It is quite important for some companies to examine the process of choosing a forklift. Like for example, would your company choose consistently the same unit for your warehouse or dock work? If this is so, you might be missing out on a more effective forklift. There might be other models on the market that enable more to get accomplished since they offer less fatigue to operators. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more effective manner. By doing some evaluation and research, you can determine if you have the right equipment to meet all your needs. By reducing operator exhaustion, you could drastically increase your performance.
When determining forklift units that deal with your particular concerns several of the important factors to think about could include:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department only loads out a few semi-trailers or box trucks per week, then you probably won't require a pricey forklift to accomplish the tasks. An inexpensive walkie unit or walkie-rider would be able to handle the job if: A 4500 to 6000 pound capacity is enough and you do not need to stack loads in the trailer. Last but not least, you have to think about whether or not the transition to the dock leveler from the dock floor and into the trailer is not too jarring for the operator since the small load wheels have to travel over the dock plate.
If your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers on the other hand, a stand-up end control model could make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. Their masts allow in-trailer stacking. These types of forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
For material handling needs, every business has a slightly different system. Some lift truck operators would normally unload and load goods in the shipping department as well as storing objects on inventory racks, handle the paperwork associated with the loads, replenish the manufacturing line, scan and attach bar codes and other jobs. Usually, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their lift trucks during their shifts find it less fatiguing and a lot quicker to exit a stand-up control unit, rather than a sit down kind.