The forklift is arguably one of the most high-powered and influential innovations to impact the world of manufacturing. They are common-place in warehouses, plants, and distribution centers around the world, speeding up the production and handling of materials far too heavy for humans to safely lift and transport on their own. However, for those familiar with forklifts in manufacturing contexts, you already know that they often come with limitations, complications, and inevitable risks.
Many of the more entertaining forklift ‘complications’ have been widely shared under the Twitter hashtag Forklift Fails, while others of a more tragic sort can be found in news articles and press releases. These mishaps serve as reminders that forklifts are not a universal material handling or manufacturing lifting solution, and can only provide safe lifting and transport in select operations and contexts. For manufacturers in need of alternatives, here’s what you need to know about lifting beyond the forklift.
While forklifts are the most well known safe solution, they aren’t for everyone. When used properly, forklifts can prevent severe from occurring by replacing manual equipment and processes that inevitably cause sprains, strains, and spinal injuries during the moving of heavy materials around a plant or warehouse. However, they also come with a significant degree of liability and forklift operators must earn a forklift operator’s certificate and receive additional training. Forklifts can also cause injury in a surprising number of contexts
For these reasons and more, many business owners with facilities that include tighter spaces, ramps and other inclines, slick surfaces, or heavier foot traffic often decide to continue using manual methods of transportation and lifting. Particularly when the materials needing lifting are oddly shaped, highly stacked, or otherwise unusual, forklifts are not the best solution. Manufacturing environments are as varied as the types of materials and products they manufacture, meaning forklifts are unideal for many operations.
Despite the general consensus that manual lifting solutions create unfavorable working conditions, many companies feel there aren’t solutions that are well fitted for their facility or circumstance. However, there is a silver lining here. The need for a third option has led to the development of ergonomic heavy lifting alternatives that are able to safely operate in contexts where both forklifts and manual equipment are otherwise unsafe.
Post time: Jun-30-2022