There are times it pays to examine the process of choosing a forklift. For example, does your business always choose the same models for your dock work? If so, you could potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There can be different other units available on the market that allow more to get done since they provide less exhaustion to operators. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more effective way. By doing some research and evaluation, you could determine if you have the right machine to suit all your needs. By reducing operator fatigue, you can significantly increase your performance.
When determining forklift units which address your particular problems several of the key factors to consider could consist of:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't need a pricey forklift to complete tasks if your shipping and receiving department loads just a few semi-trailers or box trucks a week. An inexpensive walkie-rider or walkie unit will be able to handle the job if: You are not required to stack loads inside the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 pound capacity is adequate. Lastly, you need to consider whether or not the transition to the dock leveler from the dock floor and into the trailer is not too jarring for the operator since the small load wheels should travel over the dock plate.
If your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers on the other hand, a stand-up end control model could make more sense over a walkie-rider or a walkie model. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. Their masts allow in-trailer stacking. These kinds of forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
Every business has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, several forklift operators not just load trucks in the shipping department, but store inventory on racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork associated with the loads, scan and attach bar codes and other jobs. Usually, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their lift trucks in their shifts find it much faster and less tiring to exit a stand-up control unit, rather than a sit down kind.