It could really be simple to neglect the essential tire, when it comes to the maintenance of the lift truck. When you pick the wrong tire for your forklift, you could put large increases on your operating costs, and more importantly increase your safety risks. If on the other hand, you choose correct tire you can enjoy substantial cost-savings, improved safety and an overall more efficient operation. A properly selected tire could really lessen the downtime for replacement and probably last 40 percent longer.
The forklift tire is a somewhat complex part of the machinery. It is therefore, easy to select the wrong kind accidentally. There are numerous different brands of tires and types, with different compounds and treads. This means you must be completely prepared with the correct information when you are purchasing tires so that you could select some durable and safe options to help extend the life of your forklift.
Your company must select the particular tire for their machine according to the type of surface the machinery will be operated on. Smoother surfaces and indoor applications for example, would generally use tires that are smaller in size and made from rubber. On the contrary, outdoor operations need pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires are filled with compressed air and have a rubber tread. These characteristics give them a great grip on surfaces which are uneven and rough.
Forklift Tire Safety
Every year, 200 individuals are killed in lift truck or forklift related accidents each year. Ensuring lift truck safety, like proper inspection practices, could all contribute in to preventing these horrible and dangerous accidents from happening.
Pre-Work Inspection
The tires of the lift truck have to be checked prior to each shift. Tires must ideally have the right air pressure, which is set by the tire manufacturer. This is very important because if the tire pressure is very low, the machinery can accidentally tip over when a load is being raised.
Types
The tires utilized on indoor forklifts will be made out of solid rubber.
Other Considerations
OSHA or the Occupational Health and Safety Administration places a requirement on the frequent utilization of forklifts. These lift trucks are required to be checked at the end of each and every shift. The operator needs to inspect the machine for any mechanical problems and the tires should be checked for cuts, excessive wear or apparent tire damage. Any issues which are detected should be dealt with as soon as possible to maintain safety.