Slopes and ramps can be tricky even for the most experienced forklift operators, but the following techniques can help to prevent accidents and keep both the load and truck upright.
Keep the Load Facing Uphill
As you travel up and down slopes and ramps with loads on your forks, always remember to travel with the forks facing up the hill. This ensures that the load is over the front of the forklift counterbalance (front axle) and therefore less likely to slide forward off the forks. When going down a ramp or slope with a load on your forks always reverse down the ramp/slope as you would when going up a slope.
Control Your Speed on the Way Down
Try to travel down slopes at a low speed. Avoid sudden braking as this can cause the rear of the forklift to swing to one side or for the load to shift on the forks. Steady and slow is the best way to travel down slopes.
Never Turn on a Ramp
If for whatever reason you need to make a turn whilst travelling up or down a slope, make the turn on the level prior to approaching the gradient. Then travel up or down the gradient in a straight line. This is one of the safety techniques recommended in workplace transport safety guidance and must be adhered to by all forklift operators.
Reverse Uphill When Unloaded
This applies to unloaded forklifts as well as loaded ones. An unloaded forklift can be at its most unstable when reversed up a hill. This is because the counterweight at the back of the forklift is the heaviest part. Reversing up a hill with an unloaded forklift ensures that this heavy weight is on the uphill side of the forklift, which will provide the greatest stability. The only time that reversing up a hill would be less stable is if the forklift were laden down one side, such as with a large load of pipes on one side of the forklift. In this case, it would be more stable to travel up the hill in forward gear with the load weighed down on the downhill side.
Find Formal Instruction Locally
If you want Forklift Training Swindon, https://globalflt.com/services/rtitb/fork-lift-truck-training-near-me/swindon is a good place to start.
You learn good practices for going up and down slopes by practising the correct methods for using a forklift truck on gradients. Learning the correct methods from the start is key.
