For the use of lift trucks, there are a few health and safety rules governing their use. Lift trucks are huge industrial machines which could be dangerous and have to be handled with safety in mind. The rules and regulations state that the driver needs to perform daily checks on the forklift and more thorough checks every week and on a monthly basis. The following checks must be carried out on the lift truck:
Forklift Brakes - brakes on lift trucks are important features which must be double and triple checked. A brake inspection is carried out with different pedal heights and pressures to determine the sensitivity of the brakes. The brake lights should be checked at the same time.
The Tires - the tires are also vital to the safe functioning of the truck and to the braking system. All the tires should be correctly checked to ensure that there are no punctures in the tires and they are inflated to the right pressure.
Controller - the lift truck controller system is checked by operating the forks and the release to determine that the system is in good working order. Any sign of problems must be reported and tended to immediately. The lift truck should not be used until the controller system has been fixed.
Steering Wheel - To make certain that the turning of the wheel is correct, the driver must check the lift truck steering wheel. Lift truck safety depends upon the steering wheel working correctly and responding well. There are a variety of checks that can be done to determine the performance of the steering wheel.
Engine Oil - the Removing the oil dip stick from the engine with help determine if the engine needs oil. The dipstick would show both the colour of the oil and the oil level. The oil should be refilled if the level is very low. If the colour is off, there could be contamination happening.
Fire Extinguisher - all lift trucks are required to be equipped with a fire extinguisher. The extinguisher has to be tested to ensure it will work correctly in the event of a fire. Different types of fire extinguisher must be checked in specific ways. For instance, a dry chemical extinguisher should be shaken.