There are times it pays to examine the process of selecting a forklift. Like for instance, does your company consistently choose the same units for your dock work? If so, you could potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There may be other models on the market which enable more to get done as they offer less exhaustion to operators. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more effective way. By doing some research and evaluation, you could determine if you have the best machinery to meet your needs. By reducing operator exhaustion, you could significantly increase your performance.
Some of the key factors to consider when determining forklift models that address particular concerns include:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department only loads out a few box trucks or semi-trailers a week, then you probably won't need a pricey lift truck to complete the tasks. An inexpensive walkie model or walkie-rider will 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 adequate. Last of all, you need 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 have to travel over the dock plate.
If your shipping facility is always loading trailers on the other hand, a stand-up end control unit could make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door easily. Their masts enable in-trailer stacking. These forklifts offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Each company has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, several forklift operators not only load trucks in the shipping department, but replenish the manufacturing line, store inventory on racks, handle the paperwork associated with the cargo, scan and attach bar codes and other jobs. Usually, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their forklifts in their shifts find it less fatiguing and a lot faster to exit a stand-up control model, as opposed to a sit down kind.