It was during the beginning of the 20th Century when the first forklifts were introduced. These machinery during the past 90 plus years has revolutionized the material handling industries and even the recycling industry. The considerations for safe operation, the lift truck's evolution and the various different types are discussed below.
History of Lift Trucks
Powered industrial trucks are also called forklifts and lift trucks, were initially launched and created in the latter part of the 19th Century. These first units were low lift trucks that can raise platforms just a few inches from the ground. Normally, these machines were utilized for transporting material in a store, like work-in-progress situations. In the latter part of 1910s, high lift trucks first emerged and truck design enhancements began to take root from there. The tier trucks eventually developed and this allowed for better storage efficiency and stacking of loads.
There were extremely tough economic times during the 1930s. However, during this particular time, labor was freely available but money for investment was increasingly harder to come by. This situation greatly slowed the growth of lift truck usage.
In the second World War, lift trucks became a strategic part of the war effort. In that period, vast shortages in manpower occurred resulting from the wartime enlistment. It was discovered that its operator and the lift truck can handle the work of many men and were really productive. As the War continued, a lot of women drivers filled the numerous demands. By the time the war was over, lift trucks became a mainstay of the material handling business. They were used a lot in the Pacific war efforts. Several of the leftover pallets and forklifts in Australia left behind by the United States Military became the basis for the Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool or CHEP, who today is known as the world's biggest pallet pooling company.
Gasoline/Diesel
Diesel and gasoline engines have a lot of benefits. They are always available all around the globe; they deliver consistent power throughout the shift, they are suitable for heavy duty workloads and numerous drivers are quite familiar with the source of power.
A few of the main disadvantages of diesel and gasoline units comprise: they require much more maintenance than electric units, due to the emissions they release, they are not appropriate for indoor applications, there is some cost and difficulty associated to fluid and oil disposal and they need a re-fueling post on-site if they are going to be in continuous use.