It is quite key for some companies to examine the method of selecting a lift truck. Like for example, will your business select always the same model for your warehouse or dock work? If this is so, you could be missing out on a more effective forklift. There may be various other models on the market which enable more to get accomplished since they offer less fatigue to operators. You may be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective way. By doing some evaluation and research, you could determine if you have the best machine to suit all your needs. By reducing operator exhaustion, you can drastically increase your performance.
When determining forklift models which address your specific problems some of the key factors to consider could consist of:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't need a pricey lift truck to accomplish jobs if your shipping and receiving department loads just a few semi-trailers or box trucks per week. A less expensive walkie-rider or walkie model would be able to deal with the job if: You do not need to stack loads inside the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is sufficient. Last but not least, you should consider whether or not the transition from the dock floor to the dock leveler 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 always loading trailers however, a stand-up end control unit may make more sense over a walkie-rider or a walkie model. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. 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 some circumstances, several 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. Usually, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their forklifts during their shifts find it a lot faster and less fatiguing to exit a stand-up control model, rather than a sit down type.