Pallet Fork

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Posted by admin | Posted in Agriculture & Forestry | Posted on 08-07-2008

Pallet Fork

What is a Pallet Truck?

A pallet truck, also know as a pallet jack or pump jack, is a manually powered fork truck designed to lift and move heavy materials. The front wheels are placed on the inside near the forks at the front. At the back is a hydraulic jack which is used to lift the pallet off the floor.

How do use a pallet truck?

Being manually powered the person operating the truck pushes the forks into the pallet, and then uses the jack part of the truck to ‘jack’ up the pallet off the floor to a certain height required. Once the pallet has been lifted the operator can then move the truck where ever they wish, the pallet is only listed off the ground so it can be moved, and so a foot or so is usually normally.

Powered pallet trucks

Pallet trucks are also available powered. It is the same principle as a manual pallet truck except instead of the operator having to jack up the pallets the machine lifts it for you via controls. This is easier to use as the machine does most of the work for you and they can lift heavier pallets if required.

Who uses pallet trucks?

Generally speaking pallet trucks are used by people who are suppliers and work in warehouses. This can be in a variety of fields such as food and drink, clothing, computers, machinery and so on. Any industry that requires moving about large and heavy pallets of products will use a pallet truck.

How much do pallet trucks cost?

Many companies will differ slightly in the cost of their pallet trucks, and depending on the type of pallet truck will alter the cost as well. You will be able to pick up a regular pallet truck for around £130. Searching online or visiting different shops you’ll be able to gain more of an idea of the prices available.

how much harm would a red diesel powered fork lift be to someones health in a large workshop?

the FLT. is only brought into the workshop to pick up large pallets on an infrequent basis,possibly twice in an hour during a nine hour period..it is only in the w/shop for less than 5 mins at a time and it returns outside,( because we do have an electric truck for normal loads indoors..) it is a clean well maintained engine which produces no smoke. how do i judge how much is a safe level. i have hse publications but the infrequecy of use coupled with well ventilated workshop with extraction leads me to determine that minimal risk to health is being maintained.what do you think. your thoughts would be greatly appreciated

gawd. Why did you buy a diesel??? feck.

OK - do yourself a formal risk assessment, stating formally what you just stated here. You will have to list out what the risks and the consequences are, and how you control them.

Your control measures are part of the answer. The truck isn't allowed in the workshop for more than X minutes per Y time, and the ventilation must be on, and the roll shutter door must stay open, truck must have a valid service ticket, must be started and warmed up outdoors, etc etc. And you must show how you enforce that.

The other part is volume - how big is the workshop, and how much diesel does the forklift use per hour? Calculate the CO concentration in the exhaust from the engine data, find out the safe CO concentration (very low), and show that you're nowhere near it.

BUT if one of your control measures are that the driver has to sprint in and out then you will be killing people in a much easier way: running them over. That's a bigger risk.