When it comes to maintaining the lift truck, it could really be easy to overlook the simple yet important tire. If you choose the wrong tire, you could end up accidentally with a huge increase in fleet operating expenses, or increased safety risks, which is worse yet. If on the other hand, you select correct type of tire you can enjoy improved safety, significant cost-savings and an overall more effective operation. A correctly chosen tire can really decrease the downtime for replacement and probably last 40 percent longer.
Tires are actually somewhat complex components on the machine; hence, it is easy to choose the wrong type accidentally. There are lots of different brands of tires and types, with a wide range of compounds and treads. This means you should be fully prepared with the right data when you are buying tires so that you could choose some tough and safe alternatives to help extend the life of your forklift.
Your business should select the specific tire for their machine based on the type of surface the equipment would be operated on. Indoor applications and smoother surfaces for example, will normally utilize tires that are smaller in size and made from rubber. On the other hand, outdoor applications need pneumatic tires. Pneumatic tires have a rubber tread and are filled with compressed air. These features give them a good grip on surfaces which are uneven and rough.
Forklift Tire Safety
Every year, 200 individuals are killed in lift truck or forklift related accidents each year. Ensuring lift truck safety, such as proper inspection practices, could all contribute in to preventing these dangerous and terrible accidents from happening.
Pre-Work Inspection
Before each shift, the lift truck's tires have to be inspected. Ideally, they must have the proper air pressure, as set forth by the maker. This is very vital because if the tire pressure is too low, the equipment could inadvertently tip over when a load is being lifted.
Types
The tires utilized on indoor lift trucks would be made out of solid rubber.
Other Considerations
OSHA or the Occupational Health and Safety Administration places a requirement on the continual utilization of forklifts. These lift trucks should be inspected at the end of every shift. The driver must check the machine for any mechanical issues and the tires need to be inspected for excessive wear, cuts or apparent damage to the tires. Any problems that are detected need to be addressed as soon as possible to maintain safety.