Reach trucks are forklifts that are utilized in applications with tight aisles, such as warehouses. They have two exterior legs that help disperse the load, as well as a single set of wheels in the back. The wheels are positioned beneath the operator, resulting in a tighter turn radius. This helps operators to maneuver through tighter locations while yet reaching higher racks.
When your warehouse grows crowded, making your aisles taller and narrower is an excellent approach to create extra space, but it can also make navigation and material handling harder. The Toyota Reach Truck is an excellent addition to any warehouse fleet since it allows operators to effortlessly navigate short corridors and reach substantial heights while retaining lifting capability.
The operating requirements and stability considerations for reach truck training are largely the same as for counterbalanced equipment, with some notable exceptions such as fork height. The regulations for using the handbrake and keeping an eye on everything are the same as for a counterbalance forklift truck.
Here are the steps to use a reach truck:
1. Bring the mast/forks to the level position:
Reach trucks often have less forward and back tilt than counterbalanced trucks. At this point, the weight should be roughly level, with no forward tilt applied. If tilt is used, a tall load may be impossible to stack in tight racking.
2. Lift the load to the correct height:
The load should now be raised to the proper height, keeping an eye out for overhanging obstacles.
3. Drive the forklift forwards towards the stack:
The truck should be driven to the stack with the load fitting on the racking and the reach truck legs stopping just short of the racking or bottom load. Once in place, the handbrake should be reapplied.
Reach out with the mast to precisely position the load on the racking.
Lower the load onto the racking with care, making sure the forks are clear and level.
Retract the mast completely. Reach trucks should not be driven with the mast extended, especially while heavy, because the truck will behave like a counterbalance truck and will turn over forwards.
4. Reverse away from the stack:
After ensuring that the forks are free in the load, take a close look behind you. Reverse out, with occasional glances at the load and forks, in the direction of travel. Apply the handbrake when the forks are around 15cm (6ins) away from the stack.
5. Lower forks to the travelling position:
Lower the forks to around 10cm (4ins) off the ground and apply rear tilt for travel. Before driving away, take another look around.
Stacking exercises, like counterbalanced forklifts, should be practiced at various heights before basic training is considered complete. Reach trucks are primarily used in warehouses and are not designed for outdoor use. They're designed to be low, with minimal under-carriage clearance, which can present issues when used on uneven surfaces like those found outside.
Another reason to keep them for indoor usage is that an uneven surface can produce hits on the machinery, which, if repeated, can damage the electrical systems within and lead to costly repairs.
Reach trucks are required to access the higher shelf in warehouses that use selective pallet racking for storage, which is one pallet deep with a maximum of two racks put back-to-back and is the most typical form of warehouse racking. When using selective racking, reducing aisle width can dramatically enhance storage capacity, which can be as little as 35% or as much as 75% depending on the forklift reach truck used.
Reach truck training courses are also available online. book your course today on how to operate a Reach Truck.
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