Forklift Controls
Among the most common types of machines you will see in any warehouse is a forklift. These all-around machinery are comprised of a vehicle with two pronged forks at the front that can haul and lift heavy items.
Forklifts are able to maneuver in small spaces and could lift objects into hard to reach, up high places. Lift trucks are still extremely dangerous machinery and need to be used safely at all times, after correct training and certification has taken place.
When new to a forklift, make time to read the owner's guidebook and familiarize yourself with the controls. Be sure to take note of the location of every specific control and what specific feature it functions. Nearly all forklifts have two levers which control the forks. The first lever controls the fork height. In order to make the forks go down, you push the lever forward. To be able to move the forks upwards, you simply pull back on the lever.
The forklift's second lever is utilized to tilt the forks allowing for better weight distribution across the forklift. This tilting action helps to keep objects stable and won't allow things to fall off while driving. In addition, it helps things slide off while unloading in a more balanced way.
By pulling the second lever back, the forks will tilt back, while pushing the lever forward would tilt the forks forward. Several forklift models are equipped with a third lever which controls the fork width. Every one of these levers is situated just to the right of the operator's seat.
Before operating the forklift, sit inside of it and go over what the controls do with a trained coworker. Be certain to do this when the forklift is off and not in use. Ask the trained expert if you have any questions about how something functions.
Observation is usually the best method to learn new forklift skills. So make time to observe a coworker showing the function of each control. On hydrostatic forklifts, notice that in order to make the machinery go, you use the gas. And if you would like to make it stop, you just release the gas pedal. There is no brake on these kinds of lift trucks. There are some hydrostatic models that are equipped with battery powered engines which shut off when the gas pedal is released. They start up once the gas pedal is pushed again.