Sometimes, it pays to examine the method of selecting a lift truck. For example, does your company consistently choose the same models for your dock work? If so, you can potentially miss out on a more effective truck. There may be different other models available on the market that provide less exhaustion to operators and allow more to get accomplished. You may be able to take advantage of loading trailers in a more effective manner. By doing some evaluation and research, you could determine if you have the best machine to meet your requirements. By reducing operator exhaustion, you can significantly increase your performance.
When determining forklift units that address your particular issues some of the key factors to consider can comprise:
Trailer Loading Frequency:
You probably won't require an expensive lift truck to accomplish jobs if your shipping and receiving department loads only a few semi-trailers or box trucks per week. An inexpensive walkie-rider or walkie unit will be able to handle the job if: You do not need to stack loads inside the trailer, and a 4500 to 6000 lb. capacity is adequate. Last but not least, you have to 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 as the small load wheels have to travel over the dock plate.
If on the other hand, your shipping facility is consistently loading trailers, than a stand-up end control would 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 enable in-trailer stacking. These forklifts provide a model capacity range from 3000 to 4000 lbs.
Operator Duties:
Every company has a slightly different system for material handling. In some circumstances, some forklift operators not just load trucks in the shipping department, but store inventory on racks, replenish the manufacturing line, handle the paperwork connected with the cargo, scan and attach bar codes and other tasks. Usually, the forklift operators who are constantly on and off of their lift trucks in their shifts find it much faster and less fatiguing to exit a stand-up control unit, as opposed to a sit down type.