Although forklifts have undergone drastic transformations over the past several decades, the basics of good fleet management remain the same. The basic tenets are centred around supervised management and periodic forklift maintenance procedures which ensure low operational cost and high productivity.
Operating a warehouse forklift fleet in today’s business ecosystem poses a demand on efficiency. There are basic practices any organization must follow in terms of forklift operations and maintenance to reduce forklift downtime.
1. Keep a track of your fleet and maintain records
Crunching numbers is a sure-shot path to maintaining the quality of your hardware. You’ll want to keep a track of several details –
a. Purchase or rental price
b. Date of purchase
c. Brand
d. Model/ Serial Number
e. Maintenance logs (dates, issues)
f. Engine hours
Ensure that the forklift maintenance sheets are kept in the truck’s file so that it is easily accessible whenever required.
2. Optimize the Forklift Replacement Cycle
There is no single answer for when a warehouse forklift should be replaced. Most companies, depending on its application, replace their forklifts every five to seven years. Performance profiles for each warehouse forklift have to be carefully curated over time to determine the endpoint of a fleet vehicle.
3. Keep Spare Parts handy
The benefit of keeping a forklift maintenance log is that you can analyse the trends from previous repairs and breakdowns and keep a stock of spare parts in your inventory, ready for use. An annual review of repair trends can help you design the budget and stock the ideal quantity of spare parts. This is useful in reducing forklift downtime.
4. Know your quirky machines Inside and Out
There is a plethora of warehouse forklifts with a whole lot of eclectic personalities to match. Keeping track of your fleet’s different makes, models and maintenance required can be an asset when it comes to handling forklift maintenance schedules. Consult the user manuals for any information regarding forklift operation, application and maintenance.
5. Match the Forklift with the application
Research on forklift operations reveals that many times specifications do not match the job requirement, the usage cycle they are generally used for. For optimum productivity, forklift specifications need to match the job and load requirements.
If you haven’t had a local dealer audit your forklift operations, call and request one soon. It is imperative to increase worksite productivity.
6. Perform planned maintenance
Perform planned maintenance after specified usage hours. It is important to keep your vehicle running smooth, by completing scheduled maintenance. This includes tasks like oil changes, filter inspections and battery recharge.
The same is true with warehouse forklifts. Planning regular maintenance checks can reduce downtime and operating costs. This could help you find small faults that, if ignored, over time could have resulted in major breakdowns.
7. Train forklift operators
Ensure that the people operating the machines are well trained and have received training with genuine certification. Take the time to watch the forklift operators at work, how they handle the equipment and how they deal with issues.
Regular re-training on the basics of forklift handling and safety procedures is a good way to save costs. Train your operators to perform daily or pre-shift inspections to avoid workplace hazards.
These are some of the main points to keep in mind when managing forklifts. The aforementioned tenets are crucial for optimum worksite fleet management. Sticking to these procedures will ensure minimum downtime and increased work productivity.
If you are seeking services like forklift annual maintenance, training, or buying forklift spare parts, OM is a leading forklift manufacturer in India that provides these services along with a wide range of material handling equipment to fit your business need