For the utilization of forklifts, there are some safety and health rules governing their use. Lift trucks are big industrial machinery which can be dangerous and have to be handled with safety in mind. The regulations and rules state that the driver should conduct daily inspections on the forklift and more thorough inspections on a weekly basis and on a monthly basis. The following checks need to be performed on the lift truck:
Lift Truck Brakes - brakes on forklifts are key features which should be double and triple checked. A brake inspection is carried out with different pedal heights and pressures to determine the sensitivity of the brakes. The brake lights should be inspected at the same time.
The Tires - the tires are also important to the safe functioning of the truck and to the braking system. All the tires need to be correctly checked to make sure that there are no punctures in the tires and they are inflated to the right pressure.
Controller - the lift truck controller system is inspected by operating the forks and the release to know that the system is in good working order. Any hint of problems should immediately reported and tended to. The lift truck must not be used until the controller system has been fixed.
Steering Wheel - To make certain that the turning of the wheel is right, the driver must check the lift truck steering wheel. Lift truck safety depends on the steering wheel working correctly and responding well. There are various kinds of checks that could be done to determine steering wheel performance.
Engine Oil - the engine oil needs to be checked by removing the dip stick from the forklift engine. The dipstick would show both the oil color and the oil level. The oil should be refilled if the level is too low. If the colour is off, there might be contamination occurring.
Fire Extinguisher - all lift trucks are required to be outfitted with a fire extinguisher. The extinguisher needs to be checked to ensure it would work properly in case of a fire. Different types of fire extinguisher must be inspected in specific ways. For instance, a dry chemical extinguisher must be shaken.