The Proper and Safe Way to Use a Forklift
Essential equipment used to transport and lift different kinds of supplies and heavy loads are forklifts. This particular material handling machinery is used daily in our society. Forklifts are found everywhere from inside warehouses, a building supply business, in department stores and storage units and at airports. When using a forklift, it is really essential to be fully aware of your surroundings in order to be safe.
The first step is to start the forklift by turning the key. Become familiar with the levers found to the right of the steering wheel. These levers are what you would be using to move an object from one place to another and also to maneuver the thing to where it must be positioned.
The next step is to utilize the first lever to move the forks up and down. Pull the lever towards you 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 must ideally be kept near the ground.
Before picking up loads, use the other two levers and practice first. The second lever is used 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 you. These forks are capable of tilting between 15 and 30 degrees.
The third lever is utilized to control the fork's movement from right to left. This is something that you must get used to. From side to side, they could move between 6 and 12 inches. The levers move towards where you would like the forks placed.
Once you are familiar, slowly approach the load you want to pick up. To be able to lower the forks, push the first lever away from your body. Carefully drive forward until the forks slide under the load. Carefully lift the load by pulling the lever towards you. If the load feels top heavy, be sure to slowly tilt the forks backwards.
When driving around corners go slow and get into the habit of honking the horn on the steering wheel to be able to alert others of the approaching machinery. Carefully approach the place where you will be unloading. Use the levers to maneuver the load to your final destination.
When you know how to stop a car then you know how to stop a forklift. Slowly step on the brake. It is found to the left of the accelerator.