For the utilization of lift trucks, there are several health and safety guidelines governing their use. Forklifts are huge industrial machinery which could be dangerous and need to be handled with safety in mind. The rules and regulations state that the operator must conduct daily checks on the lift truck and more thorough inspections on a weekly basis and each and every month. The following inspections need to be done on the forklift:
Lift Truck Brakes - the brakes are a really important part of the lift truck machinery and thus they must be double and tripled checked. A brake check is carried out with different pressures and pedal heights to determine the sensitivity of the brakes. The brake lights must be checked at the same time.
The Tires - forklift tires are also important for the safe functioning of the forklift truck and to the braking system. All the tires have to be checked properly to ensure they are inflated to the proper pressure and that there are no punctures in the tires.
Controller - In order to determine whether the system is in good working condition, the lift truck controller system has to be checked by operating the forks and the release mechanism. Any indication of issues must be reported and tended to at once. The forklift should not be used until the controller system has been fixed.
Steering Wheel - the driver must inspect the forklift steering wheel to make certain the turning of the wheel is correct. Forklift safety depends upon the steering wheel responding well and functioning precisely. There are a variety of checks which can be done to determine the performance of the steering wheel.
Engine Oil - the Removing the oil dip stick from the engine with help determine if the engine requires oil. The dipstick would show the oil level and the colour of the oil. The oil should be refilled if the level is very low. If the colour is off, there might be contamination occurring.
Fire Extinguisher - all lift trucks are required to be equipped with a fire extinguisher. The extinguisher has to be tested to ensure it would work correctly in case of a fire. Various kinds of fire extinguisher must be checked in certain ways. Like for example, a dry chemical extinguisher has to be shaken.