When it comes to maintaining the forklift, it can really be easy to overlook 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 however, you pick right tire you could enjoy significant cost-savings, improved safety and an overall more effective operation. A properly selected tire can really lessen the downtime for replacement and probably last 40% longer.
Tires are actually somewhat complex components on the machine; thus, it is easy to pick the wrong one accidentally. There are lots of different brands of tires and kinds, with a wide array of treads and compounds. This means you should be fully prepared with the correct information when you are buying tires so that you can decide on some tough and safe alternatives to help prolong the life of your lift truck.
The specific type of tire chosen for a lift truck depends on the kind of surface you will be using the equipment on. For example, indoor applications and smooth surfaces generally use tires which are made from rubber and that are smaller in size. On the contrary, outdoor operations require pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires have a rubber tread and are filled with compressed air. These features give them a good grip on uneven and rough surfaces.
Forklift Tire Safety
Each year, there are around 200 individuals killed in accidents related for forklift use. Ensuring lift truck safety, such as proper inspection practices, could all contribute in to avoiding these horrible and dangerous accidents from happening.
Pre-Work Check
Prior to each shift, the lift truck's tires need to be inspected. Ideally, they should have the proper air pressure, as set forth by the manufacturer. This is very important because if the tire pressure is very low, the machine can inadvertently tip over when a load is being raised.
Types
For indoor work, lift trucks that have solid tires made out of rubber are the most suitable alternative.
Other factors
The OHSA or Occupational Health and Safety Administration require that forklifts utilized on a continual basis need to be inspected at the completion of every shift. The driver must inspect the machinery for any mechanical issues and the tires need to be checked for cuts, excessive wear or obvious damage to the tires. Any issues that are detected must be dealt with as soon as possible to maintain safety.