Monday, July 10, 2017

A Technical Perspective to Warehouse Management

If you run a warehouse, it is important to make sure that there are no disruptions in the workflow. The proposition of running a warehouse is in itself expensive and complex, with expenses such as equipment, personnel, utilities, and facilities. Your bottom line is affected by every aspect of every second of your warehouse’s day-to-day operations. Any hiccup in your workflow, no matter how small, can trigger a ripple effect that can ultimately cause a total shutdown.

Managing a Small Warehouse

Your warehouse is in a state of impeding disaster whenever you find a vital piece of logistics equipment in a non-functional state. Common pieces of equipment that are a staple in every warehouse include forklift trucks, pallet jacks, pickers. Fleet management is mostly tricky when it comes to small warehouses as they have a dire need to strike a balance between keeping a small fleet and ensuring that it is always up and running. Though buying one forklift truck may save you on startup and maintenance costs, things can easily go south if it breaks down. 

Finding Forklift OEM Parts

Finding forklift oem parts is the most difficult part as the trucks are made of thousands of parts that are impossible to find in one place. To make matters worse, they are also found in many types. If you don’t know where to find all the vital forklift oem parts whenever needed, chances of your equipment experiencing downtimes are very high. The wasted man-hours and the abnormal workload that results once the equipment if fixed can result in unbeatable scheduling problems for your warehouse. 

What are the risks?
  • Inability to meet client needs
  • Paying overtime to your workers while playing catch up 
  • Exorbitant repair and maintenance costs
  • Loss of business and revenue
What can you do?

It is important to take measures that protect you from such occurrences. Apart from knowing all the dealerships that deal in your forklift brand, make sure you know all the reputable providers of forklift salvage parts. You can get all the hard-to-get used forklift oem parts at a fraction of the price. Make sure that they are tested before being put on the market. Some may even come with a limited warranty.

Basics of Forklift Operation in Summer

Forklift trucks can be used indoors and outdoors. Operating a forklift outdoors exposes you to the elements which can be a pleasant or bad experience depending on the time of the year. While summer brings the welcome sunshine, it is important to know how to adjust your work strategy when the heat intensifies. Such knowledge works to improve workplace safety and health by complementing efforts such as operator training, servicing, and making sure that OEM forklift parts are installed every time during repairs.

What you Need to Do

It can be difficult to work in the sun, especially when it gets humid. Failure to exercise safety precautions exposes you to the risk of suffering heat stroke, dehydration, and acute fatigue. The steps you need to take to when working in the summer heat to champion good health and safety include:

Take Less Coffee and Get Adequate Sleep

During the summer, it is important to get enough sleep before coming to work. Treat yourself to a healthy satiating breakfast and remember that the summer heat makes the work even more tiring and you don’t want to be drifting in and out of consciousness while operating a forklift truck. Keep coffee to a minimum as it can contribute to dehydration or even cause a crash of energy. 

Take more Breaks

Although 15-minute breaks are always important regardless of the weather, the summer heat demands that you increase the frequency. You must also re-hydrate throughout the day to combat dehydration. 8 to 12 glasses of water per day is a healthy quantity to prevent dehydration and you can increase the intake if you are engaged in heavy work.

Protect Against Sunburn

Working outside all day even in moderate heat can result in your skin being burnt. Make sure that all exposed and vulnerable areas are treated to some protection before you set out for work. 

Safety First

A lot of forklift accidents that occur in the summer are a result of human error due to dehydration, fatigue, or other causes related to the heat. Make sure you take all necessary steps to protect yourself from the effects of working outdoors all day in the heat and humidity. For total workplace safety, make sure your forklift is suitable and fit for the job. It must be fitted with the appropriate attachments and used OEM forklift parts every time it goes for repairs. If you are shopping for parts on budget, salvage forklift parts are the way to go. You can also get hard-to-find forklift oem parts when you visit reputable providers of salvage forklift parts.

Dangers of Forklift Operation Without a License

Forklift operator training is very crucial for workplace health and safety, despite being overlooked by many. The law forbids the hiring of unlicensed people as forklift operators, and for good reason. It is only when you know the nature of risks associated with operating a forklift without a license that you can begin to truly appreciate the importance of driver training and licensing. This complements other efforts such as servicing and making sure that only oem forklift parts are installed. In this blog, we look at some of the common dangers associated with amateur forklift operation.

What are the Risks?

Forklift trucks are very powerful tools that can do more harm than good when placed in the wrong hands. Some of the risks that you open yourself to when you hire untrained people to operate forklifts include but are not necessarily limited to:
  • Loss of life 
  • Injuries to workers, customers, or pedestrians 
  • Compensation costs
  • Damaged loads, materials, equipment and facilities 
  • A damaged reputation 
  • Fines and even conviction 
  • Loss of business 
What Makes Forklift Trucks Dangerous in the Wrong Hands?
  • Forklift trucks are very heavy and powerful despite the fact that it is not always apparent from appearances. This makes it dangerous to allow untrained to operate the forklift, essentially discovering how to maneuver and operate the forklift on the job.
  • Even trained operators need refresher training every now and then to get rid of any acquired bad habits and learn new techniques. This makes an untrained person totally unsuitable to operate a forklift.
  • Even when travelling at low speeds, forklift trucks are still dangerous. Its total weight to come up to 13227.74 lbs if you account for the counterbalance, forks, and load. 
Remember

Forklift operator training does not only contribute to better health and safety in the workplace, but also helps improve productivity, efficiency, and the effective lifespan of your forklift trucks. Your oem forklift spares will also give you better value for your money, whether new or salvage forklift parts. Whenever shopping for salvage forklift parts, make sure that they have been tested or come with some form of warranty. You can bag affordable OEM CAT forklift parts and Toyota forklift parts online in Atlanta.

Friday, June 16, 2017

Some Basic Information About Buying Forklift Spares

Hunting for forklift parts for new or late model forklift can be a challenge. This is especially true if you are shopping on budget or the parts you are looking for have gone out of production. When you buy a forklift, it is important to ask your supplier if they have aftermarket options. You can also search the internet for salvage forklift parts that are available at heavily discounted prices. This blog shares a few tips to help you in your hunt for forklift oem parts.

What you Need to Know

All forklift spare parts that are manufactured and distributed come with a unique product codes. What makes shopping for oem forklift parts often difficult is that 15 – 20 percent of the product codes featured in the manual are superseded within the first 5 years of the forklift’s manufacture. Product codes are superseded when the spare part design goes through some changes or gets replaced. Some of the instances that constitute modification include:

  • Replacement of faulty parts 
  • Tint variation 
  • A new supplier for production 
  • Differences in the metal compound 
Product Codes

Another issue that may make finding oem forklift spares hard is that every forklift truck that is manufactured has its own codes for the various parts and components even when the same parts are available on different models. This means that the part that you need for your forklift truck can actually be available in different product codes.

Forklift Information

When shopping for forklift spares, there is some vital information that you need to posses in order for a spare parts interpreter or dealer of new or salvage forklift parts to help you. The basic information that you ought to have includes make, model, and serial number. You can find this information in the driver’s compartment of your forklift on the compliance plate/load plate/rating plate. The MAKE identifies the forklift oem, the MODEL identifies the engine, while the serial number identifies the build year.

Get Value for your Money

When shopping for aftermarket oem forklift parts at salvage forklift parts dealers, always make sure that they have been tested. You can also get some limited form of warranty on certain salvage forklift parts if you search carefully. Buy from dealers that have a record of providing high quality forklift oem parts.

Forklift Truck Operation and Maintenance Don’ts

Millions of people use forklift for various tasks across the US. This fact, couple with the high number of forklift accidents means that safety in the operation of forklift can never be overemphasized. There are many benefits to having well-maintained forklifts, well-trained operators, ad appropriately designed warehouse pathways. Salvage forklift parts can help you get access to forklift oem parts at affordable prices to make sure that your forklift trucks are always in the better working condition. There is several don’ts that also have to become second nature. Let’s dig in.

Don’t

  • Operate forklift trucks that have been designated as being faulty, undergoing maintenance or yet to be inspected. 
  • Park the lift truck on a slope. Make sure to park it where the ground is level 
  • Use any equipment that fails to meet safety operation standards according to the checklist in use 
  • Overload the forklift as it not only damages its lifting elements but also results in an unstable load 
  • Drive a forklift truck while the load is elevated 
  • Drive at more than 2 mph or 15 mph, inside and outside respectively 
  • Attempt cornering when the front and back wheels are at different heights 
  • Carry passengers in the truck or use the forks and pallets to raise them 
  • Operate the lift truck while your vision is obscured 
  • Leave a forklift unattended or allow unlicensed people to operate 
  • Don’t buy salvage forklift parts that have not been tested 
  • Use parts that are not forklift oem parts 
  • Put off maintenance when its due 
  • Ride on or under the load 
  • Operate the lift truck outside designated areas 
  • Ignore safety recommendations 
Parting Shot

Forklift safety is paramount for every business organization and operator. Make sure that only trained and licensed workers get access to the forklift trucks and that they never skip service. When shopping for forklift oem parts on budget, you can settle for forklift salvage parts, although you need to make sure they have been tested. You can find reputable providers of all salvage forklift parts from Hyster used forklift parts to Mitsubishi used forklift parts.

A Closer Look at Forklift Operator Training

A lot of heavy lifting in different industries and companies is made easy by the use of forklift trucks. The importance of safety when working with forklift trucks makes it vital to make sure that oem forklift parts are installed whenever they go for repairs and that all forklift operators are properly trained and licensed. Most accidents associated with forklifts occur due to operator error, which is why training and licensing is very important if you want to work as a forklift operator or hire one.

 What Makes Training Important?

Like every workplace, there are safety precautions that must be followed to avoid any accidents and injuries. Training for forklift operators is not only a good idea in terms of preventing accidents and injuries, it is he law. Accidents and injuries pose a real threat on the operations and profitability of business organizations. Training afford prospective operators a chance to learn how the machine works, how to fork and lift, how to balance the load on the fork, how much load to lift, and also know the rules and regulations of using the forklift under the OSHA law.

What is the format of the Training?

Forklift operator training includes informative classroom sessions that feature Interactive discussions, models, Video and PowerPoint presentations. Trainees also sit for a written test that probes student comprehension. Another important component of forklift operator training is ‘on the equipment’ evaluation. This comprises pre-operational equipment inspection, operational instruction and pass/fail operational tests. Major topics that are covered during forklift operator training include
  • OSHA Requirements (understanding & regulation)
  • Controls & Instrumentation
  • Refueling
  • Engine Operation and Maintenance
  • Steering and Maneuvering
  • Visibility, Fork & Attachment Limitations
  • Rated Capacities, Stability
  • Inspection & Maintenance
  • Load Manipulation
  • Pedestrians
  • Hazardous Locations & Rough Terrain Operation
Getting a forklift operator license in Atlanta also requires some health checks for the safety of other workers that work around the forklift. If it is discovered that your workers are operating forklifts without any licenses, a penalty of up to $7000 will be charged per unlicensed employee when the inspection is conducted.

Parting Shot


Remember that safety in the workplace is of paramount importance and every little effort in the right direction goes a long way. Make sure your forklifts are regularly serviced and fitted with forklift oem parts. Even when you go for salvage forklift parts, make sure they have been tested. You can bag forklift oem parts at salvage forklift parts dealers, including CAT forklift parts, Toyota forklift partsToyota Forklift Parts and Yale forklift parts. Never let unlicensed people operate forklifts make sure operators and other workers have received adequate workplace safety training. 

Monday, June 5, 2017

Preventing Racking Damage and Injuries in the Workplace

When it comes to workplace safety, forklift owners and operators need to look beyond the condition of the forklift trucks and consider a wide spectrum of important elements. Even after maintaining the trucks well and ensuring that they get forklift oem parts every time they go for repairs or servicing; a lot of dangers still lurk in the workplace. One of the potential hazards arises from racking damage. Racking systems demand correct use and proper maintenance, otherwise they become costly, dangerous, and capable of causing a huge inconvenience to your business. Let’s look at some of the steps that you can take to prevent stacking damage and accidents.
  • As always, the forklift operator is the first point of focus whenever there is talk about forklift and workplace safety. Forklift operators must be qualified and only work within their abilities.
  • Only the right forklift trucks should be used in your warehouse. There are various types of forklifts designed to work in differently configured environments such as reach and narrow aisle forklift trucks.
  • Passageways and aisles ought to be wide enough to allow for the free and safe movement of machinery and pedestrians.
  • Employ protective material or columns guards to avoid racking damage in the event that it gets accidentally hit by forklift trucks
  • Make sure that your racking system is properly secured to the floor base and each beam to each other. The racking must be sturdy before stacking any pallets.
  • Never exceed the maximum weight when stacking pallets onto the racking system. You must also stack them securely and evenly spread.

Parting Shot


It must be standard practice for any damage to the racking system to be reported, investigated, and repaired immediately to avoid accidents. If you are looking for forklift oem parts in Atlanta, dealers selling forklift salvage parts can help. You can find CAT forklift parts, Toyota forklift parts, and Hyster forklift parts at heavily discounted prices. A healthy forklift truck is the cornerstone of workplace safety!