Forklifts are the workhorses and the lifeblood of many businesses. They take on a heavy burden and keep operations humming along. Such specialised important pieces of equipment bring with them their own unique operational needs and requirements.
A forklift typically weighs approximately 9 tonnes, which is about the weight of 3 cars combined, and exerts over 9,000 pounds of pressure on a factory floor, as they undertake their important work. If your factory floor is not maintained properly, such continuous pressure can lead to safety hazards and significant financial costs.
Here at Forkserve, we’ve been in the forklift industry for the last 40 years. We know all the ins and outs of forklift operation and maintenance. During this time we’ve built valuable industry-wide partnerships that have provided significant benefits.
With the help of our partners David Prout, owner of Diverse Floor Restorations, we’ve put together this blog to go through just how important it is to ensure your factory floor is maintained in a good condition, and how it can extend the useful life of your all-important forklift.
Prevent Vehicle Breakdowns
Forklifts are a vital piece of equipment in your warehouse and form the lifeblood of your operations. Anything that comprises their efficient operation can have a detrimental impact on your business.
Forklifts are heavy pieces of equipment and the typical cushion-tyred models are not designed for use on rough surfaces. If your concrete flooring is in bad condition, tyres can become susceptible to puncture and any swerving to avoid damaged areas also places further strain on mechanical components. Not only does this risk the safety of the forklift operator, but it can cause damage to various parts of the vehicle.
By ensuring your flooring is providing a safe even surface, you can prevent future vehicle problems and the need for otherwise avoidable expensive repairs.
Ensure Employee Safety
Neglected flooring represents a major safety hazard. Any cracks, potholes or uneven surfaces can result in employees tripping over, and further injury and damage to both operators and machinery such as forklifts.
Worse still, not repairing defective flooring runs the risk of possible litigation and compensation claims, where your business could be held legally and financially responsible for paying for damages.
Proper floor repair and restoration will help to ensure safe working conditions in your warehouse, and keep your workers safe and protected.
Limit Future Damage
If not handled properly, what can start off as a small manageable problem can quickly develop into a major costly outlay, notwithstanding the downtime it can cause to your business operations.
Although concrete is strong and durable, over time it can weaken and small cracks can develop.
If left unattended even a small crack can create the conditions for water to flow into concrete, making it softer, and susceptible to additional damage by forklift and foot traffic. It’s imperative that you address such cracks early on in order to mitigate any future costs and disruption to your business operations due to the ongoing potential of damage caused to your forklifts.
Identify Possible Underlying Problems
Small cracks and other problems can often be a sign of much larger issues. There could be shrinkage cracks, problems with control and expansion joints, or symptoms of stress due to overloading.
One of the major benefits of undertaking early and preventive floor repair is the ability to identify and fix any underlying problems which could lead to structural issues in your building.
Before such problems even have the chance to develop, proper floor repair can rectify an issue and prevent further damage in the future.
Safeguard Your Productivity
If you run a busy warehouse, the condition of your flooring can have a profound impact on your daily workflow. The presence of cracks or uneven concrete can damage the tyres of forklifts and compromise employee safety, leading to this important piece of machinery being out of commission for repairs.
Since forklifts carry heavy loads and form an integral part of the everyday running of your business, the longer they’re out of operation, the greater the impact on productivity and your overall bottom line. Making sure your flooring is in a good state helps to ensure safe operations, and minimise the risk of damage to your forklifts thereby helping to safeguard your overall business productivity.
Save on Costs
When running an efficient warehouse it pays to be cost conscious. Any unnecessary expenses or costs that can be avoided represent a great saving where funds can be used for better purposes.
Maintaining flooring in a good condition is a great safeguard from future potential liabilities. In this way, any small problems can be quickly identified and rectified, saving the incurrence of unnecessary costly repairs.
Another benefit of proper floor maintenance is the savings you can achieve in your power bills.
You might not be aware, but any cracks or breaks that are present in your concrete floors, make your work environment more susceptible to the elements by allowing air to flow freely out of your building. If such faults are present, this will lead to increased costs in heating and cooling, and as such need to be rectified to avoid unnecessary increases in your utility bills.
If you’re responsible for the running of a warehouse, you know just how important it is to maintain a safe environment and keep things operating efficiently. Floors are particularly susceptible to wear from machinery and heavy traffic and need to be regularly maintained.
Ensuring your flooring provides a safe even surface will go a long way to preventing forklift damage and breakdowns and ensuring employee safety. With the right attention to detail and regular maintenance, any potential damage can be minimised and any possible underlying issues can be mitigated.
Finally, maintaining your flooring in great condition will safeguard your productivity, reduce expenditure on otherwise avoidable costs, and have an overall beneficial impact on your business’s bottom line.
We hope this blog has been informative and will be useful to apply in your warehouse. Should you have any further questions on floor maintenance or all things forklift related, don’t hesitate to contact the experts here at Forkserve. We provide customised forklift solutions to fit your unique operational requirements and offer comprehensive service and maintenance programs.
For any of your forklift needs, why not contact us today?