6 Things You Should Know About Forklift Pre-Shift Inspection Checks
What are the things you should know about forklift pre-shift inspection checks?
- Make it simple and thorough
- Isolate causes and problems
- Don’t forget the training
- Use it to check accountability
- Perform safety inspections and audits
- Consult the forklift manual instructions
A forklift in the Philippines is used for various purposes—such as carrying, moving, and transporting goods inside a site. To ensure that it’s in the best condition, it is beneficial to have it inspected daily by your workers. This will help reduce downtime, maintenance costs, and injuries while increasing productivity and efficiency. If you want to know more about forklift pre-shift inspection checks, keep on reading to learn more!
Make It Simple and Thorough
Forklift pre-shift inspection checks only take a few minutes of your time, but it pays dividends. A simple 5-minute inspection can help detect problems early, so it can prevent the likelihood of injury when the equipment fails. To ensure that every component is checked, provide your workers with a checklist that they can submit to the authorities daily.
A pre-shift inspection check is done at the start of every shift. It begins by performing a visual check for loose, bent, missing, cracked, leaking, and damaged components. If any of these signs are present, a qualified technician should be contacted for repair and parts replacement. After the visual checks, an operation inspection should also be conducted. This involves testing every function of the forklift.
Isolate Causes and Problems
One of the benefits of a forklift pre-shift inspection check is that it allows you to isolate causes and problems in advance. This enables you to address them early so that you can prevent bigger problems in the future. For example, if you found a small chip in a component, that could be fixed cheaply. But if it worsens, you need to replace the whole part. Not only will this cost more, but also might take longer and can lead to expensive downtime.
Other than that, pre-inspection checks also allow you to identify the causes of recurring equipment problems. If you experience an issue often, it might be due to misuse. Having written data—which is your daily inspection checklist—helps you figure out the main cause so you can prevent it in the future.
Don’t Forget the Training
Before a worker can use a forklift, they must undergo training or certification to ensure that they can safely operate the equipment. With their knowledge of regulations, procedures, and potential hazards, they are capable of looking for problems in the forklift—which is important when doing the pre-shift inspection check. If they know what to look for, they can point out issues on time so an accident is prevented.
Another important factor in pre-shift inspection checks is that workers should know what to do when an issue arises. If the checklist is simply filed and not actioned immediately, it provides no benefit for the worker and the organization. Your employees should know who to contact and what are the next steps they must take in an event of a forklift problem.
Use It to Check Accountability
If you have material handling equipment that encounters problems often, one of the things you should check is your inspection checklist. A forklift pre-inspection check is a great way to measure accountability. Because every worker needs to complete a checklist every shift, you can find out which employee doesn’t take care of the forklift assigned to them. With enough data, you can take steps to stop that behavior and correct it immediately.
On the other hand, it also encourages your workers to take better care of your forklift. If they know the consequences of abusing their forklifts—such as accidents and injuries—they will have a higher regard for the condition of their equipment. Instead of treating it as something that can be easily replaced, they will take better care of the forklift.
Perform Safety Inspections and Audits
One common problem with forklift pre-shift inspection is that it can cause complacency. Because workers are used to filling up the checklist daily, they could form the ‘tick and flick’ mentality. When this happens, some problems could become unnoticed.
This is why supervisors should also learn how to perform forklift pre-shift inspections. They should perform safety checks and audits from time to time to reinforce the importance of maintaining equipment in the workplace. This includes toolbox talks, mentoring, coaching, and more. This way, a supervisor can correct poor performance without creating a culture of blame.
Consult The Forklift Manual Instructions
Remember that not all forklifts are the same. Depending on the model, manufacturer, and fuel type of your material handling equipment, you might need to inspect fewer or more components.
Before performing a pre-inspection check, refer to the operator manual and checklist of your forklift. The full instructions might differ depending on the model you are using. This ensures that you can cover all components when inspecting and testing—which is vital so you won’t miss anything important.
Key Takeaway
With forklift pre-shift inspection checks, you can prevent smaller problems from worsening, reduce the risk of accidents in the workplace, ensure the longevity of your equipment, and avoid costly downtimes. However, you need to have a checklist so no component will be forgotten during the inspection. You can always consult the forklift manual for the full instructions.
In addition to daily checks, scheduled preventive maintenance services are also key in maintaining the condition of your forklift. If you want your material handling equipment to be in top shape, you can schedule periodic maintenance with Multico! You can save time and effort because of our quick response team, professional technicians, complete diagnostic and PMS package, and spare parts availability. For more information, you can send your inquiries here!
