Forklift Controls
In any warehouse setting, among the most common equipments is a forklift or lift truck. These all-around equipment consist of a vehicle together with two split forks at the front which are capable of moving and lifting heavy objects.
The standard lift truck is built to work and move in small spaces and can lift things to and from high up places. Forklifts are still very dangerous machinery and should be operated safely at all times, after correct training and certification has taken place.
When new to a lift truck, make time to read the owner's instruction manual and be familiar with the controls. Be sure to take note of the location of every specific control and what particular feature it functions. Nearly all lift trucks have two levers that control the forks. The first lever controls the fork height. In order to make the forks go down, the lever should be pushed forward. To move the forks upwards, you simply pull back on the lever.
There is another lever which controls the tilt of the forks. This tilting capability enables for better distribution of weight. This tilting action helps to keep things steady and won't allow objects to fall off when driving. Additionally, it helps things slide off while unloading in a more balanced way.
To be able to tilt the forks back, you pull the lever back and in order to tilt the forks forward, you simply push the lever forward. Some types of forklifts are outfitted with a third lever that controls the width of the forks. Every one of these levers is located just to the right of the operator's seat.
Before operating the forklift, sit inside of it and go over what the controls do with a qualified colleague. Be sure to do this while the forklift is off and not operational. Ask the trained professional if you have any questions about how something functions.
Observation is often the best way to learn new forklift skills. So take time to observe a coworker showing the function of each control. On hydrostatic lift trucks, notice that in order to make the equipment go, you use the gas. And if you want to make it stop, you simply release the gas pedal. There is no brake on these kinds of forklifts. There are some types of hydrostatic forklifts that are complete with battery powered engines which turn off when the gas pedal is released. They start up once the gas pedal is pushed again.