It is quite key for some businesses to examine the process of selecting a lift truck. For example, would your company select always the same unit for your dock work or warehouse? If this is so, you could be missing out on a more efficient forklift. There might be other models available on the market that offer less exhaustion to operators and enable more to get done. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective manner. By doing some research and evaluation, you could determine if you have the best machinery to suit all your requirements. By reducing operator fatigue, you could significantly increase your performance.
When determining forklift models which address your particular issues some of the key factors to consider may consist of:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't require an expensive forklift to accomplish jobs if your shipping and receiving department loads only a few box trucks or semi-trailers a week. An inexpensive walkie-rider or walkie unit would be able to deal with the task if: You do not need to stack loads in the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 pound capacity is sufficient. Lastly, you have to think about whether or not the transition to the dock leveler from the dock floor and into the trailer is not too jarring for the operator as the small load wheels must travel over the dock plate.
If your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers however, a stand-up end control model could make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door easily. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Each company has a slightly different system for material handling. In certain circumstances, several forklift operators not only load trucks in the shipping department, but replenish the manufacturing line, store inventory on racks, handle the paperwork associated with the cargo, attach and scan bar codes and other jobs. Generally, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their lift trucks during their shifts find it less fatiguing and a lot quicker to exit a stand-up control unit, rather than a sit down type.