It was in the start of the 20th Century when the first lift trucks were launched. These equipment during the past 90 plus years has changed the material handling business and even the recycling industry. The considerations for safe use, the lift truck's evolution and the many different types are discussed below.
History of Lift Trucks
Powered industrial trucks are also referred to as forklifts and lift trucks, were initially introduced and invented in the late 19th Century. These initial units were low lift trucks which were capable of raising platforms just a few inches from the ground. Normally, these types of machines were utilized for moving supplies in a shop, such as work-in-progress situations. During the latter part of 1910s, high lift trucks initially emerged and enhancements in truck design started to take root from there. The tier trucks eventually evolved and this allowed for better storage effectiveness and stacking of loads.
There were extremely difficult economic times in the 1930s. Nonetheless, throughout this time, labor was freely available but money for investment was increasingly harder to come by. This situation significantly slowed the growth of forklift usage.
Forklifts became a very strategic part of the the second World War war effort since the vast shortages in manpower during that time occurred as a resulting of enlistment of thousands of men. It was discovered that a lift truck and its driver were very productive and can deal with the work of many men. As the War progressed, many women operators filled the numerous demands. When the war was over, lift trucks became a mainstay of the material handling industry. They were utilized a lot in the Pacific war efforts. Some of the leftover pallets and lift trucks in Australia left behind by the United States Military became the basis for the CHEP or Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool, who today is referred to as the biggest pallet pooling business in the globe.
Gasoline/Diesel
There are many advantages to utilizing a diesel or gas powered engine. They are readily available around the globe; they are suitable for heavy duty workloads, they deliver consistent power throughout the shift and numerous operators are quite familiar with the source of power.
Some of the gas and diesel engines drawbacks include: they need much more maintenance than electric models, because of the emissions they release, they are not appropriate for indoor applications, there is some cost and difficulty associated to disposal of oil and fluid and they require a re-fueling post on-site if they are going to be in continuous use.