It could really be simple to overlook the essential tire, when it comes to the maintenance of the lift truck. When you select the wrong tire for your forklift, you can put large increases on your operating expenses, and more importantly increase your safety risks. If on the other hand, you select correct tire you can enjoy substantial cost-savings, improved safety and an overall more efficient operation. A properly selected tire can actually decrease the downtime for replacement and probably last 40 percent longer.
Tires are really quite complex parts on the machinery; therefore, it is easy to pick the wrong one accidentally. There are numerous different brands of tires and types, with different compounds and treads. This means you should be totally prepared with the right information when you are going shopping for tires so that you can decide on some durable and safe alternatives to help extend the life of your forklift.
Your company must choose the specific tire for their machine according to the type of surface the equipment would be operated on. Indoor applications and smoother surfaces for instance, would generally utilize tires of a smaller size and made from rubber. On the contrary, outdoor operations need pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires have a rubber tread and are filled with compressed air. These features give them a great grip on uneven and rough surfaces.
Lift Truck Tire Safety
Every year, 200 individuals are killed in lift truck or forklift related accidents each year. Ensuring forklift safety, like for instance proper inspection practices, could all contribute in to avoiding these horrible and dangerous mishaps from happening.
Pre-Work Check
Before each and every shift, the forklift's tires have to be inspected. Ideally, they should have the proper air pressure, as set forth by the manufacturer. This is really important because if the tire pressure is very low, the machinery can accidentally tip over when a load is being lifted.
Kinds
For indoor work, lift trucks that have solid tires made out of rubber are the best alternative.
Other Considerations
OSHA or the Occupational Health and Safety Administration places a requirement on the continual use of forklifts. These lift trucks must be checked at the end of each and every shift. The driver has to check the machine for any mechanical problems and the tires have to be checked for excessive wear, cuts or obvious damage to the tires. Any issues which are detected should be addressed as soon as possible to maintain safety.