There are 5 important steps to making certain that safety is a main concern. The initial step is completing a Walk-Around Inspection to be able to assure that the unit is visually safe. After that assess if the worksite is safe to utilize with a Worksite Assessment. The Function Test is the third step so as to know whether or not the model is safely functioning. The 4th thing to take into consideration is Proper Operation, in order to know whether or not the model is safely operating. Lastly, Proper Shutdown must be checked so as to make sure the unit is capable of shutting down properly and is in a safe place.
At the center of the 5 steps and this regulation, there is a machine that lifts heavy weights to impressive heights and stands on a triangular footprint. The key objective is to keep the telehandler upright, but of course there are risks.
The telehandler's triangular base comprises the two front wheels and the rear-axle pivot point. The back axles usually oscillates, hence the rear wheels are not considered part of the base. The telehandler remains upright as long as the machine's center of gravity, that is defined as the point in 3 dimensions around which the equipment's weight is balanced, stays oriented inside the stability triangle.
When a load is placed on the forks whilst the boom is down, the center of gravity forward and down. The load if raised would change the center of gravity upwards to the rear. At the same time, when this occurs, the stability triangle shrinks. Therefore, the higher you raise a load, the less of a margin for error you have since the stability triangle lessens.
When the stability triangle is small, it leaves less room for the center of gravity to move left or right. It is this wandering action that can change the stability triangle and leave less room for the frame to remain balanced if it is not completely level. For example, imagine the center of gravity resembling a plumb bob hanging from the boom. You would always be able to find the center of gravity somewhere on a totally vertical line between a point on the boom and the center of the ground. If the frame is not level, the center of gravity would not be oriented over the centerline of the machine. The stability triangle is always aligned with the centerline of the machine.