Know the available range of forklift equipment to make sure you are prepared

Being efficient in your operations is about making sure that your team has what they need to perform their work safely and quickly. A forklift is a necessity in any yard or loading area, and making sure you have the right forklift equipment will save you time and trouble in the end. A base forklift cannot do it all; trying to use a base model for everything can put your safety record at risk and slow down operations. Here is an overview of the types of equipment available for your site.

Order pickers

Order pickers are a necessity, even if the height of your stock isn't exceeding average shoulder reach. These are chain driven extended fork systems that are integrated into an attached rack. It is better to use an order picker than plain forks as they are constructed to take into account the effect of weight at height, reducing safety concerns.

Lifting cages

Lifting cages are a must-have for dealing with small items. While they may come boxed and wrapped, the packaging usually falls apart. These wire style cages have a solid bottom with receiving slots for the forks so you can lift items easily. It can also be a good choice if you need to lift up working material. You can fill the cage, or just use it as a safety cage for lifting individual items. Lifting cages are not designed to be used as work platforms. Work platforms are specific to their intended use.

Work platforms

Work platforms are available for forklifts. These platforms are designed to meet current safety standards and regulations to allow workers to use the forklift as a scaffold platform. Make sure you are aware of all the additional requirements for use, such as fall equipment and training. Check with both state and local safety offices for which regulations apply to their use, and what activities are permitted from the work platform.

Roll Carriers

Roll carriers can work for anything from pipes to carpets. They allow you to safely load and transport long rolls. There are also specially designed roll carries for lifts with higher reach extensions. These can be essential to speeding up your operations. While just about every forklift operator has devised their own way of carrying rolls, the time spend jerry-rigging regular forks to carry the load safely means time lost in operations. Better to invest in the forklift equipment designed to do the job right so you don't lose time on the floor just getting things to work.

Extensions and more

Fork extensions are one of the most common types of forklift equipment to have on hand. Even if you don't think that you need them, having an extended fork pair is something you will be glad you invested in. Other common accessories that should be in your tool box include tool boxes, safety nets and cargo strapping devices. There are also some chain fall cages designed for use with forklifts that can come in handy. You should also invest in some safety posters and books to make sure your personnel stay up to date on safe operations and maintenance protocols.

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What capacity do you really need in your steel yard ramps?

The capacity of your steel yard ramps means more than just the amount of weight they can carry. Capacity also refers to the type of motion they can handle – from walking to driving to being able to use lifting machines, capacity can be very different in each instance. Capacity and load type can combine to change what you are looking for in your yard ramps a great deal. Taking the time to figure it out first can help you be prepared for anything.

Know the range of your load

The range of your load needs to go from the lightest use you expect on the ramp, to the heaviest. Don't ignore the light use – such as a single person using the ramp to walk onto a platform. That light weight use is going determine the type of tread that you need on your ramps. A sanded tread can keep workers safe on the ramp, a metal tread can be better for just tire traction. You should also consider your seasons and the elements the ramps will be exposed to when selecting their material and tread type.

What width?

Width is important. You can opt for individual track style ramps that will catch the tires of the equipment, but in most cases, yard work requires a full deck ramp. The width needs to accommodate the machine used to get on and off the platform, even if that machine is just a manual wheelbarrow. It should also be wide enough to hold the machine and allow for a worker to stand on each side of it. That is the ideal, but not always a possible reality. You do want at least 6 inches on each side of the wheel since it is rare that loads are carried off perfectly straight.

Height and reach

It goes almost without saying to make sure that the height of your steel yard ramps can meet the expected height of the truck bed or platform. You need to make sure that you take into account any differences in height that can occur from a truck bed being under load as well. The one thing that most people skip in an effort to save out of pocket expense is buying the ramp with the right reach. Reach is the length of the ramp from apex to ground. The longer the reach, the gentler the slope. This isn't just about being gentle, reach will determine what type of machine, and how much it can carry on the ramp. Make sure to have your engineers check, or use the online charts to select the right reach for your expected workload.

Portable or standing?

The last thing you need to determine about your steel yard ramps is whether or not they should be portable or standing. Portable can mean many different things. A portable ramp may be hinged so it can fold, or come apart in sections, or even have wheels on it for ease of transport. Portable doesn't always mean that it can be lifted by hand or transported in a small pickup. Standing, or fixed, ramps also come in a large variety. There are free standing ones with feet cast into the supports, and there are ones in which you have to provide a concrete footing to install too.



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Make Every Job Easier With a Forklift Ramp

There has never been a trailer truck worth of material that couldn’t be unloaded faster with the help of a forklift. Likewise, manually loading a truck can take a small army of men. With a forklift, however, one or two can often get the job done and in much less time. So it makes sense that most companies out there that need trailer trucks to thrive should also feel the same way about forklifts. Then, by extension, a forklift ramp should be their next investment.

It Will Save Your Time

A forklift can only do so much without the ramp to help it. At best, you could drive the product right up to the truck and then use workers to load it. What will inevitably happen, though, is that you’ll simply wind up with a collection of product and a group of workers struggling to get it all in the truck while maintaining a sufficient level of safety.

With a ramp, however, that forklift can go right into the trailer truck with all of the product it can hold, drop it off, and then return for more. The amount of time you’ll save is exponential. Plus, without a ramp, that forklift is never getting inside the truck, making unloading it next to impossible.

While it’s great to save time, you have to consider how much money this will save you, too. Faster transitions mean less time spent paying more employees to get the job done. Given how affordable a forklift ramp is to begin with, you’ll make the money back in no time.

A Versatile Choice

Forklift ramps are generally adjustable, which makes them extremely helpful if your company deals with more than one trucking company or type of truck. You’ll never have to worry about your ramp not being able to touch the back of the truck or otherwise overshooting it. Adjust the ramp as necessary and get to work.

Plus, these ramps are extremely mobile. That’s one of the reasons they make so much sense for companies that may use multiple trucks. If your loading bay gets backed up, move the forklift ramp to whatever truck is next and start unloading as necessary. Again, this could save your company a lot of money in the long run.

Easy to Use and Low Maintenance

There is no doubt that forklift ramps will be a game changer for any company that uses one. Unlike a number of other solutions that bring big results, this one doesn’t have high-tech specs or need a thick instruction manual. Ramps are very basic tools, and their use, even with a forklift, is highly intuitive. That means anyone on your staff who can already drive a forklift can now leverage the ramp to get even better results.

So if you want to save time and money while preserving your company’s safety record, you probably already know how important a forklift is. However, if you want even more from this fantastic machine, consider what forklift ramps can do.  


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Factors in Choosing a Forklift Ramp

If you need to purchase a forklift ramp, this isn’t a decision you can make just off the top of your head. There are a number of factors to consider before making a purchase. That’s because there are a variety of different options to choose from. What, then should you consider? Here are a few factors that will matter.

Do You Need Mobile or Stationary?

A mobile ramp will include wheels so that it can be moved from trailer to trailer or from one container to another very easily. (How to Select a Ramp for Forklifts, Trailers, and Docks) If you know the ramp will be moved around, then a mobile model may be the best option. However, if you don’t plan on moving it, a stationary model may be right for you. It will be sturdier and will connect directly with the container, trailer, or building you need it to.

What Length Do You Need?

You do have to consider the length of the ramp so that the forklift can get the right clearance and tilt to actually get loads off the ground. You will need to look at your location and determine the length of ramp you require. In many situations, a 36 foot forklift ramp will be ideal since it gives 6 foot of level ground clearance as well as a 30 foot straight ramp.

Do You Need Special Options?

Many ramps come with hydraulic adjustment systems and it is a good idea to look for this feature. That’s because with hydraulics, the ramp can be adjusted to suit your loading and unloading space perfectly. It will make work go more smoothly and it will certainly be safer for your workers.

Do You Need Extra Features?

If you determine that you want mobile forklift ramps, then you will also need tow bars and ramp clamps so that it can be moved around and properly secured when put in place. If you purchase a stationary ramp, then you may wish to choose a sling to make the ramp more stable. In either case, make sure you purchase the right accessories to ensure your forklift ramp can be used properly and to ensure your workers are safe whenever they use the ramp and other equipment.

A forklift ramp isn’t just useful if you need to move supplies from trailers or from a warehouse, it is actually vital. Otherwise, you will have no way of getting the forklift to the goods, so you will not be able to do business. Choosing the right ramp means keeping the right factors in mind as well. You need to choose the right ramp that has the right features and length. If you take the time to make the right decisions in advance, you will have no problem making the ramp work properly in your facility.

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How to Determine the Forklift Ramp Safety

There aren’t a lot of businesses that need to have a use for a forklift ramp. These are ramps that allow for the movement of the forklift and the goods that it is carrying to be moved from one level to another. Most often the goods are moved from the yard of a cargo area to a different level of that same area. This can be a simple maneuver for an experienced forklift operator. Even thought a forklift is a pretty standard form of work tool for any loading area, the use of these machines is going to provide many safety risks.  To operate a forklift legally the driver has to undergo training and take a test in order to hold a certificate of operation. This is like a license for forklift operators which show a certain acumen and expertise in the area of operating a forklift. Following are a few helpful hints to help maintain forklift ramp safety in the workplace.

It is important to start off by understanding that the forklift is going to ride and control differently depending on the weight of the load being carried. The driver has to make adjustments, especially as they maneuver up or down a forklift ramp.  The safe movement of the products is the major goal and there are a few safety guidelines that need to be followed specifically when it comes to operating on this slanted surface in one piece.  The first thing that an operator must do is to slow down as they approach the ramp. This would seem like common sense but as the ramp is approached the speed needs to be lowered consistently. Many people would approach the ramp with more speed to gain momentum for the climb but not with a forklift. Higher speeds will cause accidents because the center of gravity is easily thrown off by a machine of this design. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to forklift operation.

Other things that a person can do the make a forklift ramp safer is to move the forklift in reverse up a ramp when the forks are empty. This allows both the forks to be protected and for any bystanders to be able to avoid an injury from a misguided fork. This also means to drive frontwards down a ramp as well when the forks are empty. This is the safest mode of transportation when it comes to forklift operation.
It also makes a lot of sense for the operator to tilt the forks to the back when carrying a load of any kind on a forklift ramp. This will move the weight of the load more over the front tires. This will make the balance of the load better and provide much less chance for the load to fall over and crush a worker or the operator of the vehicle. Stability is the key when it comes to driving and operation a forklift.  With a load on the forklift, it should be driven up the ramp frontwards providing the most stable and safest mode of forklift operation.

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Save Money but Maintain Efficiency with a Used Truck Loading Ramp

If you own a truck of any kind, chances are you spend a good amount of time loading and unloading the bed with product, equipment or just about anything else. Whether it’s the conventional type or a trailer truck, you should consider a loading ramp to make the job that much easier. Said ramp is all you need to make the job go quicker and be safer. Plus, if you’re worried about the price, a used truck loading ramp solves the problem.

Makes Manual Loading Easier

Depending on what you haul, you may elect to load or unload your truck manually. If this is the case, you might already know how problematic this process can be. For one thing, it simply takes a lot of time. However, even if you have plenty of help, this process can be teeming with opportunities to hurt yourself. Sometimes the injury takes time to acquire, but all that lifting, especially over the transition from the truck bed to the ground, can be dangerous.

A loading tramp for your truck makes things much easier though. If you have barrels, they can be easily rolled up or down. For a very affordable sum of money you can also solicit the help of dollies and hand trucks to mobilize heavy objects you’d otherwise have trouble lifting. Of course, a forklift will make just about any item easy to maneuver.

Ideal for Warehouses

Most warehouses come standard with a loading dock or companies elect to install one. They certainly make sense for unloading large trailer trucks. Yet that doesn’t mean they’re good enough all by themselves. Many companies could use a loading ramp for their trucks, too. These helpful tools come in handy if anything happens to your loading dock or if you have several, but they’re all in use when another truck needs to be unloaded. Thanks to how mobile they are, help is never very far away.

Save Money with a Used Version

Truck loading ramps are made to take on all kinds of wear and tear. This includes the climate, the countless feet that will step on it over the years and even the wheels and weight of a forklift and all the cargo it carries. So you don’t have much to worry about when considering buying a used truck loading ramp. It’s not like some fragile piece of equipment that may have hidden damage. Given how basic a truck loading ramp is, it will be pretty easy to recognize if something is amiss.

This is just one more great way a truck loading ramp helps out. By purchasing one used you get all the benefits at a much lower price. Plus, simply having a truck loading ramp at your disposal will help you save money over time.

If your company needs trailer trucks to function or you drive the conventional type and need the bed regularly, a loading ramp is a worthwhile investment. For those with a modest budget to consider, a used truck loading ramp will fit the bill and then some.

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The Case for Portable Loading Docks

A portable loading dock is really a modern marvel when you consider what it can do and replace. You may also want to consider how difficult certain tasks would be without one available. Thanks to portable loading docks, everything from large machinery to basic products can be loaded into a trailer truck with relative ease. The main benefits of these docks can be broken down as:

•Financial
•Functional
•Mobile

Before we get to those, however, let’s take a look at what portable loading docks actually are.

What is a Portable Loading Dock?

All loading docks serve one basic purpose. They are the launching point from where the inventory is to where it will end up, the truck. Conversely, if the truck is unloading, then a loading dock serves as the point that makes this transition as efficient as possible.

Usually, loading docks refer to actual concrete structures that are permanently installed into a warehouse or other facility. However, there is also the portable kind. These essentially function as a ramp, allowing equipment to be move from the ground to the back of a truck.

Financial

One of the main benefits of using a portable loading dock is that it saves companies so much money. As you can imagine, installing a loading dock isn’t cheap. It takes a lot of materials and labor. Plus, after it’s installed, it still needs to be maintained.

Compared to that costly process, purchasing a loading dock is quite affordable. In fact, you can even rent one to save far more money if this temporary solution is an option.

These loading docks can often help save money other ways, as well. If you only have so many loading docks, you may be paying for trucks and workers to sit idle. By having a portable loading dock handy, though, you can continue to unload, ensuring none of your company’s funds go to waste.

Functional

Another issue conventional loading docks face is that they are permanent, like we mentioned before. This means that there may be many trucks that don’t line up to it perfectly. Ideally, you want the floor of the truck’s trailer to seamlessly transfer over to the floor of your loading dock. With so many different trucks out there, though, this just isn’t always the case.

This isn’t a concern when you’re using a portable loading dock, though. That’s because its height is adjustable. So go ahead and alter it as need be so there are no issues with loading or unloading due to height.

Mobile
Finally, as the name makes clear, portable loading docks can be moved wherever you need them. So no matter where the truck is in your lot, you can load or unload it just fine. You can also allow a forklift access to it or even to your permanent loading dock from the ground level.

There are so many ways a portable loading dock can make your company a more efficient and profitable one, but the above three are perhaps the best examples. Still, those three alone should prove why a portable loading dock makes a great investment.

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