How to Correctly Use a Forklift
Lift trucks are lifting machines that could transport cargo. They are normally used in various industries to transport heavy materials. They can be found at warehouses, airports and building supply companies. Anyone operating a forklift must be trained to utilize the machine carefully. It is essential to be completely aware of one's environment when driving a forklift. Lift trucks are designed to run on propane, gasoline, diesel or batteries. Standard forklifts are popular in various commercial applications and are truly not hard to use with proper training. The following steps outline the basics of using a lift truck:
1 Get familiar with all the levers that are utilized to transport and maneuver the cargo from location to another location. The levers can be found to the right of the steering wheel.
2 The first lever controls the up and down movement of the tines. Pushing the lever away from your body moves them down and pulling the lever towards you moves the tines up. Blades must be kept close to the ground except when unloading or loading.
3 The other two levers control the tilt and the left/right movement of the forks. The tines are designed to tilt between 15 and 30 degrees. It is recommended that you practice before picking up a load. Utilizing the second lever, pull it towards your body to tilt the blades back, and push it away from your body to tilt the forks forward.
4 The third lever is moved side to side to control the movement of the forks from left to right. Just move the lever in the direction of where you want the forks to move: right to move the blades right and left in order to move the forks left.
5 Carefully approach the load. Lower the blades and cautiously drive forward until the tines slide under the cargo. After that lift the blades a few centimeters by pulling the lever towards your body. If the load is top-heavy, you have to tilt the blades backwards a little for balance.
6 Warn other people and personnel when the lift truck is approaching by honking and take safety measures by taking corners slowly and honking. Approach the area where you will be working carefully. Control the levers to maneuver the load to where it is going. When the cargo is placed, reverse gears and back away carefully.
7 A lift truck stops the same way as a car. The brake is situated to the left side of the accelerator. Once stopped, shift the gear into "park."