There are two basic kinds of forklifts, units that run on gas and those that run on electricity:
Internal Combustion Lift trucks: The Internal Combustion Forklifts run on liquid propane, gas, compressed natural gas or CNG or diesel. The gas powered models are made to be used outside since they produce gases and pollutants that could be dangerous if inhaled. Models that run on gasoline are also suitable to be used in the rain and in bad climate. These units could carry weights around 15,000 to 35,000 pounds. Due to the fuel costs and maintenance, units which run on gas are more costly to utilize compared to the electric units, however, they cost less up front compared to electric powered units. The liquid propane units are the best choice to be used indoors.
Electric Forklifts: Electric lift trucks take batteries that require regular charging. Since these units do not burn any fuel, there are no emissions polluting the air with these machines. They are the best alternative for indoor applications and warehouses. Additionally, electric lift trucks do not need any fuel storage units and they are much quieter to run than other models. Amongst the disadvantages of the electric units is that they could not carry loads over 15,000 pounds and hence, have a slower acceleration compared to the units that use gasoline.
Forklifts are specifically designed to easily and quickly transport heavy cargo with ease. As the case with nearly all kinds of vehicle, unfortunately, lift truck accidents do occur on a regular basis. There are some safety rules that should be followed to be able to keep everyone safe. The most essential problem is recruiting a qualified operator, who could show you a valid forklift license.
There are numerous different types of forklifts available on the market. Deciding which one is best for your specific requirements will be based on the type of environment your equipment will need to operate in, for example, outdoors or indoors or both and what types of loads which you need to transport. Once you understand your specific requirements, it would be very easy to match up to the right type of lift truck. When you know your needs exactly you would be able to make a correct choice.
Leasing is one more good way to try out various models if you want to try out different features and see what type of options are available. This is a cheaper way to determine if the machine you have in mind could keep up with you on the job location.