It can be simple to overlook the important tire, when it comes to the maintenance of the lift truck. When you choose the wrong tire for your forklift, you can put large increases on your operating expenses, and more significantly increase your safety risks. If however, you pick correct kind of tire you could enjoy improved safety, substantial cost-savings and an overall more effective operation. A properly chosen tire could actually decrease the downtime for replacement and probably last 40 percent longer.
The forklift tire is a somewhat complex component of the equipment. It is therefore, easy to choose the wrong type accidentally. There are a lot of different types of tires and brands, with a huge array of treads and compounds. This means you should be completely prepared with the right information when you are purchasing tires so that you could choose some safe and durable alternatives to help extend the life of your forklift.
Your business must choose the specific tire for their machinery based on the type of surface the equipment will be operated on. Indoor applications and smoother surfaces for instance, will usually utilize tires of a smaller size and made from rubber. On the contrary, outdoor operations need pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires have a rubber tread and are filled with compressed air. These characteristics give them a good grip on surfaces which are uneven and rough.
Lift Truck Tire Safety
Each year, 200 people are killed in lift truck or forklift related accidents each year. Ensuring lift truck safety, such as correct inspection practices, can all contribute in to avoiding these dangerous and horrible mishaps from taking place.
Pre-Work Check
Prior to each and every shift, the forklift's tires need to be checked. Ideally, they must have the proper air pressure, as set forth by the manufacturer. This is very important because if the tire pressure is very low, the machinery can inadvertently tip over when a load is being lifted.
Kinds
For indoor work, lift trucks that have solid tires made out of rubber are the best alternative.
Other Considerations
Occupational Health and Safety Administration or OSHA places a requirement on the continual utilization of lift trucks. These lift trucks are required to be inspected at the end of each and every shift. The operator should check the machine for any mechanical problems and the tires have to be inspected for excessive wear, cuts or obvious tire damage. Any issues which are detected should be addressed as soon as possible to maintain safety.