Driving a forklift is not that simple. It may seem to us that it’s enough to just sit behind the wheel, press a few buttons and we’re done. Meanwhile, driving a forklift is more complex. First of all, when operating such a machine, you must exercise appropriate caution, follow the most important safety rules and use the knowledge we acquired during the course. How to drive a forklift? We will try to answer this question in the text below.
What activities should be performed before starting to operate a forklift?
How to drive a forklift? First of all, the person operating the forklift should always check:
- the appearance of mechanical damage or possible leaks in the vehicle (this also applies to damage to the carriage, forks or mast). All such failures must be reported as soon as possible to the service or forklift maintenance technician,
- the level of brake fluid, engine oil, coolant and other fluids – in case their level is below minimum, to prevent engine damage during operation, they must be replenished immediately,
- battery charge in electric forklifts/amount of fuel in combustion engine forklifts – it’s best if these are amounts sufficient for a full day of work,
- operation of the handbrake, clutch and brake pedals
- gear shift lever – it’s worth checking whether any play has appeared and whether it operates smoothly,
- sound signals, lighting and turn signals.
Safe movement with a forklift – how should it look?
How to drive a forklift? Another important issue is safe movement with this type of vehicle. You must then exercise common sense and know the basic safety rules.
- when driving a forklift, we must primarily consider the need to place the forks in the proper transport position and tilt the forklift mast backward. It is absolutely forbidden to move a forklift with raised forks, regardless of whether it concerns driving without or with a load,
- another important issue that often appears when operating forklifts is the activity of moving the forklift on slopes. To perform such a maneuver correctly, you need to press the service brake pedal, unlock the parking brake, and then by gradually pressing the appropriate accelerator pedal slowly release the service brake. When moving the forklift on sloped terrain, it is recommended to avoid stopping, starting and loading forklifts on slopes. This is dangerous due to the change in the center of gravity of an already loaded forklift,
- for efficient and safe forklift driving, you must ensure that you use it only in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Such vehicles should not transport loads with a mass greater than their maximum lifting capacity. It is also forbidden to use such vehicles to transport people (on forks, or on carriage elements).
