Sometimes, it pays to examine the process of choosing a lift truck. For example, does your company consistently choose the same units for your dock work? If so, you can potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There could be various other models available on the market that allow more to get accomplished as they provide less fatigue to operators. You may be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective manner. By doing some evaluation and research, you could determine if you have the best equipment to meet all of your requirements. By reducing operator fatigue, you could significantly increase your performance.
When determining forklift units which address your particular problems some of the key factors to think about can consist of:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't need an expensive forklift to accomplish tasks if your shipping and receiving department loads only a few semi-trailers or box trucks per week. An inexpensive walkie unit or walkie-rider will be able to handle the task if: You do not need to stack loads inside the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is adequate. Last but not least, you have to think about 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 should travel over the dock plate.
If on the other hand, your shipping facility is always loading trailers, than a stand-up end control would make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These types of forklifts offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
For material handling requirements, every business has a slightly different system. Some forklift operators would normally unload and load products in the shipping department as well as storing things on inventory racks, handle the paperwork associated with the loads, replenish the manufacturing line, scan and attach bar codes and other tasks. Normally, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their lift trucks during their shifts find it less fatiguing and much quicker to exit a stand-up control model, rather than a sit down type.