There are healthy and safety regulations governing the use of forklift trucks. Any big machinery, like a forklift, is potentially dangerous and must be used safely. The regulations and rules state that the driver must carry out daily inspections on the forklift and more thorough inspections every week and on a monthly basis. The following checks must be carried out on the lift truck:
Lift Truck Brakes - the brakes are a very vital part of the lift truck machinery and therefore they should be double and tripled checked. A brake check is performed with various pedal heights and pressures to determine the sensitivity of the brakes. The brake lights should be checked at the same time.
The Tires - the tires are also important to the safe performance of the truck and to the braking system. All the tires have to be correctly inspected to make sure that there are no punctures in the tires and they are inflated to the right pressure.
Controller - the lift truck controller system is inspected by operating the forks and the release to determine that the system is in good working order. Any hint of problems must be reported and tended to instantly. The lift truck must not be used until the controller system has been fixed.
Steering Wheel - the operator must inspect the lift truck steering wheel to make sure the turning of the wheel is correct. Lift truck safety depends on the steering wheel responding well and functioning precisely. There are a variety of checks which can be performed to determine the performance of the steering wheel.
Engine Oil - the engine oil has to be inspected by removing the dip stick from the forklift engine. The dipstick will show the oil level and the colour of the oil. The oil must be refilled if the level is too low. If the colour is off, there might be contamination happening.
Fire Extinguisher - all lift trucks are required to be outfitted with a fire extinguisher. The extinguisher has to be checked to ensure it will function properly in case of a fire. Various types of fire extinguisher should be inspected in specific ways. For instance, a dry chemical extinguisher must be shaken.