It was in the beginning of the 20th Century when the very first forklifts were introduced. These equipment during the last 90 plus years has revolutionized the material handling industries and even the recycling business. The considerations for safe use, the forklift's evolution and the many different types are discussed below.
History of Forklifts
These powered industrial trucks, also referred to as lift trucks and forklifts, were invented and introduced to the market in the late 19th century. Originally, these units were low lift trucks that were just capable of raising platforms a few inches high. Usually, these equipment were used for moving material inside a shop, like work-in-progress situations. During the latter part of 1910s, high lift trucks initially emerged and truck design enhancements started to take root from there. The tier trucks ultimately evolved and this allowed for better storage efficiency and stacking of loads.
In the 1930s, there were some really tough economic times. Then again, throughout this particular period, labor was freely available but capital for investment was increasingly harder to come by. This situation really slowed the growth of lift truck usage.
Lift trucks became a very strategic part of the WWII war effort since the vast shortages in manpower during that time happened as a resulting of enlistment of thousands of men. It was found that its operator and the forklift were extremely productive and could deal with the work of many men. As the War progressed, many women operators filled the numerous demands. By the time the war was over, forklifts became a mainstay of the material handling industry. They were used a lot in the Pacific war efforts. Some of the leftover pallets and forklifts within Australia left behind by the U.S. Military became the basis for the Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool or CHEP, who today is known as the world's largest pallet pooling business.
Diesel/Gasoline
Diesel and gasoline engines have a lot of advantages. They are readily available around the world; they deliver consistent power throughout the shift, they are suitable for heavy duty workloads and a lot of operators are quite familiar with the source of power.
Some of the major disadvantages of gasoline and diesel models comprise: they need a lot more maintenance than electric versions, due to the emissions they release, they are not appropriate to be used inside, there is some difficulty and cost connected to oil and fluid disposal and they need a re-fueling station on-site if they are going to be in continuous use.