You may have read our article on how to clean an electric forklift recently.

But how should you clean other types of forklifts? Great question because while every forklift make and model will be slightly different there are specific things you need to check before you take the water to your forklift. When in doubt, contact your supplier for advice specific to your forklift.

Remember, when you wash a forklift you need to be mindful of certain parts of the forklift truck so that you do not cause damage to the engine or electrical components.

Before you wash your forklift these are general rule of thumb observations and actions to take before you wet anything. These rules apply for LPG, petrol and diesel powered forklifts. Remember electric forklifts have completely different requirements, refer to our other article on how to clean an electric forklift.

How to wash a forklift:

These tips are a general guide on what to be aware of before you clean an LPG, petrol or diesel powered forklift. For detailed instructions on the best practices for cleaning your specific make and model of forklift always consult the supplier or original manufacturer. Consult your forklift operation’s manual for care instructions from the forklift manufacturer. This is a helpful resource that will provide specific information about your make and model.

Cleaning your forklift can usually be done by wiping it over with a damp cloth followed by a dry cloth. Washing this way ensures you will keep your engine completely safe from water damage that may occur if you use a hose or pressure hose. If your forklift is extremely dirty from working in dusty, muddy or excessively dirty conditions you should seek technical support and request assistance. Forklift service providers will know what to avoid and how to clean your forklift properly to prevent damage to your engine and electrical components.

For more tips and advice on forklift maintenance and care sign up to receive news updates as we post them. Do you have a specific question you need answered? Feel free to contact us via email and we will be in touch.

If your operation uses materials handling equipment you should have a regular maintenance plan in place. Service schedules are predetermined by forklift manufacturers and calculated based on hours of operation or by a calendar month, whichever comes first.

Regular forklift maintenance reduces the likelihood experiencing larger, costlier mechanical faults and and forklift repairs. Reduce the risk of accidents, injury or death by ensuring your forklift is in good working order and safe to operate

When you purchase materials handling equipment, whether its new or used equipment, find out about the manufacturers recommendations, which are located in forklift operators manual. If you have purchased a second hand forklift always request a record of the service history – reputable suppliers or well-maintained privately owned forklifts will be able provide a full service history.

If you are a business owner, forklift owner or operator you can find forklift service providers who will manage your maintenance schedule for you – we like to call this your Planned Preventative Maintenance. The benefits of outsourcing forklift servicing include;

Reputable forklift suppliers will customise a maintenance plan specific to the make and model of your forklift or the entire fleet. If your business productivity is reliant on functional equipment look for a supplier with fast response times, access to a large network of field service mechanics and vehicles. Forklift Field service networks are capable of fulfilling standard services on site and have a range of tools and equipment in their vehicles.

When you begin looking for a forklift maintenance plan and contact a supplier, the Customer Relationship Manager should contact you and arrange an appointment on your site. Customer Relationship Manager’s usually come from a technical background and are qualified to tailor services schedules based on experienced knowledge and training.

During this first appointment the Customer Relationship Manager will:

Other information that should be discussed in the initial consultation include:

After the initial inspection, the Customer Relationship Manager will present a recommendation for your fleets Planned Preventative Maintenance Program. It’s important to choose a forklift service that offer a fixed price for labour and set regular service checklists. Service and repair quotes should be transparent and approved by you prior to any work being commenced.

As the hours increase on your forklift the standard service might change slightly as per the manufacturers specifications. For example; at 1000 hours filters may need to be changed instead of visually inspected. Ask about this when you review your customised maintenance plan.

Lencrow Materials Handling use a 22 point checklist for every scheduled service. Our technicians complete the checklist on every visit and provide you with a report on the service outcomes. Our service vehicles have state of the art computer technology installed that allows us to keep your forklift/s records up to date. These records allow us to generate reports about your forklifts engine performance, hours of operation, fleet productivity and other useful reports that help you to maximise your operation’s handling.

Download our Preventative Maintenance Plan fact sheet and compare it with other companies. Our Planned Preventative Maintenance Program provides you with the certainty that each component will be inspected every time your due for a scheduled service and quick response times in the event of a breakdown. Our field service network services the east coast of Australia and South Australia. Lencrow’s team of forklift mechanics are qualified and experienced in providing full technical support across a wide range of forklift makes and models.

Electric pallet trucks simply make moving palletised loads easier. They utilise power that is stored in a battery creating the benefit of power drive and power lift, which reduces the effort required an operator needs to use to move product. It also allows operation to maximise productivity with the elimination of manually operated functions.

This equipment is classified as pedestrian and doesn’t require a license to be operated. It is advised that every person who uses pedestrian equipment undergoes training from a site supervisor and is shown the correct way to operate the unit.

Here are the types, features and benefits of electric pallet jacks you should consider when looking to purchase for your business. Electric pallet trucks are battery operated and require charging between uses. If the pallet was to be used constantly the battery lasts around 3 – 4 hours, approximately.

SEMI-ELECTRIC PALLET JACK

A semi-electric pallet mover features power drive, which allows the operator to steer and maneuver more easily than a conventional hand pallet jack.

Key Benefits include:

Semi-electric pallet trucks do not have power lift. The operator has to manually pump the hydraulics in the handle to lift the load up. The lift height for pallet trucks is very minimal and may not necessarily be an important feature required for the workflow of goods in your operation. If you are using the pallet truck mostly to move items around then having a semi-electric pallet truck might be a suitable option. These are usually available in 1500kg capacity.

See the range of semi-electric trucks from EP Equipment here.

ELECTRIC PALLET JACK

Electric pallet trucks feature power drive and power lift, which improves the overall control and reduces the amount of effort an operator needs to use moving palletised loads.

Key Benefits include:

Electric powered pallet trucks are a modern resource for moving palletised loads. Utilising equipment that reduces operator strain and maximises productivity is a smart decision for operations who have low demands handling palletised goods. Investing in an electric powered pallet jack is a long term benefit to the business and maintenance is minimal over the life of ownership. Most ranges include capacities starting at 1500kg up to 2000kg.

See the range of fully electric pallet movers available, here.

HEAVY DUTY ELECTRIC PALLET TRUCKS

These are ideal for heavy duty long distance materials handling tasks. These sometimes also have a ride on option that improved time efficiencies for operators who are moving goods over larger warehouses. These employ a variety of different safety capabilities than standard pedestrian pallets to improve operability across more applications. Pallet movers are classified as heavy duty from 2000kg capacity.

Also read our post related to What Functions Do Forklift Trucks Serve in Materials Handling

MAINTAINING ELECTRIC PALLET TRUCKS

With all battery charged pallet movers regular maintenance is required. Here is a list of the most important features to check and consider to ensure you keep your equipment in the best working condition. Electric pallet jack maintenance includes:

Read more about Planned Preventative Maintenance Programs

Purchasing a new pallet truck is a ideal for businesses whose handling requirements are infrequent and of low demand.

Key Points to take away include:

Lencrow Materials Handling is excited to announce that new service vans are rolling out across the country to keep up with demand on forklift service to our customers. They’re not just your average service vehicles either, they are mobile shipping containers. You will definitely notice them on the road in and around your state.

In Victoria and Queensland there are brand new Renault Traffic vans sporting a navy blue wrap. Over the last few weeks our vehicle wrappers have been busy finishing off our mobile artworks. They have done an incredible job! (TSM Signs)

Our Sydney fleet of Volkswagen vans have also had a facelift. Some of them will arrive at our Newcastle branch later this month. Adelaide will have their very own re-branded and stylish service vans by the end of the month. Adelaide has also been busy designing their customer service vehicles to brand us state wide.

Lencrow Materials Handling new look fleet aligns with the upcoming 40th anniversary delivering materials handling solutions to customers all over Australia. We are your exclusive dealer for UniCarriers (nee Nissan Forklift), EP Equipment and Bomaq Industries. With more service capabilities than ever before you can expect second to none after sales service like no other.

Let us know when you see one of our brand new vans on the road at our Facebook page; follow us for more exciting new plans coming to a Lencrow Materials Handling dealer near you. You can also checkout our fixed price servicing program

Forklifts have undergone major improvements over the last couple of years due to the introduction of forklift monitoring systems. These systems and safety devices show valuable real-time data to warehouse managers, supervisors and drivers, helping to minimise workplace injuries and damage-related costs. To effectively utilise the safety features, it’s important to understand how they operate and the advantages of them for the business.

What are the benefits of electric forklift monitoring?

Over the years, electric forklift monitoring has gained popularity with fleets, particularly operator present systems. Swipe cards, fobs, and pin entries for driver access control prevent unauthorised persons from using forklifts, reducing the risk of workplace accidents at the hands of an untrained driver. Operator systems make drivers more accountable for their work and therefore increase productivity.

These days, you can have hardware and software products installed in your forklift, such as LCD visual display screens. These can be used for a pre-start-up checklist, and provide drivers with special instructions that they have to complete before each shift to ensure compliance and safety. For most systems, if a driver gives one wrong answer in the pre-start-up checklist then the machine can be locked down, preventing the driver from using the machine.

Different forklift monitoring systems and processes

The following are some of the systems and processes you can install in your forklifts to ensure safe practices in your business.

Sequential seat belts

Most models of forklifts come fitted with sequential seat belts that prevent the forklift from starting up or operating until the driver’s seat belt is fastened. Sequential seat belts have proven to reduce the likelihood of injuries and increase drivers’ chance of survival. Even if sequential seat belts are fitted, there’s still some encouragement needed for drivers to use them, so it’s important that drivers are also trained on the safety benefits.

License data recognition

The best monitoring system will contain license data for each driver and won’t allow a driver to use the forklift if their license has expired. These systems will include the pre-start-up checklist to be completed before machine use. They can also report metered hours, such as lift and seat hours, to give a better indication of how often the forklifts are being used.

Intelligent forklift monitoring systems

Monitoring systems can measure temperature, travel time, fluid pressure and other parameters that drivers can see on their screen. From this, drivers are able to notice any unusual changes to the forklift data that may indicate an upcoming service or repair requirement.

Forklift usage reporting data can also be exported to assist with scheduling forklift maintenance, billing for forklift and driver jobs, and payroll. Some forklift breakdowns are caused by battery failures, so having a battery monitoring system installed in your forklift can prevent this as it provides data on battery usage.

Tracking systems installed in forklifts (such as GPS) help drivers, warehouse managers and supervisors with equipment location. Location tracking can make drivers more accountable for their work since they know their driving habits are being monitored, saving time and increasing productivity as a result.

Data from the monitoring systems showing the forklift usage, location, driver details can provide clarity on responsible parties should an incident occur, and can identify areas that need further training to ensure they reduce the risk of it happening again.

Keeping forklifts visible

Visibility of what’s around you when operating a forklift will prevent injuries from occurring in the work area. However, when drivers have to lift loads more than six metres in height, there’s not much they can see from their seats. This risks goods falling and endangering the driver and other people around. Installing a camera on the forklifts will give drivers a clear view of their load and racking. This will help them to know the exact positioning of their tyres when lifting and storing goods, ensuring that goods are stored safely. Reversing cameras are also available for increased visibility, particularly for crowded warehouses.

Laser level systems can be installed in place of cameras, as the laser beam unit can be placed on top of forklift tyres, just like cameras. A laser line will appear from the beam and onto surfaces so drivers know where the tyres are positioned. This gives drivers more control in handling products and creates a safer working environment, knowing that loads are placed correctly and won’t fall onto the driver or pedestrians.

Forklift warning devices

Warning devices such as flashing or strobe lights are a great feature to notify of forklift presence. Most forklifts are fitted with standard safety lights, and you can enhance visibility by adding a blue strobe light. Blue strobe lights are great for warning pedestrians of an oncoming forklift, especially when they’re in a blind spot or entering an aisle or storage container. A blue spot can be placed on the ground three metres behind a unit to warn other people that a forklift is present. On each side of the forklift, light exclusion zones can be emitted to warn others of the proximity of the forklift, further reducing workplace injuries.

Keeping your employees and visitors forklift-safe

Safety and monitoring systems are designed to create a safer workspace, with the data from these systems enabling managers and supervisors to measure KPI’s and track safety.

Lencrow Forklifts have more than 40 years experience with forklift hire, sales and repairs, and have worked with many of these systems. Contact Lencrow Forklifts on 1300 536 246 for all your forklift needs.