Written and provided by FTMA Supporting Partner Combilift
When choosing material handling equipment for your loads and facilities, it’s crucial to make a well-considered decision. Effective and efficient handling, financial cost, and sustainability should be taken into account, although safety should always be your top priority.
Combilift has over 26 years of experience in the material handling sector and is an expert in assisting businesses in maximising the capacity of their facilities, enhancing efficient operations and most importantly, making them safer.
The Irish forklift manufacturer has a dedicated team of R&D engineers who continuously work on creating innovative material handling solutions, and their commitment to innovation is evident from the multiple patents they have acquired over the years.
Multidirectional forklift models such as those in the C-Series and CB range are designed to travel sideways while handling long and bulky loads, for example, timber panels. The sideways function eliminates the need for overhead carrying while navigating tight spaces, which significantly reduces the risk of injury. This, in turn, allows for much better and cost-effective use of all available space, which is one of a company’s most valuable assets. An additional safety feature is that these forklifts are built with a very low centre of gravity, allowing for a low-to-the-ground movement of your load. The C-series also includes an integrated platform, providing a stable base for resting your load during transportation.
Close encounters between forklifts and pedestrians are to be avoided wherever possible, as statistics prove that these are a major cause of accidents and injury to pedestrians. At Combilift, we take safety very seriously since, according to statistics, employees in the handling and warehousing industries are at a higher risk of workplace injuries and fatalities
The driver needs to have an excellent vision of the load, the forks, and the general surroundings to ensure safety for other personnel who may be in the vicinity.
The high position of the cabs on the C-series models together with generous glazing ensures that even when carrying large loads, the driver’s line of sight is not impeded.
Another option is to look at pedestrian-operated stacker trucks. These work at speeds inherently lower than those of ride-on trucks, and the operator’s awareness of the immediate surroundings is improved as they are physically closer to the load, the machine and people in the vicinity – and they are looking in the direction of travel at all times.
The Combilift pedestrian stacker range is equipped with Combilift’s unique, patented tiller arm. The tiller arm can be turned left or right, allowing the rear wheel to pivot parallel to the chassis and back at the touch of a button. This enables the operator to stay in the safest position while working in narrow aisles – at the side of the truck rather than at the rear, as with other pedestrian stackers. Therefore, this reduces the risk of the operator becoming trapped between the truck and the racking and ensures full visibility of both the load and the surrounding area.
Contact us today to show you how Combilift and our wide range of products can help your company make the most of your existing space and enhance the efficiency and safety of your timber operations.
For more information, visit www.combilift.com
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