When it comes to maintaining the forklift, it could be easy to overlook the simple yet essential tire. If you select the wrong tire, you can end up accidentally with a huge increase in fleet operating costs, or increased safety risks, which is worse yet. If however, you choose right type of tire you can enjoy improved safety, significant cost-savings and an overall more effective operation. A properly chosen tire can really lessen the downtime for replacement and potentially last 40% longer.
Tires are really quite complex components on the equipment; thus, it is easy to pick the wrong type accidentally. There are so many different types of tires and brands, with a wide array of treads and compounds. This means you have to be fully prepared with the correct information when you are buying tires so that you could select some durable and safe options to help prolong the life of your forklift.
Your business must choose the particular tire for their equipment according to the kind of surface the machine would be operated on. Smoother surfaces and indoor applications for example, would normally use tires of a smaller size and made from rubber. On the contrary, outdoor applications need pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires are filled with compressed air and have a rubber tread. These features give them a good grip on rough and uneven surfaces.
Forklift Tire Safety
Every year, 200 people are killed in forklift or lift truck related accidents each year. Ensuring lift truck safety, like for example proper inspection practices, can all contribute in to avoiding these dangerous and horrible mishaps from happening.
Pre-Work Inspection
The tires of the lift truck needs to be inspected before each shift. Tires should ideally have the right air pressure, that is set by the manufacturer of the tire. This is really important because if the tire pressure is very low, the machine could accidentally tip over when a load is being lifted.
Types
For indoor work, lift trucks that have solid tires made out of rubber are the best choice.
Other Considerations
Occupational Health and Safety Administration or OSHA places a requirement on the continual use of lift trucks. These lift trucks are required to be inspected at the end of every shift. The driver must inspect the machine for any mechanical issues and the tires should be inspected for cuts, excessive wear or obvious tire damage. Any issues that are detected must be dealt with as soon as possible to maintain safety.