Upgrades and Safety Innovations to Heavy Construction Equipment

Safety Considerations When Operating a Rental Forklift

29 December 2015

Veronica Leon

Forklift hire is a great solution for small businesses that don't have the financial resources to purchase the forklift full time. As long as you have employees that are capable and licensed to drive the forklift, there is nothing stopping you from using a hired forklift. What's important to remember, however, is to be aware of the safety procedures that need to be considered when operating a forklift. This is particularly important when hiring a forklift, as you might not be as accustomed to these procedures as someone operating a forklift full time.

Starting the forklift

Before starting the forklift, you should make sure everything looks up to standard. This is a great advantage of hiring a forklift instead of operating your own, as the rental company will make sure their equipment are functioning correctly before giving it out to people. You should, however, make sure there is no grease or dirt on the steering wheel or the steps leading up to the driver's seat. This could cause your hands or feet to slip when you're operating the vehicle. You should also make sure the fork itself is free of substances, as it might make the load unsteady if the forks are not clean.

Caution while driving

The most important things to remember when driving the forklift is that it's steered from the rear, which means it'll require quite a lot of space to make a safe turn. This is important to remember both to avoid collisions with co-workers that might be in the way of a wide turn and to prevent the vehicle from tipping over, which is quite common when making too-narrow turns. Drive slowly so that you have time to alert people before making a turn with the forklift.

Unloading cargo and stopping

As the forklift's load is often unloaded on top of a ramp or in a truck, you need to make sure you can drive on ramps properly to avoid accidents. Always drive up the ramp facing forward and drive in reverse down. This will decrease the risk of tipping over, and you won't have to make a tight turn with the forklift loaded with cargo. When you are done using the forklift, you should make sure that you have enough space to stop without risking that other people might collide with you. Also have a quick look at the vehicle to make sure nothing has been damaged while you have been operating the forklift, as this might lead to extra charges with the rental company.

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