It can be simple to neglect the important tire, when it comes to the maintenance of the forklift. When you select the wrong tire for your lift truck, you can put large increases on your operating costs, and more importantly increase your safety risks. If on the other hand, you choose correct type of tire you can enjoy significant cost-savings, improved safety and an overall more efficient operation. A correctly chosen tire can actually lessen the downtime for replacement and potentially last 40 percent longer.
Tires are actually somewhat complex components on the machinery; thus, it is easy to pick the wrong one accidentally. There are lots of different kinds of tires and brands, with different treads and compounds. This means you need to be fully prepared with the right data when you are buying tires so that you can decide on some durable and safe alternatives to help prolong the life of your forklift.
The specific type of tire selected for a lift truck depends on the type of surface you would be utilizing the machinery on. Like for instance, smoother surfaces and indoor applications normally utilize tires which are made from rubber and that are smaller in size. On the contrary, outdoor operations need pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires have a rubber tread and are filled with compressed air. These features give them a great grip on surfaces that are rough and uneven.
Forklift Tire Safety
Each year, there are roughly 200 individuals killed in accidents related for lift truck use. Ensuring forklift safety, like proper inspection practices, could all contribute in to preventing these dangerous and horrible accidents from taking place.
Pre-Work Inspection
The tires of the lift truck have to be checked before each shift. Tires should ideally have the proper air pressure, that is set by the tire manufacturer. This is really vital because if the tire pressure is very low, the equipment can inadvertently tip over when a load is being raised.
Types
For indoor work, forklifts which have solid tires made out of rubber are the best choice.
Other factors
OSHA or the Occupational Health and Safety Administration places a requirement on the continual utilization of lift trucks. These lift trucks are required to be checked at the end of each shift. The operator must inspect the equipment for any mechanical issues and the tires must be checked for cuts, excessive wear or obvious damage to the tires. Any issues which are detected must be dealt with as soon as possible to maintain safety.