Forklift Controls
In any warehouse environment, amongst the most common equipments is a forklift or lift truck. These all-around machines are comprised of a vehicle with two split forks at the front that can move and carry heavy things.
Forklifts can maneuver in small spaces and could lift items into up high, hard to reach places. Lift trucks are still extremely dangerous machinery and need to be used safely at all times, after proper training and certification has taken place.
When new to a forklift, make time to read the owner's manual and be familiar with the controls. Be certain to take note of the location of every particular control and what particular feature it functions. The majority of lift trucks have two levers that control the forks. The first lever controls the height of the fork. In order to make the forks go down, you push the lever forward. To be able to move the forks upwards, you just pull back on the lever.
There is a second lever that controls the tilt of the forks. This tilting capability enables for better distribution of weight. This tilting action helps to keep objects stable and won't allow items to fall off when driving. Furthermore, it helps things slide off in a more balanced method while unloading.
To be able to tilt the forks back, you pull the lever back and to be able to tilt the forks forward, you just push the lever forward. Some forklift models are outfitted with a third lever that controls the fork width. Each one of these levers is situated just to the right of the driver's seat.
Prior to operating the forklift, sit inside of it and go over what the controls do with a trained coworker. Be sure to do this while the forklift is off and not operational. Ask the qualified professional if you have any questions about how anything works.
Observation is often the best method to learn new forklift skills. So make time to observe a coworker showing the function of each control. On hydrostatic forklifts, notice that in order to make the machinery go, you use the gas. And if you would like to make it stop, you just release the gas pedal. There is no brake on these types of forklifts. There are several types of hydrostatic forklifts that are equipped with battery powered engines which shut off when the gas pedal is released. They start up once the gas pedal is pushed again.