To ensure that safety is a main concern, there are 5 important steps. To be able to make certain that the unit is visually safe, the initial step is to perform a Walk-Around Inspection. After that check if the worksite is safe to operate in with a Worksite Assessment. The Function Test is the third step in order to determine whether or not the model is working safely. The 4th thing to think about is Proper Operation, so as to determine whether or not the unit is operating safely. Lastly, Proper Shutdown has to be checked so as to make sure the unit is capable of shutting down properly and is in a safe place.
At the center of the 5 steps and this regulation, there is a machinery that stands on a triangular footprint and lifts heavy weights to impressive heights. The main goal is to keep the telehandler upright, but for sure there are risks.
The rear-axle pivot point, and the two front wheels make up the triangular base of the telehandler. Normally the rear axle oscillates and hence, the rear wheels are not a part of the base. The telehandler remains upright so long as the equipment's center of gravity, which is defined as the point in 3 dimensions around which the weight of the equipment is balanced, stays oriented inside the stability triangle.
When the boom is down, adding a load to the forks at that time changes the center of gravity down and forward. Lifting the load would change the center of gravity to the rear and upwards. At the same time, the stability triangle shrinks when this happens. Therefore, the higher you raise a load, the less of a margin for error you have because the stability triangle lessens.
When the stability triangle is small, it leaves less room for the center of gravity to move right or left. It is this wandering action which can change the stability triangle and leave less room for the frame to remain balanced if it is not completely level. For example, imagine the center of gravity resembling a plumb bob hanging from the boom. You will always be able to find the center of gravity someplace on a totally vertical line between the center of the ground and a point on the boom. If the frame is not level, the center of gravity will not be oriented over the machine's centerline. The stability triangle is always aligned with the centerline of the telehandler.