There are safety and healthy guidelines governing the use of forklift trucks. Any large machine, like a forklift, is potentially dangerous and must be used safely. The rules and regulations state that the operator must carry out daily inspections on the forklift and more thorough inspections on a weekly basis and on a monthly basis. The following checks need to be carried out on the forklift:
Lift Truck Brakes - brakes on forklifts are important features that should be double and triple checked. A brake check is carried out with various pressures and pedal heights to determine the sensitivity of the brakes. The brake lights should be inspected at the same time.
The Tires - the tires are also important to the safe performance of the truck and to the braking system. All the tires should be checked correctly to ensure that there are no punctures in the tires and they are inflated to the right pressure.
Controller - the forklift controller system is checked by operating the forks and the release to know that the system is in good working order. Any hint of issues should immediately reported and tended to. The lift truck must not be utilized until the controller system has been fixed.
Steering Wheel - In order to make sure that the turning of the wheel is correct, the operator should inspect the lift truck steering wheel. Lift truck safety depends on the steering wheel functioning correctly and responding well. There are various types of checks that could be carried out to determine the performance of the steering wheel.
Engine Oil - the engine oil needs to be inspected by removing the dip stick from the lift truck engine. The dipstick would show both the colour of the oil and the oil level. The oil must be refilled if the level is too low. If the colour is off, there might be contamination occurring.
Fire Extinguisher - forklifts are required by law to carry a fire extinguisher. This fire extinguisher would need to be checked to ensure it will function properly in the event of a fire. Different kinds of fire extinguisher should be inspected in certain ways. For instance, a dry chemical extinguisher must be shaken.