How to Use a Forklift
Lift trucks are lifting equipment that could move loads. They are commonly used in various industries to move heavy supplies. They could be found at airports, building supply companies and warehouses. Any individual operating a lift truck should be taught to carefully use the equipment. It is vital to be completely aware of one's surroundings when operating a forklift. Lift trucks are designed to run on gasoline, propane, batteries or diesel. Regular lift trucks are popular in a wide array of commercial applications and are not hard to utilize with correct training. The following steps outline the fundamentals of utilizing a forklift:
1 Familiarize yourself with the levers which will be utilized to maneuver the load and to transport the item from one location to another. The levers could be found to the right of the steering wheel.
2 The first lever controls the down and up movement of the tines. Pulling the lever towards you moves the tines up, and pushing the lever away from you moves them down. Tines must be kept near the ground except when loading or unloading.
3 The two other levers work to control the blades movement left and right and to control the forks tilt. The blades are designed to tilt between 15 and 30 degrees. It is better that you practice before picking up a load. Using the second lever, pull it towards your body to tilt the tines back, and push it away from you to tilt the blades forward.
4 The third lever is moved side to side to control the fork's movement from left to right. Just move the lever towards where you want the tines to move: right in order to move the tines right and left in order to move the blades left.
5 Carefully approach the cargo. Lower the forks and drive forward carefully until the blades slide under the cargo. Next lift the tines several centimeters by pulling the lever towards your body. If the load is top-heavy, you must tilt the blades backwards a small amount for balance.
6 Alert other individuals and personnel when the forklift is approaching by honking and take safety precautions by slowly taking corners and honking. Approach the area where you will be working carefully. Manipulate the levers to maneuver the load to where it is going. When the cargo is positioned, reverse gears and carefully back away.
7 Lift trucks stop in much the same way as other types of vehicles. The brake is located to the accelerator's left side. When stopped, put the gear into "park."