It was during the beginning of the 20th Century when the very first forklifts were introduced. These machines 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 kinds are discussed below.
History of Lift Trucks
Powered industrial trucks are also called lift trucks and forklifts, were originally launched and invented during the late 19th Century. These initial models were low lift trucks that can raise platforms just a few inches high. Normally, these machines were used for transporting material in a shop, like work-in-progress situations. In the late 1910s, high lift trucks initially emerged and enhancements in truck design started to take root from there. The tier trucks ultimately developed and this allowed for greater stacking of loads and storage efficiency.
Throughout the 1930s, there were some extremely tough economic times. Then again, throughout this specific time, labor was freely available but capital for investment was increasingly more difficult to come by. This situation significantly slowed the growth of lift truck usage.
Forklifts became a really strategic part of the World War II war effort since the vast shortages in manpower in that time happened as a resulting of enlistment of thousands of men. It was found that its driver and the forklift could deal with the work of numerous men and were really productive. As the War continued, many women drivers filled the many demands. When the war was over, lift trucks became a mainstay of the material handling industry. They were used a lot in the Pacific war efforts. Some of the leftover pallets and lift trucks within Australia left behind by the U.S. Military became the basis for the CHEP or Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool, who today is known as the world's largest pallet pooling company.
Gasoline/Diesel
There are numerous advantages to utilizing a gas or diesel powered engine. They are readily available around the globe; they deliver consistent power throughout the shift, they are perfect for heavy duty workloads and a lot of drivers are quite familiar with the source of power.
Several of the gas and diesel engines drawbacks include: they need 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 disposal of oil and fluid and they need a re-fueling station on-site if they are going to be utilized always.