Implementing Preventative Maintenance for Forklifts

9 January 2018
 Categories: Construction & Contractors, Blog

For any business or construction project, efficiency and minimizing costs is always a top concern. One of the most costly areas that these entities have to deal with is the cost of equipment. Indeed, while equipment hire significantly reduces the expenses that businesses would otherwise have to incur to purchase their own equipment, hired machines can still be quite costly to maintain.

Among the most common machines that are hired are forklifts. Forklift truck hire is booming business in Australia, and for good reason. Many businesses need forklifts in their factories to manage inventory, or out in the construction site to lift and transport heavy loads. As a result, they turn to forklift truck hire services to get the machines that they need.

Depending on the duration for which the equipment is hired out, businesses may be responsible for maintaining the smooth functionality of the forklift truck. This includes carrying your regular inspections to make sure it is running smoothly.

Preventative maintenance for forklifts will typically involve the following steps:

Ensuring safe operation

Preventative maintenance means that the forklift is regularly inspected for any potential issues it may have, and the issues are addressed before further damage is caused. A key part of this maintenance for forklift truck hire involves making sure the machine is safe to operate all times.

A preventive maintenance routine may catch problems such as missing bolts, a broken arm, or a damaged guard. Any of these issues are potential safety hazards on the construction site or warehouse floor.

Pedal hours and time intervals

It is important to track how much the forklift truck has been used on a daily basis. This allows for any wear and tear to be closely monitored, and any associated costs to be followed up with the forklift truck hire service. The usage of the machine can be measured in terms of pedal hours or time intervals.

The pedal hours are a measure of how much time the machine has been active and used on site. On the other hand, time intervals measure period of time the forklift has been taken out of its storage area. Both measurements will impact how soon a maintenance scheduling should be carried out. For example, the grease zerks of the machine will need to be inspected after every 50 pedal hours. In addition, a full servicing may be necessary after every 200 pedal hours.

When obtaining your machines from forklift truck hire, this servicing may be an option that they provide at an additional cost or as part of the hiring fee. Make sure the hiring company expresses how it would want its machines to be maintained so you don't end up incurring unexpected costs when returning the equipment.