Plastic pallet with support blocks having upper towers and associated methods

A pallet includes a top deck and a bottom deck. The top deck has spaced apart upper and lower surfaces, with the lower surface having upper tower openings therein. Spaced apart support blocks are coupled between the top and bottom decks and forming a gap therebetween for receiving a lifting member. Each support block includes an outer wall enclosing a center area, and a core structure having a rectangular shape within the center area, with upper surfaces of the core assembly and the outer wall being coplanar. An upper tower extends outwards from the core structure and into a corresponding upper tower opening in the top deck so as to provide a shear load transfer during impact with the lifting member. First ribs are between the outer wall and the core structure, and second ribs are within an interior area of the upper tower.