​Five Ways You Can Prevent Forklift Overloading

16th Sep 2021

Overloading accidents are some of the most common accidents in the warehouse today. Once a forklift is overloaded it will naturally tip-over and lead to fatal injuries or damage to property. It is therefore important that you take steps to prevent such accidents from happening by preventing forklift overloading. In this article we give you some of the tips that should prove helpful towards that end;

Legible Data Plate

Every forklift has a capacity that it should be able to sustain in any given operation. This information is usually contained in the load capacity plate that should be legible for the knowledge of the forklift operator. Always avoid operating a forklift that does not have a load capacity plate or has one that is not clear since the chances of unknowingly overloading the forklift are very high.

Establish Load Weights

Once you establish the load capacity you should pull all stops to ensure you only load your forklift with loads within its capacity weight. You can either find out the weight of the load from its labeling or you can do it manually using a weighing scale. The scales are usually attached to the hydraulic system of the forklift and they have sensors that measure the precise weight of the load placed on the forklift. In this way, you can avoid overloading your forklift.

Hire Bigger Forklifts

If you are hiring a forklift for your operations it is advisable in most cases to hire a forklift with a slightly higher weight capacity. It will give you a bigger margin to work with to ensure you meet your weight requirements and can handle any unexpected excess weight. You will also save time and cost of having to source for another forklift to ensure your operations remain unaffected.

Factor Effect Of Attachments

Some operations require you to add special attachments to your forklift for efficient operations. Since the attachments add more weight to the forklifts lifting mechanism they reduce the load capacity of the forklift. Whether you are using one or multiple forklift attachments you should ensure you have separate data plates on your forklift that outline the load capacity of the forklift under the different attachments.

Manageable Loads

Every load is unique and you might not be able to find the ideal forklift for such goods. For instance, in case you have loads that are quite bulky and their weight is way above what your forklift can handle then it is a great idea to break the loads, if possible, into simple manageable weights. Doing so will enable you to handle weights that are within the capacity of your forklift.

Article Summary:

Some of the measures you can take to avoid forklift overloading incidents;

Ensure your forklift comes with a legible data plate at all times.

Know the weight of the loads before attempting to lift them.

Hire a bigger forklifts so that you can handle a wide range of weights.

Adjust the load plates to offer guidance on weight capacities under different attachments.

Break bigger loads into more manageable so that they fall within your forklift's weight capacity. 

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