It was in the start of the 20th Century when the first lift trucks were introduced. These equipment over the past 90 plus years has changed the material handling industries and even the recycling industry. The considerations for safe operation, the forklift's evolution and the various different types are discussed below.
History of Lift Trucks
Powered industrial trucks are also called lift trucks and forklifts, were first introduced and created in the late 19th Century. These first models were low lift trucks that could raise platforms just several inches from the ground. Generally, these kinds of machinery were used for transporting material inside a store, such as work-in-progress situations. During the late 1910s, high lift trucks initially emerged and truck design improvements started to take root from there. The tier trucks ultimately evolved and this allowed for better storage effectiveness and stacking of loads.
Throughout the 1930s, there were some really hard economic times. However, during this period, labor was freely available but capital for investment was increasingly harder to come by. This situation really slowed the growth of forklift usage.
During World War II, 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 found that its operator and the forklift can deal with the work of numerous men and were very productive. As the War progressed, many women drivers filled the numerous demands. When the war was over, forklifts became a mainstay of the material handling industry. They were used a lot in the Pacific war efforts. A few of the leftover pallets and lift trucks within Australia left behind by the United States Military became the basis for the Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool or CHEP, who today is referred to as the world's largest pallet pooling company.
Gasoline/Diesel
There are numerous advantages to utilizing a gas or diesel powered engine. They are always available around the world; they are perfect for heavy duty workloads, they deliver consistent power throughout the shift and many drivers are quite familiar with the source of power.
Several of the gas and diesel engines disadvantages comprise: they require a lot more maintenance than electric models, due to the emissions they release, they are not appropriate for indoor applications, there is some cost and difficulty associated to oil and fluid disposal and they require a re-fueling post on-site if they are going to be utilized always.