How to Use a Forklift
Forklifts are material handling equipment which could transport loads. Most commonly, these machinery are utilized in some industries to transport heavy materials in various settings like airports, supply companies and warehouses. Anyone operating a forklift needs to be trained to utilize the machinery carefully. It is vital to be completely aware of one's surroundings when driving a forklift. Lift trucks are designed to run on gasoline, propane, diesel or batteries. Typical forklifts are common in various commercial applications and are really not hard to utilize with proper training. The following steps outline the fundamentals of operating a forklift:
1 Get familiar with all the levers which are utilized to move and maneuver the cargo from location to another location. The levers could be found to the right side of the steering wheel.
2 The first lever could move the tines down and up. Pushing the lever away from your body moves them down and pulling the lever towards your body moves the blades up. Forks must be kept near the ground except when loading or unloading.
3 The other two levers control the tilt and the right/left movement of the forks. The blades are designed to tilt between 15 and 30 degrees. It is better that you practice prior to picking up a load. Using the second lever, push it away from your body to tilt the forks forward, and pull it towards you to tilt the forks back.
4 Lever number 4 is utilized to control the forks side to side movement from right to left. Just move the lever towards where you want the forks to move: left in order to move the blades left, and right to move the tines right.
5 Always approach a cargo carefully. Lower the tines and drive forward carefully until the blades slide under the cargo. After that lift the tines several centimeters by pulling the lever towards you. If the cargo is top-heavy, you must tilt the blades backwards a little for balance.
6 Safe driving rules include taking corners slowly and honking to alert pedestrians or other personnel that the lift truck is approaching. Approach the place where you will be working with care. Manipulate the levers to maneuver the load to where it is going. When the load is positioned, reverse gears and back away carefully.
7 A forklift stops the same way as an automobile. The brake is located to the accelerator's left side. When stopped, put the gear into "park."