The Safe and Proper Way to Use a Forklift
Forklifts are essential machinery which are utilized to transport and raise heavy loads and different materials. This material handling machinery is used on a daily basis in our society. Forklifts are found everywhere from inside warehouses, a building supply company, within storage units and department stores and at airports. When utilizing a forklift, it is essential to be fully aware of your surroundings so as to be safe.
The first step is to start the forklift by turning the key. Become familiar with the levers located at the right of the steering wheel. These levers are what you would use to move an item from one place to another and also to maneuver the object to where it must be placed.
Secondly, move the forks up and down utilizing the first lever. Pull the lever towards you to be able to move the fork up. To be able to move the fork down, push the lever away from you. Unless you are loading or unloading an object, the forks should ideally be kept near the ground.
Next, practice using the other two levers before picking up a load. The second lever is utilized for tilting the forks backwards and forwards. In order to tilt the forks forwards, push the lever away from you. In order to tilt the forks back, pull the levers towards your body. These forks are capable of tilting between 15 and 30 degrees.
The third lever is used to control the fork's movement from left to right. This is something that you should get used to. From side to side, they could move between 6 and 12 inches. The levers move in the direction of where you would like the forks placed.
When you are certain that you already know what you are supposed to be do, approach the load you would like to pick up slowly. In order to lower the forks, push the first lever away from your body. Drive forward carefully until the forks slide underneath the load. Slightly lift the load by pulling the lever towards your body. If the load feels top heavy, be sure to tilt the forks backwards slightly.
You should go slow when you drive around corners. Make sure that you honk the horn found on the steering wheel in order to alert other people of the approaching machinery. Slowly approach the area where you will be unloading. Use the levers to maneuver the load to your final destination.
Stopping the forklift is like stopping a car. Slowly step on the brake. It is located on the left of the accelerator.