When it comes to maintaining the forklift, it could really be easy to neglect the simple yet essential tire. If you pick the wrong tire, you can end up accidentally with a huge increase in fleet operating expenses, or increased safety risks, which is worse yet. If on the other hand, you choose correct kind of tire you could enjoy substantial cost-savings, improved safety and an overall more effective operation. A correctly chosen tire could really decrease the downtime for replacement and potentially last 40% longer.
The lift truck tire is a somewhat complex part of the machinery. It is therefore, easy to pick the wrong type accidentally. There are a lot of different kinds of tires and brands, with different treads and compounds. This means you need to be totally prepared with the correct information when you are purchasing tires so that you can choose some safe and durable options to help prolong the life of your forklift.
Your company should choose the specific tire for their machinery according to the type of surface the machine will be operated on. Smoother surfaces and indoor applications for instance, would usually utilize tires that are smaller in size and made from rubber. On the contrary, outdoor applications require pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires have a rubber tread and are filled with compressed air. These characteristics give them a great grip on surfaces which are uneven and rough.
Forklift Tire Safety
Each year, there are roughly 200 individuals killed in accidents related for forklift use. Ensuring forklift safety, such as proper inspection practices, could all contribute in to avoiding these dangerous and terrible mishaps from happening.
Pre-Work Inspection
The tires of the forklift have to be inspected before every shift. Tires must ideally have the right air pressure, that is set by the tire manufacturer. This is really vital because if the tire pressure is too low, the machine can inadvertently tip over when a load is being raised.
Types
The tires used on indoor lift trucks will be made out of solid rubber.
Other Considerations
Occupational Health and Safety Administration or OSHA places a requirement on the frequent utilization of lift trucks. These lift trucks must be checked at the end of every shift. The driver should check the machinery for any mechanical issues and the tires need to be inspected for cuts, excessive wear or apparent damage to the tires. Any problems that are detected should be dealt with as soon as possible to maintain safety.