An order picker or stock picker equipment is very like a regular forklift. It has hydraulic tines able to raise a pallet. Order pickers can also lift the operator up to high places, which is a feature that lift trucks presently do not offer. Usually, order pickers are operated by electricity. These equipment are mostly utilized in a warehouse environment. Usually they are used for transporting pallets and doing certain tasks in the shelving and stocking department.
The operator of an order picker uses controls to control the unit from a platform setting which usually sits quite near the ground. The operator is able to direct the machine to go forward, backward or steer it from side to side. Once the operator has positioned the unit in place the tines could be lifted up to the required level which makes it convenient for the operator. For example, if the needed materials, are located on a shelf that the operator could not reach, then whole platform is capable of being lifted up to certain level. Due to the counterweight situated at the other end, the unit remains balanced, even at higher levels.
When the order has been picked, the platform is lowered back to its original position. Then the order picker could be driven to its next load. With most models, it is possible to move the order picker while the platform is raised, although, some companies may have policies and procedures in place preventing such maneuvers in the name of safety. An order picker is also able to put pallets on a shelf. Forklifts and stackers could be used to complete these particular tasks at several companies instead.