Forklift Controls
Inside any warehouse environment, among the most common machinery is a lift truck or forklift. These versatile machinery are comprised of a vehicle together with two split forks at the front that are capable of hauling and carrying bulky things.
The standard lift truck is built to work and move in small spaces and is able to lift items to and from high up places. Forklifts are still very dangerous machines and should be utilized in a safe way all the time, after correct training and certification has taken place.
When new to a forklift, take time to read the owner's guidebook and be familiar with the controls. Be sure to take note of the location of every particular control and what specific feature it functions. Most forklifts have two levers which control the forks. The first lever controls the height of the fork. In order to make the forks go down, you push the lever forward. To be able to move the forks upwards, you just pull back on the lever.
There is a second lever that controls the forks tilt. This tilting capability allows for better distribution of weight. This tilting action helps to keep items stable and won't allow items to fall off while driving. Furthermore, it helps items slide off in a more balanced way when unloading.
In order to tilt the forks back, you pull the lever back and in order to tilt the forks forward, you simply push the lever forward. Various kinds of forklifts are equipped with a third lever that controls the width of the forks. Each one of these levers is situated just to the right of the operator's seat.
Inexperienced drivers should take advantage of experienced coworkers who can go over the controls with them. Be sure to do this while the forklift is turned off and not operational. Ask the qualified expert if you have any questions regarding how anything functions.
Observation is normally the best method to learn new forklift skills. So take time to observe a coworker showing the function of each control. On hydrostatic lift trucks, notice that to be able to make the machinery go, you utilize the gas. And if you want to make it stop, you simply release the gas pedal. There is no brake on these types of forklifts. There are several kinds of hydrostatic forklifts that are outfitted with battery powered engines that shut off when the gas pedal is released. They start up once the gas pedal is pushed again.