It was in the beginning of the 20th Century when the first forklifts were introduced. These equipment during the past 90 plus years has changed the material handling industries 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 Forklifts
These powered industrial trucks, also known as lift trucks and forklifts, were created and launched to the market in the latter part of the 19th century. Originally, these units were low lift trucks that were just capable of raising platforms a few inches from the ground. Usually, these machinery were utilized for transporting material in a shop, such as work-in-progress situations. In the latter part of 1910s, high lift trucks first emerged and truck design improvements began to take root from there. The tier trucks eventually developed and this allowed for better storage efficiency and stacking of loads.
During the 1930s, there were some really tough economic times. Then again, during this time, labor was freely available but money for investment was more and more difficult to come by. This situation significantly slowed the growth of forklift usage.
During World War II, forklifts became a strategic part of the war effort. In that period, vast shortages in manpower occurred resulting from the wartime enlistment. It was found that its operator and the lift truck were extremely productive and can handle the work of many men. As the War continued, numerous women operators filled the numerous demands. By the time the war was over, lift trucks became a mainstay of the material handling industry. They were utilized a lot in the Pacific war efforts. Several 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 known as the world's largest pallet pooling business.
Diesel/Gasoline
There are many advantages to using a gas or diesel powered engine. They are readily available all around the world; they are suitable for heavy duty workloads, they deliver consistent power throughout the shift and a lot of operators are quite familiar with the source of power.
A few of the major drawbacks of diesel and gasoline units consist of: they require a lot more maintenance than electric units, due to the emissions they release, they are not appropriate to be utilized inside, there is some difficulty and cost connected to oil and fluid disposal and they need a re-fueling station on-site if they are going to be in continuous use.