A brief overview of pallet trucks
A pallet truck is a basic prototype forklift used to shift light or heavy pallets inside a warehouse and lift them to a certain short distance. They help in organizing pallets in a trailer if there is not enough accessibility for a forklift truck. A jack is steered and works as a lever and then acts like a handle for lifting the jack. The pallet is lifted to take things off the floor and be on little travel. There are two types of pallet trucks.
- Manual pallet truck
This has a lever that is powered by hand. They are found in personal and retail warehouses.
This electric pallet truck has single- and double-pallet jacks. They are motorized and help in the lifting of heavier pallets. This jack is usually moved around using a throttle that is on its handle. The pallet truck moves forward and backward, and it can be steered by swinging its handle. Other systems have a switch instead of a brake for stopping the pallet truck.
One does not need a license to operate a pallet truck. The only skill required is training by the employer. However, one should know the specifications of the manual pallet truck. A standard pallet truck weighs around 2.5 tons and the load it can take is up to 5000 pounds, with a minimum height of 3 inches from the ground.
While selecting the ideal pallet truck, keep the following factors in mind:
- Expected load to carry and arrange
- Frequency of usage
- Type of flooring in the workspace
- Distance covered on a daily basis
There is a ratio of weight handling to the weight of the machine to be used. General recommendations to the numerical standards on the acceptable load and when you use a pallet truck are as follows:
- The three- and four-wheel pallet trucks should not exceed more than 200 kg.
- The load on each wheel should not go for more than 700 kg.
- Manual pallet trucks should not be used more than 300 times a day.
- The distance covered should be 30 to 35 meters per shipment.
- Use powered pallet trucks for heavier loads and covering a longer distance.
- Pushing and pulling the pallet truck under, non-conformal conditions can lower the safety of your machine.