There are times it pays to examine the process of choosing a forklift. Like for example, does your business always choose the same units for your dock work? If so, you could potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There may be different other models on the market that offer less exhaustion to operators and enable more to get done. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective manner. By doing some research and evaluation, you could determine if you have the right machine to meet all of your needs. By reducing operator fatigue, you can drastically increase your performance.
Several of the important factors to consider when determining forklift models that deal with particular problems include:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department just loads out a few semi-trailers or box trucks per week, then you probably won't require an expensive forklift to accomplish the job. A less expensive walkie unit or walkie-rider will be able to handle the job if: You do not need to stack loads in the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 pound capacity is sufficient. Last but not least, you need to consider whether or not the transition from the dock floor to the dock leveler and into the trailer is not too jarring for the operator because 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-rider or a walkie model. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. Their masts allow in-trailer stacking. These forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Each company has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, some forklift operators not just load trucks in the shipping department, but store inventory on racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork associated with the cargo, attach and scan bar codes and other jobs. Generally, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their forklifts in their shifts find it less fatiguing and much quicker to exit a stand-up control model, rather than a sit down type.