How to Use a High Lift Pallet Truck Safely

A greater emphasis on safety in the workplace, better understanding of the risks involved in work activities, and more focus on training has reduced the number of accidents that occur day to day.

However, some work duties are inherently dangerous, so you have to minimise risk as much as possible. Working with heavy machinery, and lifting and moving heavy goods are risky jobs, but they needn’t be dangerous, if you follow some simple rules.

Choose the right equipment

To make your place of work safer, you need to choose the right equipment for the job. If you need to move or lift heavy items, any equipment you use must be appropriate for the task. Check the equipment regularly for any faults that might be dangerous.

Always assess risks   

When using lifting machinery to carry out tasks, you should always do a risk assessment to assess hazards and introduce control measures if necessary. You should also make sure that all of the people involved in the working process understand the procedures and their role.

High lift pallet trucks

Pallet trucks are essential for your workplace if you have to move heavy loads around. Many warehouses and retail environments store a lot of goods, so they tend to stack them high. This is where a high lift pallet truck comes in; it helps you to lift and handle goods from a height. But due to the risky nature of lifting and handling heavy goods, you need to know how to use high lift pallet trucks safely.

Safety tips

Look out for obstructions

High lift pallet trucks have a scissor capability that lets a load be raised to waist height, which is helpful when you’re removing pallets from a lorry. Ensuring there are no obstructions will mean that the load is not at risk of falling.

If you need to use the truck on a slope or on uneven terrain, keep it at a low speed and ensure the forks are facing uphill when carrying the load.

Be aware of what’s going on around you         

Warehouses can sometimes have narrow aisles, so keep an eye out for people walking around or fellow workers on trucks.

Make sure your truck is well maintained  

Making sure that your pallet truck is working properly and well maintained is a big part of using it safely.

Lift an appropriate load

This is important for any pallet truck. Don’t exceed the maximum load limit, make sure the load is stable and that the pallet isn’t damaged in any way.