Forklift Trucks - Maintenance

What safety procedures should you follow when servicing a forklift truck?

• context Allow only qualified persons to service and maintain equipment.
• context Follow the manufacturer's service and maintenance schedule.
• context Wear proper personal protective equipment. Wear goggles when grinding. Wear face shields (with safety goggles), aprons, gloves and rubber boots when handling lead-acid batteries or working around battery-charging equipment. Wear leather gloves when changing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuel tanks.
• context Disconnect all batteries before doing any work or prevent motion by raising the drive wheels off the floor or using chocks or other truck-positioning devices.
• context Shut off the tank fuel valve.
• context Run the engine until it stops.
• context Disconnect the tank from the hose.
• context Before servicing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) forklifts:
• context Block the forklift securely when removing wheels.
• context Support the forklift hood in an upright position or remove it to do work.
• context Keep the work area clean and well-lit.
• context Clean spilled oil or hydraulic fluid immediately.
• context Check all tools before using.
• context Remove all tools and parts before starting the engine.
• context Handle batteries with care.
• context Avoid contact with battery terminals with hoisting chains, tools and metal objects.
• context Cover the battery top with insulating material.
• context Attach a chain hoist to the counterweight before removing it from a forklift.
• context Find out why a forklift is in for repairs before starting or driving it.
• context Check the operator's daily checklist before making repairs.

How often should maintenance inspections be conducted, and what should be examined on a forklift truck?

Three types of service report inspections are recommended by CSA's B335-15 (R2020) "Safety standard for lift trucks". All inspections should be done by a trained, qualified maintenance technician.

• context A planned maintenance inspection which should be done according to the manufacturer's recommended interval. If there are no recommendations, conduct the inspection approximately every 200 hours.
• context An annual planned maintenance inspection which should occur approximately every 2000 hours, or annually, whichever comes first.
• context A lifting capacity inspection which is carried out to determine whether the lift truck is capable of handling the maximum load specified on the nameplate. This inspection shall be done before the lift truck being used for the first time, each time the lift truck is acquired by a new owner, and as often as recommended by the manufacturer, but no less than once per year.

Other tips include:

• context Check the bolts holding the counterweight to the body and replace any worn or missing bolts.
• context Inspect by magnetic particle testing the main mast welds and forks annually or when cracks appear.
• context Inspect by magnetic particle testing all hoses, couplings, fittings, and connections to the cylinders in the main mast assembly and the tilt control system.
• context Inspect forks for distorted, twisted, or bent sections. If defects are found, test the area of concern.
• context Determine if the forklift can handle the maximum recommended load limit.