It was in the start of the 20th Century when the very first lift trucks were launched. These machinery during the last 90 plus years has revolutionized the material handling business and even the recycling business. The considerations for safe use, the lift truck's evolution and the many different types are discussed below.
History of Lift Trucks
These powered industrial trucks, also referred to as forklifts and lift trucks, were invented and launched to the market during the late 19th century. Initially, these models were low lift trucks which were just capable of raising platforms several inches from the ground. Usually, these machinery were used for transporting supplies inside a store, like work-in-progress situations. In the latter part of 1910s, high lift trucks initially emerged and enhancements in truck design started to take root from there. The tier trucks eventually developed and this allowed for greater storage efficiency and stacking of loads.
Throughout the 1930s, there were some really hard economic times. Nonetheless, throughout this particular period, labor was freely available but capital for investment was increasingly harder to come by. This situation really slowed the growth of forklift usage.
In the second World War, lift trucks became a strategic part of the war effort. During that period, vast shortages in manpower occurred resulting from the wartime enlistment. It was discovered that a lift truck and its driver were extremely productive and could deal with the work of numerous men. As the War continued, a lot of women drivers filled the numerous demands. When the war was over, forklifts became a mainstay of the material handling business. They were used a lot in the Pacific war efforts. Several of the leftover pallets and lift trucks within Australia left behind by the United States Military became the basis for the CHEP or Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool, who today is referred to as the biggest pallet pooling business in the world.
Gasoline/Diesel
Diesel and gasoline engines have numerous advantages. They are always available all around the globe; they deliver consistent power throughout the shift, they are great for heavy duty workloads and numerous operators are quite familiar with the source of power.
Some of the gas and diesel engines disadvantages include: they require much more maintenance compared to electric models, because of the emissions they release, they are not appropriate for indoor applications, there is some cost and difficulty associated to disposal of fluid and oil and they need a re-fueling station on-site if they are going to be in continuous use.