If you’ve spent any time around forklifts, you know what a marvellous piece of machinery they can be that not only saves time, increases productivity but can be the lifeblood of many businesses. That being said they can also be a dangerous piece of kit that can cause serious harm and even death in the wrong situations.
Like any vehicle, forklifts need regular servicing and occasional repairs to keep them running at optimum performance.
Depending on how hard you run your forklifts and the environments they’re operating in, the repairs you need or how often your forklift requires servicing will vary. The type of forklift (or forklifts) you run in your operation will also impact on repairs and servicing schedules.
Hydraulics is what puts the ‘lift’ in the word ‘forklift’ and without them, a forklift would essentially turn into just another truck. The fact forklifts are able to lift and manoeuvre heavy loads is what set them aside as the workhorses of factories, shipyards and warehouses all around the world.
The used forklifts that Eureka Forklifts sell work in a wide range of industries and applications from warehousing, manufacturing, construction, docks, car yards, wreckers, logistics and everything in between.
Given the wide range of applications forklifts can take on, often their servicing requirements are different. A forklift that’s only used a few times a week to move bulky deliveries into a shop will have a very different service schedule to a forklift that’s running 8-10 hours a day, six days a week.
If you need to stack and transfer loads at your warehouse, a forklift is a perfect solution.
While forklifts offer a practical material handling solution for your business, you should practise safe forklift driving with forklift training recommended
Below are some questions we put to Troy from Eureka Forklifts about the safe operation of forklifts and are a good starting point to support operational and safety guidelines.
Q: Are Forklifts more likely to tip over and is it harder to steer than cars,
If you have ever considered purchasing or hiring a forklift, here are some questions you should be asking
Here are 5 problems that you should be aware and avoid in your used forklift
Wondering why your forklift isnt starting? Here's some common questions we get asked
There are so many types of forklift batteries available in the market today. But you may have no idea which one will suit your needs better.
Before you invest your hard-earned money in a battery that may ruin your driving experience because your forklift stops abruptly in the middle of a job.
But buying or choosing your forklift battery does not depend on options, rather it depends on the forklift engine size and technology amongst other things.
Your decisions to purchase a new battery depends on the information you have on hand, so here are 13 essential questions you must ask your forklift battery dealer
Considering whether to lease or purchase a forklift for your business can save or cost you a ton of cash.
When thinking of buying an expensive or costly forklift, you have to consider whether owning it will have greater long-term benefits than simply hiring it from a third-party provider.
In this checklist, we consider our options at the benefits of leasing instead of purchasing stockroom gear.
We likewise give suggestions on what questions to ask your forklift provider and some significant inquiries you should cover with your provider before picking either alternative.
The easiest way to think of preventative maintenance of your forklift is the same as brushing your teeth. If you don’t’ get your forklift serviced – (brush your teeth) – then you are going to get damage to your forklift, that could have been prevented by being picked up earlier and the damage reduced thus causing you to get large bills for repair – Go to the dentist, and get your teeth filled. And we all know how much that costs.
A forklift rotator is an essential piece of equipment for any organisation that needs to regularly and quickly invert and dump loads. While extremely convenient, additional care must be taken around these pieces of equipment, as they add a few extra dangers to your standard forklift that both the operator and the employees around the vehicle must be aware of.
Whether you work in an enclosed space where exhaust from an internal combustion engine would pose a hazard or you’re simply striving to minimise your business’ carbon footprint, electric battery forklifts are a popular and economical choice. Choosing to go electric for your entire fleet allows you to do away with costly deliveries of gas or diesel, but care must be taken with your equipment to keep the maintenance costs to a minimum.
You run a busy warehouse – you need to be able to load and unload product as fast as possible. Naturally, you go looking for a forklift with the biggest carrying capacity, because being able to carry bigger boxes means less time spent breaking product down into smaller loads. Simple, right?
The load when picked up by the fork tines on the forklift is Counter Balanced by all the weight as pictured on the left hand side of the see-saw, pictured as the body of the forklift, including the driver and the last heavy cast iron weight you see on the back of a forklift, termed the counter weight.
While counterbalance forklifts are the most commonly used vehicles in Australia, a number of businesses are achieving exceptional results and substantial savings optimising their operations for reach trucks. Reach trucks differ from counterbalance forklifts in a number of ways, but fundamentally allow your business to more effectively use its space without sacrificing employee comfort or efficiency.
Not every forklift is the same design and there are different types depending on what you plan on using them for. You may be utilising them for warehousing, moving around small objects for your storage or just getting pallets worked around, a forklift can do many things depending on what you need. This is where we’ll tell you clearly that you need more than one of those forklifts to get your operation going and you might as well get a used one. Why do you need it? Are we just saying this for you to buy more? Here’s why.
Forklifts are a huge business investment and buying one to help in your trade is an essential make or break improvement in your productivity. There’s also a reason why warehouse owners and savvy tradespeople prefer used forklifts over the newer units. A new machine is going to have a steep upfront cost while doing the same thing that a used variety does. Even then, there are still a few extra steps that you need to check when purchasing used units.
If an ordinary person looks inside the forklift industry, it’s a common mistake for somebody inexperienced in the trade to say that you can just use any type of forklift to do the job. This is wrong. As a matter of fact, there are different types of lift machines that should be utilized depending on many factors. You just can’t look at your mate’s equipment, tell yourself that it works fine for him and then just scuttle about and get yourself something similar, only to be disappointed in the end. There’s a number of things to remember if you want the right truck for the Application.
If your workers operate in a hazardous environment, ensure that they have the tools required to work safely. In spaces where there is a risk of combustion as a result of the presence gases, liquids or dusts, all forklifts are required to meet certain standards of flameproofing, to ensure that there is minimal risk of fire and subsequent injury and damage.
Whether you’re building a new business or decided it’s time for an upgrade to your existing fleet, deciding which power source your forklifts will run on is a major decision and not one to be made lightly. With diesel, LPG and electrical-powered models all available, choosing a forklift is going to have a significant impact on the type and extent of ongoing costs your business incurs.
Buying a forklift carries a lot of responsibility. This vehicle will be subject to frequent use, lots of pressure and lots of strain. The cost to a business of having a non-functional or damaged forklift can far outweigh the costs of regular servicing. The best way to keep costs down is to make sure that the forklift is purchased in the best condition possible.
Flameproof forklifts are often operated in hazardous areas – such as combustible dusts and explosive gas or vapour – and it’s extremely important that all safety procedures are adhered to. As the owner and end user of the forklift, it’s vital that you follow correct procedures to ensure you can always operate it safely.
Safety is paramount when it comes to using a forklift. No exceptions. In terms of maintenance, it might be tempting to push it back until it’s absolutely necessary, but it’s never worth the risk it poses to you and your crew. Besides, a proper maintenance plan pays for itself: you’ll often spot issues before they turn into costly repairs down the track.
Forklifts come in three major categories based on the type of fuel they use, and it’s important to know the difference between each one. The required application, the physical environment of your workplace, your budget and a variety of other factors will all play a part in determining whether LPG, diesel or electric will best suit your needs.
Workplace health and safety should always be a top consideration of your business. Protecting the welfare of your employees is not just about a taking the moral high ground: it also helps you maximise productivity, minimise illness and injury, fulfil legal obligations and reduce the risk of claims for workers’ compensation.
There are a number of ongoing certification requirements which LPG and CNG forklifts must adhere to, one of which is a comprehensive annual inspection. Australian Standards AS 4983-2010 stipulates the legislation for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) powered forklifts and other industrial equipment, which includes a scheduled annual check to cover any deterioration that remains unnoticed.
Need to buy or rent a forklift for your business? Before you get too excited about the productive times ahead and start seeing dollar signs, it’s of vital importance that you know what type of forklift will best suit your needs. Have a read through our tips on what we see as critical factors that are likely to affect your choice.
Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) requirements stipulate that some workplace machinery — such as a forklift — must be operated by someone holding a valid license to do so. However, there is other equipment that can be used without a license and it’s important to understand proper procedure to ensure you avoid hazards in your workplace.
Whether you run a business to follow your passion, be your own boss or simply turn a profit, it’s all about improving your bottom line. Offering a great product or service is not all it takes to be successful—being able to maximise your output through effective warehouse management is vital to improve your overall productivity.
If you own your own forklift or have been shopping around for one, you may have spotted the words “pneumatic”, “polyurethane” and other such terms in reference to the tyres. This may as well be gibberish if you haven’t heard the terms before, but we’re here to clarify what the differences are between each tyre and help you figure out which is best for your business.
Getting the right attachments for your forklift can help improve operator ergonomics, reduce damage to Capital Equipment and Stock, increase productivity and minimise risk to staff. There are many different attachments you can choose from to suit your business needs from a forklift. When purchasing your forklift you should discuss with the sales team what your best option for attachments would be as it will be a good investment for the long term.
A forklift is an incredibly useful asset and applicable to a wide variety of industries. However, it can be dangerous if used incorrectly, which is why it’s of utmost importance that you and your employees have an in-depth understanding of all the necessary precautions. If you need to hire or buy a forklift for your business, have a quick look through our tips for staying safe and productive in the workplace.
If you are looking for a forklift to meet the growing needs of your business, you have probably already noticed that you have the option to choose between hiring, buying second-hand and buying new. Choosing to purchase a used model can be a great idea for a number of reasons, especially when it comes to your finances — it’s not always viable to splash out for a brand new forklift, and you may need it for a period of time that is too long to justify the price of hiring one.
So you know you need a forklift for your business, but you are struggling to decide whether you need to buy or would be better off with short or long term rental. In our last post, we discussed the pros and cons of choosing to hire a forklift instead of purchasing a new one.
Casual forklift hire refers to very short term hires from a few hours up to one week. Many operations find that they require a forklift less than once every 3-6 months. In these situations, it is not worthwhile to purchase a forklift – even a cheap (but still high quality) used forklift. The logical alternative is to hire a forklift that exactly suits your needs, only for the time you need it.
With over 20 years experience, Eureka Forklifts is one of the leading forklift and machinery retailers in South and East Queensland. Our sales team is second to none and our outstanding customer service ensures that whatever you require, we can be of assistance. Don’t know what type of forklift to buy? We are available to take your call and establish what type of operations you run, to determine what type of product will be right for you.
Buying a Forklift is big investment and what Forklift you buy can impact your productivity in a big way. So what should you be looking for when you need one? And what do you need to know?
Phone: (07) 3865 1205
86 Delta St, Geebung QLD 4034
PO Box 90 Geebung, Queensland, 4034
Eureka Forklifts has almost 30 years experience dealing with forklifts in the SE Qld region.
