Sometimes, it pays to examine the method of selecting a forklift. Like for instance, does your business consistently 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 units on the market that allow more to get accomplished since they provide less fatigue to operators. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective manner. By doing some evaluation and research, you can determine if you have the best machinery to suit all of your requirements. By reducing operator exhaustion, you could drastically increase your performance.
When determining forklift units that deal with your particular concerns some of the important factors to think about may include:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department only loads out a few semi-trailers or box trucks a week, then you probably won't require a pricey forklift to accomplish the job. An inexpensive walkie-rider or walkie unit would be able to handle the job if: You do not need to stack loads in the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is sufficient. Lastly, you must 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 must travel over the dock plate.
If on the other hand, your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers, than a stand-up end control would 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 offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
For material handling needs, every business has a slightly different system. Some lift truck operators would normally unload and load products in the shipping department in addition to storing things on inventory racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork associated with the loads, attach and scan bar codes and other tasks. Usually, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their lift trucks during their shifts find it much faster and less fatiguing to exit a stand-up control model, as opposed to a sit down type.