What You Need to Know About Loading a Forklift
Forklifts are versatile equipment handling machinery that are very instrumental for loading and unloading heavy equipment. Due to their nature of work and their own weight, forklifts pose a significant risk, and safety protocol should be observed when using or moving them. Luckily, OSHA has an elaborate guideline on how forklifts should be safely used or moved. One of the canonical rules states that it’s unlawful for an untrained person to operate a forklift under any circumstance; this includes when loading them into a trailer. For this reason, Tractor Transport works with OSHA approved forklift operators. The company also offers approved safety training to all its transport experts.
For lifts are designed in different sizes, depending on the nature and magnitude of work they will be handling. They are either diesel, electric, or propane powered. They are used in many work-sites from construction, agriculture, all the way to factory warehouses and docks. When demand arises, moving a forklift to another site becomes necessary. Since forklifts are not road-rated for obvious reasons, you cannot ride them from one location to another through the state roads. That’s where the expertise of shipping companies specialized in safe hauling and delivery of forklifts comes in. Tractor Transport has all the necessary equipment and human resources to ship forklift from any pick-up location in North America and move them anywhere in the country or to Canada and Mexico.
Safe and Efficient Hauling of Forklift
The very first step is to determine the weight of the forklifts. Make sure your trailer and the towing tractor have the legal capacity to haul the forklift safely. The weight of the forklift will also help you select the required securement system and appropriate straps necessary to secure the forklift. After reviewing the weights and confirming that the trailer is rated to do the job, the next step is to secure the trailer. Immobilize both the trailer and the truck with nose jacks and chock the wheels to prevent incidences of rolling or tipping. Double-check to ensure that the trailer and the truck are stable and secure. Now you can load the forklift. With the ramps in position and sitting squarely on firm ground, rev up the forklift through the ramps and onto the trailer in reverse. Loading the forklift while facing away from the truck’s cab is a safety measure.
Remember, the goal is to protect everyone, and in the event of any eventuality, the driver will still be safe from the forks. When the forklift is on the bed of the trailer, center it so that the distance from the edge of the trailer on both sides is equal. Afterward, tilt the forks forward and lower them. To ensure that the forklift stays immobile and stable, place wooden blocks behind each wheel and fasten them in place with sturdy screws. Now you can kill the engine, shut off the fuel supply, and disconnect the batteries. You can take extra precaution and empty the fuel tank. The next step is to secure the forklift with chains and straps. Securement is very important, and the safety guideline should be followed to the letter. Lastly, check the overall height and take note, then counter check that the loading process was done correctly, and let the guides safely vacate the trailer.
Let professionals Load and Transport Forklifts to Avoid Accidents
Forklifts are used in performing thousands of different equipment handling activities. Even though they are generally used within a particular work area and shipping them to a distant location is uncommon, sometimes moving forklifts cannot be avoided. Shipping professionals such as Tractor Transport are highly trained and are equipped with specialized equipment that can effectively and safely deliver any number of forklifts to any location. Trust such professionals to ensure a safe and efficient forklift move.