How to Properly Utilize a Lift truck
Lift trucks are material handling equipment that can move cargo. Most commonly, these equipment are utilized in some industries to move heavy supplies in various environments such as airports, supply companies and warehouses. Anyone operating a forklift needs to be taught to utilize the machinery carefully. It is vital to be fully aware of one's surroundings while operating a forklift. Forklifts are designed to run on gasoline, propane, diesel or batteries. Standard lift trucks are common in a wide array of commercial applications and are truly not hard to operate with proper training. The following steps outline the basics of utilizing a lift truck:
1 Familiarize yourself with the levers which will be utilized to maneuver the load and to move the item from one place to another. The levers can be found to the steering wheel's right side.
2 The first lever could move the forks up and down. Pushing the lever away from your body moves them down and pulling the lever towards your body moves the blades up. Tines must always be kept near the ground except when unloading or loading.
3 The other two levers control the tilt as well as the right/left movement of the blades. The forks are designed to tilt between 15 and 30 degrees. It is better that you practice prior to picking up a load. Using the second lever, pull it towards your body to tilt the blades back, and push it away from you to tilt the blades forward.
4 The third lever is moved side to side to control the movement of the forks from right to left. Simply move the lever towards where you would like the forks to move: left in order to move the blades left, and right to move the forks right.
5 Always approach a cargo cautiously. Lower the tines and drive forward cautiously until the blades slide under the cargo. Then lift the blades several centimeters by pulling the lever towards your body. If the cargo is top-heavy, you should tilt the blades backwards a small amount for balance.
6 Warn other people and employees when the lift truck is approaching by honking and take safety precautions by slowly taking corners and honking. Approach the area where you will be working carefully. Control the levers to maneuver the cargo to where it is going. When the load is positioned, reverse gears and carefully back away.
7 Forklifts stop pretty much the same way as other vehicles. The brake is found to the left of the accelerator. When stopped, put the gear into "park."