This forklift was too heavy for the sidewalk and broke through. Provide safe operating areas and equipment for employees. SCHEDULE TRAINING
Forklifts are called “heavy equipment” for good reason. An unloaded standard forklift at 5,000 lbs of rated lift capacity weighs 9,000 lbs. With a load, the forklift weight can increase to 14,000 lbs.
Pressure on Floor Surfaces
It’s not uncommon to see blacktop damaged by repeated forklift traffic. When carrying a maximum capacity load, a standard forklift using a set of solid rubber tires may exert as much as 350 lbs per square inch on the front axle tires. Concrete flooring has a general load limit of 500 lbs per square inch. These numbers prove there isn’t much room for surplus capacity when forklifts are involved.
Trailer Floor Hazards
Trailer floors are another concern. Operators should be trained to be aware of these hazards and tag out the trailer:
- Light coming through the floorboards
- Cracked, dry rotted or loose flooring
- Improper floor repairs, including bolted plates or nailed on plywood
Forklift Data Tag
To be confident about a floor design and the weight it can handle, consult a structural engineer(*). Your forklift dealer can also provide data on a model’s floor loading specifications. (*) The following data is dependent on sub-structure, steel reinforcement, concrete grade and thickness. A structural engineer should always be consulted.
Have a Toyota Forklift and need information about the model’s floor loading specifications? Contact an equipment specialist for details!
Contact Equipment Specialist