Sometimes, it pays to examine the process of choosing a forklift. For example, does your company consistently select the same models for your dock work? If so, you could potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There could be other models on the market which provide less exhaustion to operators and allow more to get done. You might be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more cost-effective way. By doing some research and evaluation, you could determine if you have the best machinery to suit your needs. By reducing operator exhaustion, you could drastically increase your performance.
Several of the important factors to think about when determining forklift units which deal with specific issues include:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
If your shipping department just loads out a few box trucks or semi-trailers a week, then you probably won't need a pricey forklift to complete the tasks. A less expensive walkie unit or walkie-rider will be able to handle the job if: A 4500 to 6000 pound capacity is enough and you are not required to stack loads inside the trailer. Last of all, you must consider whether or not the transition to the dock leveler from the dock floor and into the trailer is not too jarring for the operator as the small load wheels must travel over the dock plate.
If on the other hand, your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers, than a stand-up end control will 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 forklifts offer a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 pounds.
Operator Duties:
Every company has a slightly different system for material handling. In certain circumstances, several forklift operators not only load trucks in the shipping department, but store inventory on racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork associated with the cargo, scan and attach bar codes and other tasks. Generally, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their forklifts during their shifts find it a lot faster and less tiring to exit a stand-up control model, rather than a sit down type.