Forklift Controls
In any warehouse environment, one of the most common machinery is a lift truck or forklift. These versatile machines consist of a vehicle with two split forks at the front that are capable of transporting and carrying bulky things.
Forklifts can maneuver in small spaces and can lift objects into hard to reach, up high places. Lift trucks are still really dangerous machinery and should be utilized safely all the time, after proper training and certification has taken place.
Take the time to read the owners handbook after acquiring a new forklift to help you get familiar with the controls. The instruction manual would feature the particular location of each control and the functions it has. Most lift trucks have two levers which control the forks. The first lever controls the height of the fork. In order to make the forks go down, you push the lever forward. To move the forks upwards, you just pull back on the lever.
There is a second lever which controls the forks tilt. This tilting capability allows for better distribution of weight. This tilting action helps to keep things stable and won't allow things to fall off while driving. Additionally, it helps items slide off in a more balanced way while unloading.
By pulling the second lever back, the forks will tilt back, when pushing the lever forward will tilt the forks forward. Some kinds of forklifts are equipped with a third lever which controls the width of the forks. Each one of these levers is located just to the right of the operator's seat.
Inexperienced drivers must take advantage of experienced coworkers who can go over the controls with them. Be sure to do this when the forklift is off and not in use. Ask the qualified expert if you have any questions regarding how anything functions.
Observation is often the best way to learn new forklift skills. So make time to observe a coworker showing the function of every control. On hydrostatic lift trucks, notice that to be able to make the machinery go, you use the gas. And if you want to make it stop, you simply release the gas pedal. There is no brake on these types of forklifts. There are some types of hydrostatic forklifts which are outfitted with battery powered engines which turn off when the gas pedal is released. They start up once the gas pedal is pushed again.