3 Key Factors to Consider Before Hiring a Forklift for Your Construction Job

23 August 2017
 Categories: , Blog

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A lift truck, commonly known as a forklift, is a type of lifting equipment that integrates the functions of a lifting tool into a truck. Forklifts are used to lift and move heavy materials in indoor areas such as warehouses, as well as outdoor areas such as construction sites. If you are contemplating hiring a lift truck rental for your construction job, you should know that not all forklifts are created equal. This can make choosing the right machine for your job rather confusing. Here are a number of factors that you will need to take into account in order to make the right choice:

Working Conditions

Unlike indoor areas like warehouses that have flat, hard floors, construction sites typically have rugged slopes and terrains, which could affect the stability of lift trucks. When you are looking for lift trucks you can use to perform your construction job, you should select a rugged design forklift, which is ideal for rough terrain use. Rough terrain forklifts come in in two-wheel or four-wheel drive, and they feature large, tractor-type tyres that provide maximum traction required to handle the roughest of outdoor terrains. The engines of these rugged-design lift trucks are often diesel-powered so as to provide maximum engine power.

Lift Capacity

Forklifts are not a one-size-fits-all type of equipment. They come in a range of different load capacities to ensure users can find a machine that matches their specific lifting requirements. Before renting a forklift for your construction job, you should first find out how much load you will need to lift and move. Pick a forklift based upon the heaviest materials or items you will be lifting — if the machine can handle the heaviest material or item, then it can handle any other load.

Reach

Another thing you will need to consider is the maximum height that the forklift can reach. Forklifts are usually come with a straight mast to allow construction workers to lift building materials to elevated work platforms, like scaffolding and aerial lift platforms. Where greater reach is required, like when constructing a high-rise building, a telescoping mast can be used.

Renting the right forklift for your construction job is critical to ensuring that the job is carried out efficiently. However, you should never forget that safety is the most important aspect of any construction equipment operation. Therefore, be sure to only use trained personnel to operate your forklifts.