There are actually 2 types of lift trucks, based whether or not they run on gas or electricity:
Internal Combustion or IC Lift trucks: The IC lift truck would run on fuels like gas, liquid propane, diesel or compressed natural gas or CNG. Gas powered units are best suited for outdoor use as they release pollutants and gases that are harmful to employees and pedestrians. Gas models are also great for application in bad weather and in the rain. These units could carry weights around 15,000 to 35,000 pounds. Because of the maintenance and fuel costs, units which run on gas are a lot more expensive to utilize compared to the electric models, although, they cost much less up front than the electric models. Units that run on liquid propane are the right choice for safe use in indoor applications.
Electric Lift Trucks: The electric forklift units are powered by really large batteries which must be recharged. The equipments do not produce any polluting air emissions like these units do not burn any fuel. They are the right option for warehouses and indoor use. In addition, electric forklifts do not require any fuel storage units and they are much quieter to run compared to other units. Among the downsides of electric powered units is that they are unable to lift loads over 15,000 pounds and hence, have a slower acceleration than the models that use gasoline.
Forklifts are specially designed to quickly and easily transport heavy cargo with simplicity. Like the case with most types of machinery, unfortunately, lift truck accidents do occur frequently. There are specific safety rules which should be followed to be able to keep everybody safe. The most vital concern is recruiting a trained operator, who can show you a valid lift truck license.
There are numerous different kinds of lift trucks available on the market. Deciding which one is best for your particular requirements would be based on the kind of environment your machinery would have to operate in, like for instance, indoors or outdoors or both and what types of loads that you have to transport. When you know your specific needs, it will be really easy to match up to the best kind of forklift. When you understand your needs exactly you can make the best decision.
Leasing is another great way to try out different units if you want to check out different features and see what kind of choices are available. This is a less expensive way to know if the machine you have selected could keep up with you on the job location.