Sometimes, it pays to examine the process of selecting a forklift. Like for instance, does your business always select the same units for your dock work? If so, you could potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There might be other units on the market that allow more to get done since they offer less exhaustion to operators. You may be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more effective manner. By doing some evaluation and research, you can determine if you have the best machinery to meet all your needs. By reducing operator exhaustion, you could drastically increase your performance.
Some of the important factors to consider when determining forklift models which address particular issues consist of:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department only loads out a few semi-trailers or box trucks a week, then you probably won't need an expensive lift truck to complete the tasks. An inexpensive walkie-rider or walkie model will be able to deal with the job if: You are not required to stack loads inside the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 pound capacity is enough. Lastly, you should think about 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 must travel over the dock plate.
If on the other hand, your shipping facility is always loading trailers, than a stand-up end control will make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door without difficulty. Their masts allow in-trailer stacking. These kinds of forklifts offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Each company has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, some forklift operators not only load trucks in the shipping department, but replenish the manufacturing line, store inventory on racks, handle the paperwork connected with the cargo, scan and attach bar codes and other jobs. Normally, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their lift trucks during their shifts find it less tiring and a lot quicker to exit a stand-up control unit, as opposed to a sit down type.