Once you decide to buy a secondhand forklift, safety should be your first consideration. Whether you driving a forklift in bustling Melbourne or operating one in rural India, it’s still a job that presents a significant safety risk. Everyone has a role to play when it comes to forklift safety.
The driver has a responsibility to attend training and to only use the forklift as prescribed. The manufacturer has the responsibility to meet all Australian quality requirements so that it operates as it should. As the person who is responsible for leasing or renting a new or second hand forklift for your company, it’s your responsibility to ensure the one you buy suits the needs of your company and its forklift operators.
The first (and one of the most important) choice to be made when choosing a forklift concerns how it is powered. Electric and diesel forklifts offer different levels of power at different costs but each pose their own safety concerns. Using the wrong forklift for a job can maximise the chances of a workplace accident occurring, giving it a little thought before you purchase will help prevent this from happening.
Diesel forklifts offer brute power and force, with the noises and fumes to match. These are best suited to operation outdoors (or in a well-ventilated indoor area) with a bonus that a lack of electricity won’t stop you from working. But, remember, they’re not as agile or responsive as alternatively powered units. Used electric forklifts on the other hand are quieter and more suited to indoor use for light to medium loads. They’re smaller and don’t put out fumes plus much easier to manoeuvre as they are created to rotate and reverse in small spaces.
With such stark differences between the two, it’s easy to see why one should not be substituted for the other and to appreciate the issues that can occur if you pick the wrong one. A used diesel forklift operated indoors can cause headaches, dizziness and nausea as well as carbon monoxide poisoning which can make human error more likely to occur. An electric forklift that is used outdoors will burn out its battery faster. This overuse can cause mechanical malfunction while it’s being used, leading to an accident.
Knowledge is power, and now that you know a little more about the dangers different powered second hand forklifts can pose, you’ll be better equipped to make the correct purchasing decision. As the professionals in Melbourne for leasing or renting your forklift out to you we can answer all your second hand forklift queries and guide you in the right directions that could save you a lot in the long run.