It was in the start of the 20th Century when the very first forklifts were introduced. These machines during the last 90 plus years has changed the material handling industries and even the recycling industry. The considerations for safe operation, the lift truck's evolution and the many different types are discussed below.
History of Forklifts
These powered industrial trucks, also known as forklifts and lift trucks, were invented and launched to the market in the late 19th century. Originally, these models were low lift trucks which were only capable of raising platforms a few inches from the ground. Usually, these equipment were utilized for moving supplies inside a store, such as work-in-progress situations. In the late 1910s, high lift trucks first emerged and enhancements in truck design started to take root from there. The tier trucks eventually developed and this allowed for better stacking of loads and storage effectiveness.
Throughout the 1930s, there were some really tough economic times. Nonetheless, during this specific time, labor was freely available but capital for investment was more and more difficult to come by. This situation significantly slowed the growth of lift truck usage.
Forklifts became a very strategic part of the World War II war effort as the vast shortages in manpower during that time occurred as a resulting of enlistment of thousands of men. It was discovered that its operator and the forklift were extremely productive and could deal with the work of many men. As the War progressed, many women drivers filled the many demands. By the time the war was over, forklifts 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 U.S. Military became the basis for the Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool or CHEP, who today is referred to as the world's largest pallet pooling business.
Gasoline/Diesel
There are many advantages to using a gas or diesel powered engine. They are always available all over the world; they are perfect for heavy duty workloads, they deliver consistent power throughout the shift and lots of operators are quite familiar with the source of power.
A few of the main drawbacks of diesel and gasoline units comprise: they require much more maintenance than electric models, because of the emissions they release, they are not appropriate to be utilized inside, there is some difficulty and cost associated to fluid and oil disposal and they require a re-fueling station on-site if they are going to be in continuous use.