It is quite key for some companies to examine the method of selecting a lift truck. Like for example, would your business select consistently the same unit for your dock work or warehouse? If this is so, you might be missing out on a more effective forklift. There may be other models on the market which allow more to get accomplished as they provide less fatigue to operators. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective way. By doing some evaluation and research, you could determine if you have the right equipment to suit all of your needs. By reducing operator fatigue, you can drastically increase your performance.
When determining forklift models which deal with your particular issues some of the key factors to think about can comprise:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't require an expensive lift truck to accomplish tasks if your shipping and receiving department loads only a few semi-trailers or box trucks per week. A cheaper walkie model or walkie-rider would be able to handle the job if: A 4500 to 6000 pound capacity is adequate and you do not need to stack loads inside the trailer. Last of all, 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 as the small load wheels have to travel over the dock plate.
If your shipping facility is always loading trailers on the other hand, a stand-up end control unit may make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door with no trouble. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Every company has a slightly different system for material handling. In certain circumstances, several forklift operators not only load trucks in the shipping department, but store inventory on racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork connected with the cargo, scan and attach bar codes and other tasks. Generally, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their lift trucks during their shifts find it less fatiguing and much faster to exit a stand-up control model, as opposed to a sit down type.