It is quite key for several businesses to examine the method of selecting a forklift. For example, would your business select consistently the same unit for your dock work or warehouse? If this is so, you could be missing out on a more effective forklift. There might be different other models on the market that allow more to get done as they offer less exhaustion to operators. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more effective way. By doing some evaluation and research, you can determine if you have the right equipment to suit your requirements. By reducing operator exhaustion, you can significantly increase your performance.
Some of the important factors to consider when determining forklift models that deal with particular concerns consist of:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department only loads out a few box trucks or semi-trailers a week, then you probably won't require a pricey lift truck to complete the tasks. An inexpensive walkie-rider or walkie model will be able to deal with the job if: You do not need to stack loads in the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is sufficient. Lastly, you need to think about whether or not the transition from the dock floor to the dock leveler and into the trailer is not too jarring for the operator because the small load wheels need to travel over the dock plate.
If on the other hand, your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers, than a stand-up end control would make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These types of forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
Each business has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, several forklift operators not only load trucks in the shipping department, but replenish the manufacturing line, store inventory on racks, handle the paperwork connected with the cargo, scan and attach bar codes and other jobs. Generally, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their forklifts in their shifts find it less fatiguing and much faster to exit a stand-up control model, as opposed to a sit down kind.