Where would we be without a little equipment expertise?

As a businessowner you know it’s not enough to be familiar with the basics. You need a deep working knowledge of every form of equipment required in the manufacturing process, no matter how large or small. Failing to ace this part of the test can result in you losing money at best and getting an employee badly injured at worst. When you require a forklift operator to finish the construction project you need to go the extra mile and make sure you’re only using the best. Forklift repair services can take a look at your machinery and ensure it’s always up to snuff.

Here’s what you should know about the risks of a poorly maintained forklift and, likewise, the benefits of staying ahead of the curve.

The forklift has been a staple of construction jobs and repair jobs the country over for quite some time now. Without it we would have to spend a lot more man-hours to achieve the same quality. Back in 1989 a forklift set a world record lifting 90 tons, a record that still stands to this day. Go back a little earlier to the 20th century when the forklift was first introduced thanks to demand in the World War. It would proceed to be tweaked, improved and changed outright to reflect the changing times.

Not only are forklifts powerful…they’re flexible. Modern forklifts can be powered multiple ways to ensure the job always gets done. Electricity, gasoline, propane, battery and diesel are all methods of using your forklift for sale NJ. The most common forklifts are able to carry a weight between one and five tons, with heavy duty forklifts averaging out at 50 tons. Keeping a close eye on the load’s weight is key to using a forklift successfully, as lifting too much can risk overhauling the machine and causing a severe accident.

The benefits of using heavy equipment include a job done fast and a job done well. Not only do businessowners reap the benefits, employees can have a lot less stress to contend with. A human lifting a 10 kilogram box puts around 180 kilograms of force on their spine. Lower back pain, sprains and pulled muscles are extremely common among day laborers and construction workers. Not just anyone can use a forklift, however. It requires an extensive knowledge of safety laws as well as long-term training.

The key to using a forklift safely is abiding closely by the rules. Heavy equipment is frequently involved in some of the most severe accidents and can be easily avoided with a little caution. The maximum speed of a forklift is eight miles per hour, for starters, and pedestrian heavy areas should have forklifts traveling three miles per hour or less. No heavy equipment should be operated while sick, under the influence or exhausted.

Due to so much that can go wrong at any given time extra precaution needs to be taken on part of the employer. Forklift operators are required to be trained and authorized, a process that requires renewal every three years to stay up-to-date. Without it more accidents and deaths would occur on the clock. Today forklifts are at fault for 1% of all accidents occurring in warehouses and factories. Injuries caused by forklifts constitute around 10%, ranging from broken bones to concussions.

A good forklift operator needs to have steady access to good training, parts replacement and, of course, a forklift that’s up to standard.