Feature Lift trucks Ten top cold weather tips for trucks
Ian Roberts, national service manager at Barloworld Handling has 10 top tips on how businesses can prepare themselves to ensure outdoor forklift trucks run smoothly and safely despite being affected by cold weather conditions including snow, ice and rain
arloworld Handling estimates 100,000 forklift trucks operate outdoors in the UK, loading and unloading lorries and transport- ing goods, but by taking the following this advice, business can ensure they get they best out of their forklift trucks.
B
Correct specification of trucks Ensure all forklifts are specified cor- rectly, for example with the right tyres, and are properly serviced to operate in cold, wet weather. Getting this wrong could lead to downtime which can adversely affect a company’s output.
Driver checks and servicing Health and safety is a high priority for materials handling operations and fork trucks require special attention in extreme weather conditions to ensure they perform correctly and safely. The condition of forklift tyres is of particu- lar importance in wet or icy condi- tions, as they affect traction and stability of the truck and load. Barloworld can arrange for regular tyre inspections to check on the condi- tion of tyres. Additionally, daily checks and regular servicing of com- ponents such as batteries, hydraulics and electrical systems become ever more important.
Training and house keeping Ice or rain may create slippery sur- faces, either outdoors or on loading bays for example, so training drivers to be more cautious with their speed and supervising them where necessary helps to reduce safety risks. Good housekeeping also plays an essential role in helping to prevent slips and trips, as well as preventing vehicle downtime. For example, if a vehicle is required to operate in a muddy envi- ronment around debris such as leaves or oil, it is important to regularly clean the equipment to prevent parts becom- ing blocked or clogged, which can lead to malfunction. Gritting yard areas in the snow and freezing conditions will also help to maintain traction.
An estimated 100,000 forkift trucks operate outdoors in the UK and by following Barloworld’s 10 top tips, businesses can ensure their forklift trucks operate safely in icy conditions
Visibility in dark conditions In the winter months, daylight and vis- ibility are also reduced for both drivers and pedestrians, so forklifts must be fitted with suitable lighting to enable them to work safely outdoors.
Staff comfort
Such miserable conditions can also have an effect on morale and produc- tivity of staff, so it is vital to provide comfortable working conditions. Forklifts can be modified to incorpo- rate cabs or covers, windscreen wipers and heaters. Barloworld also suggests providing staff with winter clothing such as waterproof jackets, body warmers and gloves. These precau- tions can help to reduce absenteeism and ensure operational demands are met efficiently.
Truck protection
Engines need protection from cold weather and Barloworld provides oils and lubricants to ensure they run smoothly and efficiently. The com- pany is the UK distribution partner for Hyster, with machines equipped to function in extreme weather condi- tions of temperatures as low as -18˚C or in tropical heat.
Service support
Barloworld Handling T: 01628 822151 Enter 402
ey management specialist Traka has launched a variation of its system which makes it cost-effective for small fleets of fork trucks or other mechanical handling equipment. The company’s fork truck management solution is installed on over 8,000 trucks in the UK and is designed to ensure only authorised drivers have access to vehicles. The system does not need software or Traka key cabinets, keeping it simple and affordable. Most fork trucks have a conventional key, but very often keys are left in the ignition or if they use keypads, often a common PIN number is used. Traka’s solution relies on intelligent electronic keys - iFobs - that can’t be copied and which carry a user’s unique profile. These iFobs operate in conjunction with a variation of the Traka Immobilisor. With Traka’s small fleet system, the supervisor has complete control over which trucks each driver may operate. Each driver has an individual iFob and updating the iFob to change access permissions takes seconds. The iFobs are hard-wearing, nickel-plated brass tubes designed to work in wet, cold stores and hot environments; each one also has a numbered security tag. “The small fleet system enables smaller businesses to benefit from the kind of efficient, cost-effective key management previously only available to big organi- sations,” says Godfrey Anderson, Traka’s MHE sales manager. With greater control comes an effective health and safety process and
Security keys now available for small fleets K
greater security for the vehicles themselves. Traka’s small fleet system is said to be low-cost and easy to install. All that is required is a Traka Immobilisor, installed under the dashboard of each truck, plus a receptor socket which replaces the conventional key switch. Traka
T: 01234 712345
www.traka.com Enter 403 Materials Handling & Logistics MARCH 2011
Always ensure there is a reliable, experienced service provider looking after the fleet, who can respond effec- tively in case of breakdown. Barloworld provides customers with an efficient support service 24 hours a day and in any weather conditions. It uses a web-based vehicle tracking system on its vans, which allows a more efficient and speedy service response, allowing dispatchers to assign the nearest engineer according to skills and parts required.
Fuel supply
Check the security and stock level of the fuel supply in case supply is restricted due to snow.
Short term rental
Check the supplier has access to short term hire equipment for use in the event that a breakdown cannot be resolved on an acceptable timescale.
Attachments
Snow ploughs, scoops, salt spreaders and a wide range of other useful attachments can be fitted to forklift trucks to help companies through the winter months, and are available from
www.barloworldstore.co.uk
S5
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114