For the use of forklifts, there are some health and safety rules governing their utilization. Lift trucks are large industrial machinery that can be dangerous and need to be handled with safety in mind. The rules and regulations state that the operator needs to carry out daily checks on the lift truck and more thorough inspections each and every week and each and every month. The following checks should be done on the lift truck:
Lift Truck Brakes - the brakes are a very essential part of the forklift machinery and therefore they must be double and tripled checked. A brake check is performed with various pressures and pedal heights to determine the sensitivity of the brakes. The brake lights should be inspected at the same time.
The Tires - the tires are also essential to the safe performance of the truck and to the braking system. All the tires need to be inspected correctly to make certain they are inflated to the right pressure and that there are no punctures in the tires.
Controller - To determine whether the system is in good working condition, the forklift controller system has to be checked by operating the forks and the release mechanism. Any indication of issues should immediately reported and tended to. The forklift should not be used until the controller system has been fixed.
Steering Wheel - In order to make sure that the turning of the wheel is correct, the driver should inspect the forklift steering wheel. Lift truck safety depends on the steering wheel working correctly and responding well. There are different types of checks that can be performed to determine steering wheel performance.
Engine Oil - the engine oil needs to be inspected by removing the dip stick from the forklift engine. The dipstick will show the oil level and the colour of the oil. The oil must be refilled if the level is too low. If the colour is off, there could be contamination occurring.
Fire Extinguisher - all lift trucks are required to be equipped with a fire extinguisher. The extinguisher needs to be checked to ensure it will work properly in the event of a fire. Different types of fire extinguisher should be inspected in certain ways. Like for instance, a dry chemical extinguisher must be shaken.