Winter is coming! Or better: Winter knocks!
You should now ask yourself how to make the forklift safely through the winter. With the following winter guide, you can best prepare for the cold season.
Good planning is half success: spend enough time planning and preparing for upcoming tasks - for example. B. Check the operability of the forklift and ensure that your existing equipment is suitable for winter operation. These are the most important to-do items:
Identify risk areas
When the temperature approaches zero, ice and snow will reduce the grip of roads and lanes. Therefore, identify all risk areas in your site that are particularly affected by winter weather - usually large areas, such as parking lots, entrances, slopes and sidewalks.
Store enough gravel
If ice forms and you run out of sand, you may have an accident while riding a sled. So make sure you have enough gravel, such as sand, at a good time.
Consider weather protection
If your forklift does not have a closed cab, you should invest in retrofitting schemes for outdoor use. Equip your drivers with insulated, windproof and reflective clothing to keep them warm and protected.
Preparing tyres and lights
Remember that your forklift tires have enough tread in winter to maintain grip on slippery terrain. Tire socks or forklift chains are very suitable for winter service in areas that are also closely related to snow shovels. These give you more traction at the beginning. Moreover, since it gets dark very quickly, especially in winter, and the visibility is usually poor, you should always check the lighting of the vehicle to ensure its normal operation. As a flexible solution, the additional work lights or warning lights of forklifts can be easily and cheaply modified.
Carry out driver training in winter
Ensure that all forklift drivers of the company have received driving training on cold, wet and ice roads. In addition, all hazards and safety knowledge should be understood so that the forklift can be operated in winter without accidents.
Northern Hemisphere: December to March (according to local climate and season): forklift used in winter
Due to the change of weather conditions, the probability of accidents in winter is very high. Follow the tips below to ensure normal operation continues.
The driver is warm and well dressed and
If your forklift operator trembles, it will weaken his ability to respond and concentrate, and lead to accidents. Therefore, please always make sure you are properly dressed and warm enough, and equipped with a striking vest.
preheat
Warm up your forklift also wants to stay good and warm: full warm-up is essential for both the engine and the hydraulic system. Otherwise, there is a risk of increased wear and fuel consumption.
Carry out visual inspection and careful visual and functional inspection
This is particularly important in winter because some components, such as batteries, steering, tires and hydraulic systems, are under greater pressure in extreme weather conditions.
Record exceptions
Before deployment, ensure that any problems are reported and properly documented after a thorough inspection. Some forklift manufacturers' digital fleet management systems provide so-called "pre operation checks" to help implement and record.
Drive more carefully
Raising awareness is a top priority in winter months. If you pay attention to the weather conditions at that time and adjust your driving style accordingly, you will spend the cold season more safely.
After a few cold months?
When the era of snow chains, forklifts, snow shovels and spreaders is coming to an end, you should thoroughly inspect all accessories and forklifts for possible damage, from forks to roof guards. Timely plan the required maintenance and repair work to make everything normal.
Thoroughly clean forklifts thoroughly clean each forklift at the end of winter. By removing snow, dirt and salt from all equipment, you can avoid potential rust and corrosion problems.
Arrange service appointments
Make sure your forklift fleet is carefully inspected by trained technicians for winter damage. Therefore, please plan the maintenance and repair of your fleet as soon as possible.
