​Five Things to Do After Using a Forklift

16th Oct 2020

Forklift safety is not necessarily limited to what you do during operation but also what you do after your shift is done.

To help ensure that your warehouse is accident-free post operation we are going to look at some of the important things every forklift operator should do after a day’s work. Read on.

Park It in On Level Ground

Where you park your forklift especially in between shift is very important. For instance, when it comes to parking your forklift, you should ensure that you are parking it on a surface that is level. 

The reason for this is if you park it on a slope it might move down the slope endangering the lives of other personnel or just causing damage to your goods. One great way to ensure that it is always parked safely is to set aside a special space for its parking.

Lower the Forks to Ground Level

The sharp forks on your forklift are quite dangerous if they are not set properly during parking. One of the ways of doing this is to ensure that the mast of the forklift is set forward so that the forks can be lowered to the ground. 

Always ensure the tips are level to the ground while doing this as it prevents accidents that can occur by knocking on the raised tips. 

As a measure of precaution also ensure that you always park the forklift away from traffic or pathways within the warehouse.

Switch off the Engine

It sounds natural that the forklift should be switched off after use but this can easily be overlooked in a moment of exhaustion. 

Therefore, always make it a practice to ensure you switch off the engine off after following the following crucial steps. First, see to it that you activate the parking brake that will make the forklift immovable. 

Then you can switch off the engine after you have checked that all the controls are set on neutral. Finally, remove the keys for safe-keeping.

Keep the Keys Safe

It’s so easy to lose the forklift keys which will eventually inconvenience everyone in a big way. To avoid this once the engine has been switched off the operator should take the keys for safe-keeping. \

It is important that you have a designated place managed by the shift supervisor where the forklift keys and other activating devices are stored.

This makes it very easy to retrieve them the next day especially if one of your forklift operators calls in sick.

Report Any Malfunctions

Any trained forklift operator should be able to notice if the forklift is malfunctioning during operation. If it is a major malfunction then the forklift needs to be taken out of service immediately to allow for the necessary repairs.

However, all other malfunctions or defects noticed during the course of use should be reported to the supervisor.

This will always ensure that the forklifts are given adequate attention when it comes to maintenance to keep them safe for everyone involved.

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