Wednesday 9 October 2013

Forklifts: Making the Most of Your Purchase

If your business makes use of a warehouse of considerable size in order to store your products, then having a forklift is a must. Although that may be the case, it does not mean that you can already go around and start purchasing the first set that comes across your way. As with anything else, you have to keep in mind a few things.

Early on, you have to figure out whether you would be going for buy new forklifts or if you would opt instead for used ones. While the latter will definitely help save you hundreds of dollars, the former tends to be more reliable and would require fewer repairs so long as regular maintenance is done.

Depending on whether you would be using it indoors or outdoors, you can also choose between motorized pallet stackers as well as manual ones. The former is best suited for indoor use while the latter is recommended more for those who would be moving materials outdoors. This is because motorized new pallet stackers might breakdown if used outside where they would be exposed to a number of different weather conditions. If you need a pallet stacker that is motorized but can be used outdoors, you might want to consider getting a propane-powered one.

If you are buying new forklifts, it is also recommended that you check out the kind of tires that are in used. Most professionals would recommend getting a forklift that makes use of pneumatic tires as this kind of tire is able to withstand nail punctures, uneven surface, and broken glasses. They can be quit expensive, though. Having said that, if you would be working on a smooth surface, you can consider getting one that used inflatable tires.

Make sure that the forklift that you would be getting is also the right one for the job. While there are forklifts that can be used for simple picking up and transferring of materials, some jobs would require forklifts that can carry as much as 10,000 pounds of items. Keep in mind that making use of the wrong forklift could cause the latter to topple over and the driver to get injured. What’s more, you run the risk of having to replace damaged items.

On the other hand, if you are intent on getting used forklifts instead, you might want to make sure that you have personally checked out the forklift that’s being offered to you. Make sure that the truck has all the needed papers, including mechanic records. If possible, take it out for a test drive.

Once you have purchased your preferred forklift, you have to make sure that the person you would be allowing to handle the said truck has the necessary license for it. In some state, a driver would have to undergo a minimum number of hours of training before they would be allowed to handle a forklift. This is to make sure that accidents in the workplace due to improper use of the forklift are avoided.

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