Forklift Maintenance: Avoiding Forklift Hazards

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All forklift operators should have the proper training so that they can avoid preventable mistakes that could result in injury. However, regardless of how competent a forklift driver is, there is always room for error. Accidents can happen, but with the help of regular forklift maintenance and tire repair, they should be few and far between. Operators with experience usually know how to avoid potential mistakes regarding forklift abuse, too. Read on as these common errors are fully explained to discover how you can spot and prevent them.

Regular Forklift Maintenance for Tires

It is critical that each part of the forklift is properly maintained to reduce downtime and provide operators with a safe and effective machine. Tire maintenance, unfortunately, is often overlooked. This can be attributed to the lack of know-how surrounding tire maintenance. It is vital that operators know what to look for, giving special attention to cushion and pneumatic tires. Frequent misjudgments about what stage forklift tires are in can lead to early – or even worse, late – replacement. However, a new type of tire has been developed to circumvent this; it reveals an orange stripe once the tires are about 100 hours away from needing replacement. This serves as a visual indicator for operators that may be unsure of when to switch out their tires.

It is also important to replace worn or chunked tires, as they can cause jarring impacts to the axel components, wheel, and operator. Demanding applications require using the proper tires for the job to get the maximum performance out of the forklift. If you do not know if your equipment has the right tires, it might be time to contact your local dealer to check them out. Operating a forklift with worn tires can cause early wear because the bottoms of the forks are constantly scraping the floor. This can jeopardize a forklift’s ability to lift, which can ultimately lead to a fully preventable accident.

Forklift Abuse

The most frequent cause of downtime is operator abuse. Some of the more common forms of abuse are outlined below:

• Failure to check equipment fluids.
• Failure to properly use the inching pedal when shifting from forward to reverse.
• Suddenly gunning the engine.
• Using the forklift to compact pallets, trailers, or equipment.
• Overloading the forklift above the rated capacity limit.
• Continuing to use equipment despite there being a recognized issue with the machine.

How to Reduce Forklift Abuse