following occurs: the location or pallet scan rejects, the product does not match the directed item, the on hand case count is short, the load...
- 07
References
Fixed29 CFR 1910.176 Handling materials, general.
OSHA references
Full Case and Pallet Picking: 29 CFR 1910.176(b)
Every SOP generated from this template cites the paragraphs below, with a plain-language summary of what each one requires. Citations are informational and are not legal advice.
| Standard | Title | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1910.176(b) | Handling materials, general: secure storage | Storage of material must not create a hazard. Bags, containers, bundles, and other material stored in tiers must be stacked, blocked, interlocked, and limited in height so that the storage is stable and secure against sliding or collapse. |
| 29 CFR 1910.176(a) | Handling materials, general: use of mechanical equipment | Where mechanical handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearances must be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways, and wherever turns or passage must be made. Aisles and passageways must be kept clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard, and permanent aisles must be appropriately marked. |
| 29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1) | Powered industrial trucks: operator training and evaluation | The employer must ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a truck safely, demonstrated by successful completion of training and an evaluation of performance in the workplace, before the operator is permitted to operate a truck without continuous supervision. |
| 29 CFR 1910.22(a) | Walking-working surfaces: general requirements | Walking-working surfaces must be kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition, free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, spills, and debris that create slip, trip, or fall hazards. |
Compliance checklist
What an inspector looks for
Picked pallets are stacked square, interlocked or banded, and kept within the facility height limit so the load is stable and secure against sliding or collapse
29 CFR 1910.176(b)
Aisles, cross aisles, and doorways stay clear and in good repair, and pallets are never set down in a travel path
29 CFR 1910.176(a)
A pallet is never set down where it blocks an exit, an electrical panel, or a fire extinguisher
Every powered industrial truck used for case and pallet work is operated only by an operator who has been trained and evaluated on that truck type
29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)
Bulk and reserve aisle floors are kept clear of broken banding, loose wrap, slip sheets, and spills
29 CFR 1910.22(a)
Broken pallets are removed from service and loads are wrapped or banded and pass a push test before they travel
Waitlist
Generate this SOP for your facility
At launch you answer the facility questionnaire once and this template comes back with your equipment, your titles, and your sign-off sheet attached.
This page is informational and is not legal advice. Have a qualified safety professional review any procedure before it goes into service at your facility.