It is quite key for some companies to examine the method of selecting a forklift. For instance, would your business choose consistently the same unit for your dock work or warehouse? If this is so, you might be missing out on a more effective forklift. There may be different other models on the market which allow more to get done because they offer less exhaustion to operators. You may be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective manner. By doing some evaluation and research, you could determine if you have the best equipment to meet all your requirements. By reducing operator fatigue, you can drastically increase your performance.
When determining forklift units that address your specific concerns some of the key factors to think about could comprise:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't need an expensive forklift to accomplish jobs if your shipping and receiving department loads only a few semi-trailers or box trucks a week. A cheaper walkie-rider or walkie unit will be able to handle the task if: A 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is enough and you do not need to stack loads inside the trailer. Last of all, you must 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 should 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 kinds of forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
For material handling needs, each business has a slightly different system. Several lift truck operators will normally load and unload products in the shipping department in addition to storing objects on inventory racks, handle the paperwork associated with the loads, replenish the manufacturing line, attach and scan bar codes and other jobs. Usually, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their forklifts in their shifts find it much quicker and less fatiguing to exit a stand-up control model, as opposed to a sit down kind.