Under all travel conditions the forklift shall be operated at a speed that will permit it to be brought to a stop in a safe manner.
(OSHA Regulation 1910.178(n)(8))

SAFETY and TRAINING

Stopping a forklift should be a topic that is brought up in every forklift safety training class. Bottom line, forklifts do NOT stop on a dime! They weigh too much. It’s simple physics: too much weight in motion will not come to a stop right away.

A forklift with a 5,000 lb. lift capacity weighs approximately 9,000 lbs. empty. 9,000 lbs. will not come to stop on a dime, so when you add a 5,000 lb. load on your forks, you are now carrying up to 14,000 lbs., making it even harder to bring this forklift to a stop.

Let’s address some other issues that affect stopping, along with the weight issue:

• Speed!  It’s a known fact, the faster you go with your forklift, the longer the stopping distance. For example, a forklift moving at 8.7 mph is traveling approximately 13 feet per second. If you see danger ahead and then you react to it by pressing on the brakes, a matter of just a couple of seconds could have passed in that time. That means in just reacting to the danger, your fork truck went approximately 26-27 feet in those few seconds.

• Floor Condition!  The condition of the floors that your forklift travels down is very important when it comes to stopping. Wet, slippery floors could cause your forklift to hydroplane out of control and tip-over. Floor conditions such as oil, water, sand, gravel, ice, snow or cardboard all make for slippery floor conditions. If you cannot avoid these conditions, then slow down in these conditions. Good housekeeping comes into play; pick up debris off the floor. Or consider purchasing a sweeper or a floor scrubber for your facility to handle those wet, slippery areas.

Often, production is put ahead of safety. To meet production numbers, operators often speed. Now the operator is hurried and the chance for an accident is increased. By keeping a safe and steady speed, you can still meet production numbers. Remember, your facility’s production numbers should all be determined by the safe traveling speed of the forklift. Speeding on your forklift is just an accident waiting to happen.

For information on forklift training or scrubbers and sweepers, please contact Dave Bennett @ 315-437-2881 x 4146, or e-mail dbennett@thompsonandjohnson.com.

Aftermarket Open House Is Great Success

T&J just had our first Aftermarket Forklift Open House on Friday, September 29. It proved to be a day to share knowledge and expertise in Technical Training, Operator Safety Training, Parts & Accessories, Fuel Economy, Battery Maintenance, Rental, Planned Maintenance Programs, and Fleet Maintenance Reports. The Rental Department also had an array of Equipment on display.

With the help of the Regional Toyota Managers, all of our Employees did a great job hosting the event. Questions were answered, issues were discussed, and it was wrapped up with a tour of T&J’s 56,000 sq. ft. facility.

Customers came from as far away as the Albany area. Most of the guests spent at least a couple of hours visiting each area, listening to presentations, asking questions, and even discussing individual concerns. The event was certainly a success, and it didn’t hurt that the Dinosaur BBQ supplied lunch.

Watch for a repeat next year!

Crown Introduces End-Control Rider Pallet Truck

Crown Equipment recently introduced the model 4500 End-Control Rider Pallet Truck. The new PE 4500 series is built for those customers who have application-specific needs that require excellent performance, superior diagnostics and unprecedented reliability.

The 4500 series offers an AC traction system coupled with Crown’s industry leading, time tested, Access 1-2-3 Comprehensive System Control.

These improvements, in addition to the PE’s legendary reliability, durability and operator comfort, ensure the Series 4500 place as a market leader.

Please contact your local Thompson & Johnson representative for more information on this exciting new product!