Forklift Controls
One of the most common pieces of machines you would see inside any warehouse is a forklift. These versatile machinery consist of a vehicle along with two pronged forks at the front which are capable of moving and carrying bulky objects.
The standard lift truck is designed to function and move in small spaces and can carry items to and from high up places. Lift trucks are still really dangerous equipment and should be used safely at all times, after proper training and certification has taken place.
Take the time to read the owners manual after acquiring a new forklift to help you get familiar with the controls. The handbook will feature the specific location of every control and the functions it has. Most forklifts have two levers that control the forks. The first lever controls the fork height. In order to make the forks go down, you push the lever forward. To move the forks upwards, you just pull back on the lever.
The forklift's second lever is used to tilt the forks allowing for better distribution of weight across the forklift. This tilting action helps to keep objects steady and won't allow objects to fall off while driving. Furthermore, it helps things slide off when unloading in a more balanced method.
By pulling the second lever back, the forks would tilt back, while pushing the lever forward will tilt the forks forward. Various forklift models are outfitted with a third lever that controls the width of the forks. Each 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 qualified coworker. Be certain to do this while the forklift is turned off and not in use. Ask the qualified expert if you have any questions regarding how something works.
Observation is usually the best way to learn new forklift skills. So make time to observe a coworker showing the function of each control. On hydrostatic lift trucks, notice that in order to make the equipment go, you use the gas. And if you want to make it stop, you just release the gas pedal. There is no brake on these kinds of lift trucks. There are several types of hydrostatic forklifts that are outfitted with battery powered engines that shut off when the gas pedal is released. They start up when the gas pedal is pushed again.