There are times it pays to examine the method of selecting a lift truck. For instance, does your company consistently choose the same models for your dock work? If so, you could potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There might be other units on the market which offer less exhaustion to operators and allow more to get accomplished. You might 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 suit your needs. By reducing operator fatigue, you could significantly increase your performance.
When determining forklift models which address your particular concerns some of the key factors to think about may consist of:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't require a pricey forklift to complete jobs if your shipping and receiving department loads just a few box trucks or semi-trailers a week. An inexpensive walkie-rider or walkie unit will be able to handle the task if: A 4500 to 6000 pound capacity is adequate and you are not required to stack loads in the trailer. Last of all, you should 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 should travel over the dock plate.
If your shipping facility is always loading trailers however, a stand-up end control unit may make more sense over a walkie model or a walkie-rider. These battery-powered forklifts easily fit into a standard 108 inch trailer door. Their masts allow in-trailer stacking. These kinds of forklifts offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Every business has a slightly different system for material handling. In certain 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. Usually, the forklift operators who are always on and off of their lift trucks during their shifts find it much faster and less tiring to exit a stand-up control model, rather than a sit down type.