Full-time forklift operators are normally seated throughout the day except when climbing into and out of the truck. They keep bending and twisting throughout the day in addition to sitting and ascending.
Forklift ergonomics deal with operator comfort. The real issue is how industrial vehicle ergonomics affect forklift operators’ long-term health and productivity.
Employers and operators share responsibility for operator health. Both must be aware of how employees interact with the truck. In addition, they should know how the workplace environment influences the comfort and safety of operators and other people.
Here’s more about stand-up forklift ergonomics and their benefits:
Stand-Up Forklifts
There are two types of counterbalanced forklifts. One is the sit-down and the other one is the stand-up variant. A counterbalanced lift truck lifts and moves things by counterbalancing the weight of the cargo. It uses cast iron or a battery positioned in the truck’s back. They are one of the most common forklifts used in indoor warehouse operations.
Stand-up forklifts are for applications where the operator regularly gets on and off the lift truck. Due to space constraints and workload requirements, not all procedures can use a sit-down paradigm.
Stand-up forklifts conserve room and function more efficiently in tight quarters. The truck’s small design ensures the turning radius is better.
Stand-up forklifts also provide better visibility for the driver than sit-down models, which only allow for front-facing visibility.
The Ergonomic Benefits of a Stand-Up Forklift:
1. Stand-Up Rider Operator Controls
Sit-down forklifts normally have a classic steering wheel. On the other hand, stand-up forklifts include a control handle that functions similarly to a joystick. They also have foot controls.
In addition, stand-up counterbalance trucks, order pickers and reach trucks have stand-up rider controls.
These vehicles have the following controls:
· Steering Wheel
· Joystick (combination of accelerator, gear select, horn, and hydraulic functions)
· Emergency Stop Button
· Deadman Pedal
These controls mimic a person’s natural arm extension actions, eliminating unneeded strain. The operator cabin’s sideways posture also allows operators to maintain a wide field of view when transporting products.
Operators can operate all vehicle operations with a single hand using a single joystick.
What Is the Function of Each Pedal?
Some of the above pedals, such as the accelerator, parking brake, and service brake, are recognizable to you. After all, these pedals are commonly found in automobiles and trucks. You might need a handful of pedals to become more familiar with them.
– Inching Pedal
Its function is to deactivate the transmission. It’s a forklift clutch in that sense. It lets you transfer engine power from the driveshaft into the hydraulic pump. It does this without having to shift into neutral. With the inching pedal down, you can use the accelerator to determine how quickly or slowly it raises the weight. This comes in handy while carrying hefty loads.
– Dead Man Pedal
This pedal, sometimes known as a “dead man’s switch,” is a safety feature in stand-up forklifts such as reach truck forklifts and order pickers. If the operator exits the operator compartment, the forklift turns off.
It works like this:
- The operator walks into the operator compartment.
- They depress the pedal of the dead man.
- They start the lift truck, and if the operator takes their foot off the pedal, the vehicle shuts down.
This prevents the truck from continuing to run if the operator is not fully in charge.
– Pallet Clamp Pedal
This pedal is mostly on order pickers. It clamps onto the vertical stud in the center of a pallet, helping stabilize it and keep it from tumbling off the forks.
2. Comfortable
With suspension advances that lower Whole Body Vibration (WBV) to less than 0.60 m/sec2 and multi-position adjustability to increase operator comfort and visibility, forklift seats continue to develop. Slouching might put a strain on your operators’ spines and cause harm. In addition, leaning out of a cabin on a stand-up forklift could put your employees in danger.
3. Quieter
With new cooling-on-demand technology designed to reduce noise output, stand-up forklift trucks are quieter than ever. These improvements benefit operators’ hearing. They make the warehouse safer by allowing equipment operators and other employees to communicate clearly in a quieter environment.
4. Improved Visibility
Other enhancements to visibility include the figure eight mast tubing shape. It enables operators to see the load in forward or reverse readily. They can do this without them having to extend their necks in awkward postures.
Manufacturers of material handling equipment have responded to the problem by incorporating forklift features with operator comfort in mind. New forklifts reduce vibrations, reduce noise production, improve visibility, and decrease strain. Keep in mind that a happy operator is a productive operator.
