A leading supplier of pallet trucks and other manual handling apparatus to a huge number of businesses across the country is urging business owners to review their maintenance strategies as winter approaches. As the busiest season of the year looms, any maintenance issues with pallet trucks or manual handling equipment need to be flagged up and repaired to ensure that they are functioning at full productivity.
Phil Chesworth, Managing Director of Pallet Truck Shop, a premier provider of pallet trucks and other lifting equipment, says, “The busiest season of the year for many factories, warehouses and distribution centres is obviously winter, with the Christmas period and the New Year approaching fast. It is important for all business owners to sanction detailed maintenance checks on their equipment ahead of this season to ensure that all staff will be able to work at their most effective level, and the apparatus will be functioning safely.”
It is recommended that a daily check is carried out on all fleets of pallet trucks in order to keep tabs on any maintenance issues and flag up any issues as they occur. Users should check the status of every aspect of the truck, including brakes, wheels, control handles and any other accessories that they use with the equipment. Ensuring that they are all in prime condition and functioning perfectly will be that repairs and maintenance can be called for the second they are needed, rather than being spotted when it is too late and the truck needs to be replaced entirely.
Daily checks do not require an expert to carry out; ensure that everything is greased appropriately for the easiest operation, check that rollers and wheels are moving freely, check that the lift mechanism is working properly and if there are brakes, carry out a quick test to ensure that it is working as it should. All findings should be recorded on a daily report so that any small problems which are flagged up can be kept an eye on.
Many of the busiest times over the Christmas period are the loading bays and delivery areas, where many trucks will often be used in close proximity, with operators trying to manoeuvre them around without colliding with something. It is important that all employees have visibility garments, and for the darker winter evenings when night falls quickly, all trucks should be fitted with reflector stickers and lights if possible, to minimise the risk of accidental crashing and damage.