What are high-lift trucks? At what working height can they operate? What is their load capacity and who is qualified to operate them? You will find all this and much more in the article below.
High-lift truck – what is it?
If you have come across the term “high-lift truck,” you have surely been intrigued by what this “high lifting” actually means. It is otherwise known as high-bay storage, and it refers to maneuvers performed at a height greater than 7.2 meters. This is the generally accepted standard for this type of operation (medium storage takes place at a height of 4.2 to 7.2 meters; and low storage below 4.2 m).
A synonym for a high-lift truck is also the term reach truck, which is even slightly more popular and appears more frequently in manufacturers’ offers.
High-bay forklifts are devices powered by an electric battery, whose design is extremely characteristic (significantly different from traditional electric counterbalance forklifts). The basis of their construction is the operator’s cabin, which is placed perpendicular to the fork carriage with the mast and forks. Vehicles of this type move with the cabin in a lateral position relative to the direction of travel, which is why another name for these trucks is “side-loader trucks.”
It is worth mentioning one more term for high-lift forklifts, as they are often also referred to by the English name “Reach Truck.”
Lifting height
As is already known, reach trucks are suitable for work performed at heights even above 7.2 meters. What exactly is the range of their mast? This parameter depends, of course, on the specific model of the device and the power it has at its disposal.
The lifting height in high-lift forklifts can be as much as up to 12-13 meters, which makes them extremely useful, and often even indispensable in high-bay warehouses.
Load capacity
While the lifting height available to Reach Trucks is incomparably greater than in electric forklifts, and even more so in electric pallet trucks, even those equipped with a mast. What about load capacity? To maintain stability, high-lift trucks have a load capacity of several tons.
Before starting operation, however, you should check their load chart, because as the working height increases, the load capacity decreases.
Drive
All reach trucks are equipped with an electric drive. A replaceable, rechargeable battery and its short charging time allow them to work in a multi-shift mode. Thanks to this, the devices are extremely functional, and also safe – not emitting harmful exhaust fumes into the environment.
Working on high-lift trucks
What are the requirements and criteria for people who want to take up work on reach trucks? First of all, it is necessary to complete a course and pass a state exam before the Office of Technical Inspection (UDT) commission to hold the position of a forklift operator.
Who can sign up for such a course? The candidate must:
● be at least 18 years old,
● have at least vocational education,
● demonstrate good mental and physical health (full psycho-motor fitness).
During the course, one acquires skills in both driving and operating high-lift forklifts, as well as knowledge about the construction and operating principles of the devices. All acquired skills are assessed on the basis of a forklift exam – conducted in two stages:
● practical part – where you must demonstrate the ability to drive the vehicle, perform maneuvers with it, lift loads, or avoid obstacles,
● and theoretical part – during which questions are asked regarding regulations concerning industrial trucks, OHS rules, or specifically the construction of given vehicles.
Passing both stages of the exam results in the granting of temporary forklift licenses.
Handling loads outside buildings
Can a high-lift forklift work outdoors? Theoretically, there are no contraindications to this, as long as:
● the truck moves on a flat, paved surface,
● weather conditions are not burdensome,
● the weight of the loads is adapted to the maximum load capacity value, so that the device is not overloaded.
High-lift forklifts will easily cope, for example, with picking orders from trailers and transporting them to destination points (provided, of course, that there are no thresholds in the warehouse). It should be remembered that these vehicles are equipped with small wheels, which will not cope with obstacles.
Ultimately, every reach truck is intended primarily for the warehouse and for work with vertical placement of loads on racks.
Summary
In the article above, we answered the most frequently asked questions about the high-lift forklift, which belongs to the category of material handling equipment. Supervision over both the technical condition and periodic inspections of these devices, as well as ensuring that only trained operators receive licenses, lies with the Office of Technical Inspection. This is similar to the case of other devices in this category, such as: internal combustion forklifts, rough terrain trucks, or even electric pallet trucks.