“We know the expense our customers can incur when there is equipment downtime,” said Kevin Krakora, Director, Product Services, Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks. “The truth is that downtime is often a direct result of user application and a lack of understanding. By implementing just a few simple, proactive measures in day-to-day operations, companies will help improve productivity and help keep equipment running efficiently.”

Forklift operators and owners are encouraged to take the following actions to make sure that forklift abuse is prevented where possible:

 * Tires: Replace worn or chunked tires that cause jarring impacts to the wheel, axle components, load and operator. Demanding applications require using the proper tires for maximum performance of the forklift truck. To be certain that your equipment has the correct tires, request an application survey from your local dealer.

* Forks: Operating the forklift truck with worn tires can also cause premature wear to the bottom of the forks, which can jeopardize the forklift truck’s ability to lift and can create an unsafe working environment. Routine fork inspections by operators and in-house technicians are needed to ensure your forklift truck is operating with safe forks.

    * Transmission: Costly damage to the transmission system can be caused by operators riding the inching pedal. To prevent major component failure, the inching pedal should only be used when approaching a rack and when you want to apply the brakes while revving the engine (allowing the hydraulics to work at full speed). The brake pedal is used for regular stopping of the truck when hydraulics are not in use.

    * Impact: Tires, wheels, body panels, forks, attachments and backrests suffer when forklift trucks encounter impact to products and surroundings due to high travel speeds. Assigning equipment to an operator can help track who is causing the abuse. Installing an impact monitor, vehicle speed limiter or keyless access system as options on your forklift truck can help reduce impact damage.

    * Training: Regular and ongoing training is key to ensure that equipment is properly maintained and users of the equipment are in step with proper safety and maintenance applications. It is imperative that all new operators are properly trained on how to perform the required daily inspections and properly operate the equipment prior to use.

To increase the life of equipment and enhance its performance, forklift owners should contact their local dealer for additional assistance on operator training and ways to prevent forklift truck abuse. Forklift truck owners should also ensure they have the proper maintenance program in place based on the type of application.