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Figure 8-24.Technique of maneuvering a wide load through a warehouse door.
Caution - 14081_205

Equipment Operator Basic - Beginning construction equipment operators manual
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and  load  backrest  extension  provides  reasonable protection against a falling object but cannot protect you against every impact. A forklift without an overhead guard  provides  no  protection.  For  this  reason,  you should never attempt to pickup any loose, unstable, or stacked load if it appears that any part of the elevated load might topple through or over the top of the upright or fall on anybody standing nearby. You should also avoid hitting certain objects, such as stacked material, that could become dislodged and fall. Do not move your forklift  around  with  the  load  carriage  elevated.  These rules apply whether or not your forklift is equipped with an overhead guard and are important if you are not protected by an overhead guard. Enforcing these rules may mean a smaller load, but you are protecting yourself and others working in your area. 2.  Use  a  secured  safety  platform  when  lifting personnel. A forklift is built for only one rider—the operator.  Because  of  the  hazardous  conditions  that can result, it is unauthorized for anyone to ride the forks of a forklift or hitch a ride in any manner. If a forklift is used to elevate workers, a safety platform must  be  secured  to  the  forks.  The  platform  should  be specially built and secured to keep it from slipping from the forks, and it should have a solid floor and handrail (fig. 8-25). 3.  Keep  arms  and  legs  inside  the  operator’s compartment.  Holding  them  outside  the  machine  can be dangerous in narrow aisles. 4. Keep yourself and all others clear of the hoisting mechanisms. NEVER PUT HANDS, ARMS, HEAD, O R    L E G S    T H R O U G H    T H E    H O I S T I NG MECHANISM. This rule applies to both you and the rigger. A rigger should not be near the load or hoisting mechanism while you are attempting to pick up, hoist, or deposit a load. 5. Never allow anyone under the load. 6.   Report   damaged   or   faulty   equipment immediately—do  not  operate  a  forklift  that  is  unsafe. You can complete a job with a forklift safely only when it is working correctly; therefore, a forklift should never be operated when it is not running properly. 7.  Avoid  bumps,  holes,  slick  spots,  and  loose materials that may cause your forklift to swerve or tip over.  Different  models  of  forklifts  are  designed  to operate under different conditions. Although  large forklifts can adapt to more uneven ground, do not expect them to maintain their balance under abusive ground conditions.  Try  to  pick  the  smoothest  areas  when moving  material  from  one  place  to  another. Figure 8-25.—Safety platform. 8.  Travel  slowly  in  narrow  aisles  and  around corners,   especially   blind   corners.   To   help   avoid collisions, you should sound your horn in advance. 9.  Lower  the  carriage  completely,  and  set  the parking brake before leaving your forklift. Block the wheels when parking on an incline or working on the forklift. These rules apply under all conditions, even if you are only going to leave your forklift for a moment. A driverless forklift does not have to move far in close quarters to cause serious injury. 10.  Do not turn on an incline. For stability, a forklift should not be driven along the side of an incline that leans the forklift sideways. Always keep either the rear end or front end of the forklift pointed up or down the slope. 11. Do not fill the fuel tank while the engine is running. 12.  Sudden starts and stops cause premature wear on parts of the forklift, such as axles and gears, and cause  tires  to  wear  faster.  Personnel  nearby  may become injured and materials may be damaged by a forklift  suddenly  going  into  motion  or  going  out  of control. 13. Because a forklift is designed to perform so many  functions  within  a  small  space,  you  must anticipate  certain  clearance  situations.  As  an  operator, you must be aware the forks will sometimes protrude beyond the front of the load. Because of this, you may 8-14







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