Sometimes, it pays to examine the method of choosing a forklift. For example, does your business consistently select the same models for your dock work? If so, you could potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There can be different other models on the market which enable more to get accomplished as they offer less exhaustion to operators. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more effective manner. By doing some research and evaluation, you could determine if you have the best machinery to meet your requirements. By reducing operator fatigue, you can significantly increase your performance.
Some of the important factors to think about when determining forklift models that deal with particular issues comprise:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't need a pricey lift truck to complete jobs if your shipping and receiving department loads only a few semi-trailers or box trucks a week. A cheaper walkie model or walkie-rider will be able to deal with the task if: A 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is adequate and you are not required to stack loads in the trailer. Last of all, 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 must 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 fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door easily. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
Every business has a slightly different system for material handling. In certain circumstances, some forklift operators not just load trucks in the shipping department, but store inventory on racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork connected with the loads, scan and attach bar codes and other jobs. Generally, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their forklifts in their shifts find it less tiring and a lot faster to exit a stand-up control model, as opposed to a sit down kind.