It could be simple to overlook the important tire, when it comes to the maintenance of the lift truck. When you select the wrong tire for your forklift, you can put huge increases on your operating costs, and more importantly increase your safety risks. If on the other hand, you pick correct kind of tire you can enjoy improved safety, substantial cost-savings and an overall more effective operation. A correctly selected tire could actually decrease the downtime for replacement and probably last 40% longer.
The forklift tire is a quite complex component of the machine. It is thus, easy to choose the wrong type accidentally. There are numerous different brands of tires and kinds, with various treads and compounds. This means you should be completely prepared with the correct data when you are buying tires so that you can select some safe and durable options to help prolong the life of your forklift.
The specific kind of tire chosen for a forklift depends on the type of surface you would be using the machine on. Like for instance, smoother surfaces and indoor applications generally use tires which are made from rubber and that are smaller in size. On the other hand, outdoor applications require pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires have a rubber tread and are filled with compressed air. These features give them a good grip on rough and uneven surfaces.
Lift Truck Tire Safety
Each year, 200 individuals are killed in lift truck or forklift related accidents each year. Ensuring lift truck safety, like for example proper inspection practices, could all contribute in to avoiding these horrible and dangerous accidents from occurring.
Pre-Work Check
Prior to each and every shift, the forklift's tires have to be checked. Ideally, they must have the proper air pressure, as set forth by the maker. This is extremely important because if the tire pressure is very low, the machinery could accidentally tip over when a load is being lifted.
Kinds
For indoor work, lift trucks which have solid tires made out of rubber are the best option.
Other Considerations
The OHSA or Occupational Health and Safety Administration require that forklifts utilized on a continual basis need to be checked at the completion of every shift. The driver should inspect the equipment for any mechanical issues and the tires should be checked for cuts, excessive wear or apparent tire damage. Any problems which are detected must be dealt with as soon as possible to maintain safety.