Sometimes, it pays to examine the process of choosing a lift truck. Like for example, does your company always choose the same models for your dock work? If so, you can potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There might be different other models existing on the market which allow more to get done because they provide less exhaustion to operators. You may be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective manner. By doing some research and evaluation, you can determine if you have the best machinery to meet your needs. By reducing operator fatigue, you can drastically increase your performance.
Some of the important factors to consider when determining forklift models which deal with particular concerns include:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't require a pricey lift truck to complete tasks if your shipping and receiving department loads only a few box trucks or semi-trailers per week. A cheaper walkie-rider or walkie unit would be able to handle the job if: A 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is adequate and you are not required to stack loads in the trailer. Last of all, you should 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 on the other hand, your shipping facility is always loading trailers, than a stand-up end control would make more sense over a walkie-rider or a walkie model. 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 pounds.
Operator Duties:
Every business has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, several 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. Normally, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their lift trucks during their shifts find it less tiring and a lot faster to exit a stand-up control unit, rather than a sit down kind.