There are 5 key steps to ensuring safety is a main concern. The first step is completing a Walk-Around Inspection to be able to assure that the unit is visually safe. Then assess if the work place is safe to operate in with a Worksite Assessment. The Function Test is the third step in order to know whether or not the unit is working in a safe manner. The 4th thing to take into account is Proper Operation, in order to determine whether or not the model is working safely. Last of all, Proper Shutdown has to be checked in order to make sure the unit is capable of shutting down correctly and is in a safe place.
At the center of the 5 steps and this regulation, there is a machinery that stands on a triangular footprint and lifts heavy weights to impressive heights. The main objective is to be able to maintain the telehandler upright, but for sure there are risks.
The triangular base of the telehandler consists of the rear-axle pivot point and the two front wheels. The rear axles often oscillates, therefore the back wheels are not considered part of the base. The telehandler remains upright as long as the center of gravity of the equipment, which is defined as the point in 3 dimensions around which the weight of the machine is balanced, stays oriented in 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 lifted would change the center of gravity to the rear upwards. At the same time, the stability triangle shrinks when this happens. Hence, the higher you raise a load, the less of a margin for error you have as the stability triangle lessens.
When the stability triangle is small, it leaves less room for the center of gravity to move right or left. It is this wandering action that could change the stability triangle and leave less room for the frame to remain balanced if it is not completely level. For instance, imagine the center of gravity resembling a plumb bob hanging from the boom. You could always find the center of gravity somewhere on a totally vertical line between the center of the ground and a point on the boom. If the frame is not level, the center of gravity will not be oriented over the machine's centerline. The stability triangle is always aligned with the equipment's centerline.