Taking A Forklift For A Spin
If you’re one of those people who believe that you can drive anything with wheels, you could be in for a little surprise if you ever make an attempt to drive a forklift! With a vehicle it’s easy – you turn the wheel in the direction that you want to go and “voila”, there you have it! Forklifts are slightly different though – firstly they’re steered by their rear wheels (which is quite comparable to a rear wheel drive vehicle), however they also have an unwieldy weight distribution and sometimes even counter-intuitive controls. So it is really not as easy as getting in, strapping up and going.
First of all, take a look at the things that should be lifted. Even before you consider pressing the “start button” you need to make sure that the forklift is indeed the most appropriate one for the job and also set up to the proper width. Overloading forklifts or using forklifts under the wrong conditions can be very dangerous!
Forklifts should almost be approached like aircraft. Even before you try to start the engine, it is advisable to work through the entire pre-operations checklist. This is important to check out if there are any obvious damage to the forklift or if maybe it has been meddled with and will subsequently not operate as intended. Special attention must be paid to the advanced mechanisms such as the hydraulics. It is also critical that the tyres are in a good condition. Forklifts often carry quite heavy loads and a worn-out tyre can be quite risky!
Once you’re finished with the checklist, it is time to turn to the operator’s manual, particularly the first few times that you operate the device. Practise makes perfect and after some time it will be as easy as riding a mountain bike, but until then you need to familiarize yourself with all the various controls and meter readings (there are quite a few!) and the safest way of achieving this is by always having the operating manual accessible.
When you are satisfied with the controls and meters, you have to take a proper look at your surrounds and the areas you need to move around through. Take any possible obstacles out of the way and make sure that the area is not slippery or unsafe in any other way.
Now you are ready to commence with your task! Press the start button on the forklift and gently maneuver it through the basic operations. Make certain you know how to guide and control the speed of the forklift, so that you don’t end up crashing into anything. By now you should have familiarized yourself with the knobs used to lift the forks up and down and you can approach your load with caution.
Operating forklifts in confined areas can be quite challenging. It is not a bad idea to first practice your ability to drive in an open area, far away from people and other obstacles. Try lifting a couple of sandbag s or similar objects, just to familiarize yourself with the process.
Forklifts will add a lot of convenience to a working environment – just be certain that safety is always your main concern!
For more information about forklifts visit the website http://www.industryza.co.za
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