What the classification says
The safe working load is no longer guaranteed (rotten and decayed, heavy splintering, damaged stringers).
How to spot it
Probe soft, dark patches with a key. Wood that crumbles or dents easily, or stringer boards with deep damage, mean the pallet can no longer be trusted with its rated load.
Why it matters
Rot is a structural problem disguised as a cosmetic one. Wood that has stayed wet, for example in an outdoor stack or a leaking trailer, can soften from the inside while the surface still looks sound. EPAL's wording ties the defect to the safe working load, which for an EPAL 1 is 1,500 kg: once rot or heavy damage means that figure is no longer guaranteed, the pallet is not fit for use. Pallets in this state are rarely worth repairing and are usually best recycled.
Effect on the pallet's class
Poor general condition; not fit for use. See Not fit for use for the full criteria.
Repair
Licensed repair may replace components; badly decayed pallets are recycled.
If no licensed repairer is practical, sell sound timber as non-EPAL wood or send the pallets for recycling.