The Proper and Safe Way to Use a Forklift
Forklifts are important machinery that are used to move and lift bulky loads and various materials. This material handling machinery is utilized daily in our society. Forklifts are found anywhere from a building supply business, in warehouses, within department stores and storage units and at airports. When using a forklift, it is important to be completely aware of your surroundings in order to be safe.
First, you should turn the key to start the forklift. Become familiar with the levers found to the right of the steering wheel. These levers are what you would be utilizing to move a thing from one place to another and also to maneuver the thing to where it needs to be placed.
Secondly, move the forks up and down using the first lever. Pull the lever towards you to move the fork up. In order to move the fork down, push the lever away from your body. Unless you are unloading or loading an item, the forks must ideally be kept near the ground.
Before picking up loads, utilize the other two levers and practice first. The second lever is used for tilting the forks forwards and backwards. In order to tilt the forks forwards, push the lever away from you. In order to tilt the forks back, pull the levers towards you. These forks can tilt between 15 and 30 degrees.
The next thing to get used of is using the 3rd lever to control the forks movement from the right to left. From side to side, they could move between 6 and 12 inches. The levers move in the direction of where you want the forks placed.
Once you are familiar, carefully approach the load you want to pick up. In order to lower the forks, push the first lever away from your body. Drive forward carefully until the forks slide under the load. Carefully lift the load by pulling the lever towards you. If the load feels top heavy, be certain to tilt the forks backwards slowly.
When driving around corners go slow and get into the habit of honking the horn on the steering wheel to be able to alert others of the approaching equipment. Carefully approach the place where you would be unloading. Use the levers to maneuver the load to your final destination.
Stopping the forklift is similar to stopping a motor vehicle. Slightly step on the brake. It is situated on the left of the accelerator.