AN OWNER'S GUIDE TO MAINTAINING, SERVICE AND REDUCE THE OPERATING COST OF A FORKLIFT FLEET.
ONE WITH THE MACHINE
Can you imagine buying a car without adjustable seats, adjustable mirrors,
adjustable steering wheels and other similar features? Probably not.
In fact, you probably don't even think of these as features, because automakers have been on top of ergonomics
and comfort for years, making these items standard for cars.
In recent years, forklift manufacturers have started to catch on to what the automakers have known all this time--that
creature comforts make happy operators. These days, as on the car lot, you'd be hard-pressed to find a powered
industrial truck without ergonomic features. Ergonomics just make good sense, truck manufacturers say.
"Spending six to eight hours on a forklift can be very punishing," says Jim Kauppi, merchandising manager,
internal combustion, at Clark Material Handling, Lexington, KY. "If the truck isn't set up acceptably to the
operator, the company isn't going to buy the truck."
It's not just about comfort, either: Ergonomics in design is also an issue of productivity.
"Most large DCs today have empowered their employees with maintaining productivity levels," says Mike
Adams, warehouse regional sales manager at Hyster Co., Greenville, NC. "So, the equipment must be as comfortable
and safe as possible--the operators are part of the evaluation process."
Kerry McCullough, marketing communications specialist at Schaef Inc., Sioux City, IA, agrees.
"Customers recognize that the healthier, happier and more comfortable their operators are, the more productive
they'll be," she says. "Ergonomics are a big hot button with our customers."
Mike Gallagher, director, design center, for truckmaker Crown in New Bremen, OH, says that ergonomically smart
trucks can cut a company's costs in more than one way.
"Statistically, good ergonomics lead to fewer worker's comp claims," he says.
Stan Simpson, chair of the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) technical advisory group for forklift-related
ISO standards, says that ergonomic features have advanced along with technology and knowledge.
"We're smarter than we were years ago when it comes to design," says Simpson, who is also president of
Simpson Machine Corp., San Antonio, TX. "We have more technology and more information about the human as he
interfaces with products."
That knowledge, coupled with customer demand, has added up to industrial trucks decked out in the latest and greatest
that ergonomics has to offer. From top to bottom, the manufacturers haven't missed a trick.
Follow along for a point-to-point tour of today's ergonomically friendly lift trucks.
Seats
Much like a car seat, the seat on a forklift is one of the most crucial points for comfort, the manufacturers say.
Brett Wood, production planning and research manager for Toyota Industrial Equipment, Torrance, CA, says: "If
the operator can sit comfortably, he can focus on the task at hand."
Toyota has put its belief on the truest bottom line of all by designing a new semisuspension adjustable seat. The
seat features four-way adjustable support--forward; aft; at a back-tilt angle for lumbar support; and for differences
in user weights.
Most of the manufacturers have built some type of adjustability or cushioning into their seat designs.
Raymond Corp., Greene, NY, for example, has a hydraulic-mounted seat that cushions against changes in force or
gravity. Crown includes an adjustable seat that also offers adjustable arm rests. The latest seats from Hyster
feature semisuspension, extra padding, arm rests and full adjustability.
Simpson says that manufacturers continue to study seat design, but adds that seat comfort alone doesn't make a
truck ergonomically friendly. He explains that there was a time when the focus on ergonomics and comfort centered
on seats.
"Sometime after that, we realized that ergonomics involve an entire system," Simpson explains. "You
can't take some components and make them ergonomic without the others."
Controls
Another area of design that the manufacturers are paying attention to is truck controls. Manufacturers recognize
that handles, display panels, and foot pedals and brakes play big parts in how comfortable a truck will be to use.
"The trend for the future is a wide variety of handles," Wood says. "You want controls that can
enhance operability and help avoid repetitive motion."
To do that, many manufacturers have designed handles that can reduce driver fatigue. This usually means that the
handle is easy to reach and easy to maneuver back and front as needed. Many trucks include multiple functions built
into the handle. Raymond designed the first single-axis control handle, a feature many other manufacturers have
incorporated.
"It's almost like a joy stick in a fighter plane," explains Tim Gilbert, marketing communications manager
for Raymond. "You can move your arm forward or back with small movements to move the truck forward and back,
keeping it almost in the at-rest position on the handle."
Hyster's version of the single-axis control can be found in its narrow-aisle trucks. The single-axis control allows
fingertip command of traction, the lift and lower function, and one auxiliary function.
Coordinating with the handle is Raymond's intellidrive control system. The system simultaneously relays real-time
data like weight on forks, travel speed, fork position and maintenance reminders to a display panel for the user.
Clark makes its controls user-friendly by offering buyers a choice on the control location.
"You can have the classic choice, in front of the right arm, or up in the front of the truck," Kauppi
says. "The idea is to require less reaching and, therefore, less strain."
Pedals and brakes are other controls manufacturers are focusing on. For instance, Hyster's MONOTROL pedal offers
one-touch control, freeing operators' hands for steering and working levers. Mitsubishi has installed low-effort,
vacuum-boosted brakes, which require less operator effort to work.
Manufacturers have also changed steering wheels to make them more comfortable to reach and hold, and easier to
use. Clark has installed a tilt steering wheel that has 38 degrees of travel. Mitsubishi's steering column can
also be tilted, and has a small diameter for easier control.
Cab design
Larger cabs, padded floor mats, improved visibility and heating systems for trucks used in freezer or cooler space
have all been added to make the operator more comfortable.
While ingress and egress may not come to mind immediately when talking about cab comfort, the manufacturers have
made efforts to make it as easy as possible. Crown sought a design that would require less operator bending to
get in and out of the truck.
"Our reach-truck seat has an adjustable perch, so it can adjust to the task," Crown's Gallagher says.
"So, if you're doing replenishment where you need to get on and off quickly, you can adjust the seat to let
you do that comfortably and efficiently."
Toyota has also made ingress and egress easier. The company's designers added a low, open step covered with a nonslip
material to cut down on accidents. An assist grip on both sides of the entryway also makes getting into and out
of the truck cab easier.
Visibility has been taken into consideration, too, with designs aiming to reduce the amount of operator movement
required to see clearly from the cab. Schaef, for example, offers forward and side stance in its standing trucks.
"We don't want the operator straining to see," McCullough says. "With the forward- and side-stance
options, operators can look with less twisting of their neck and back."
Foot space, leg room, and padding are other creature comforts found on today's trucks. Toyota has moved cables
and the mast-tilt cylinders below the floor boards so that they don't interfere with leg and foot room, for instance.
In many trucks, padding can be found in floor mats and on so-called lean points--where the operator leans while
using the truck--in standing trucks to enhance driver comfort.
Run of the mill
While the ergonomic improvements in today's forklifts are many, most companies have managed to make the features
standard, and available at no extra charge. In a few cases, however, some features are considered optional and
cost extra.
"Ergonomics was a buzzword 10 to 15 years ago--it was thought of as art," Simpson says. "Today,
we've replaced art with science, and the industry will benefit along with customers."
Legal ergonomics
The industrial-truck industry may be ahead of the game when it comes to ergonomics--for now.
There are no laws dictating that employers be ergonomically friendly, but if the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) had its way, an ergonomics standard would have been law years ago to enhance comfort and
safety.
For several years now, OSHA has been battling Congress to put through an ergonomics law that would require the
industrial-truck industry to be ergonomically compliant to help prevent repetitive-use injuries, such as neck-
and back-strain injuries. It seems that each time OSHA gets close to making that happen, Congress shoots OSHA's
effort down.
During 1998, for instance, Congress flat out prohibited the agency from publishing a standard and required the
agency to provide an extensive list of proof that an ergonomics standard is needed. The prohibition of the law
is mostly due to Republicans who don't want more regulations and think this would cost employers too much. A requirement
Congress imposed is that OSHA continue discussing the issue with stakeholders and advisory committees; that's what
the agency is doing.
The future of the proposed ergonomics standard is uncertain, but don't expect OSHA to give up without a fight--though
the same can be said for Congress. Expect the issue to come up again when the new Congress returns to business.
Top factors influencing forklift buys
Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America recently conducted a telephone survey of 300 people who buy or specify
for purchase the types of material-handling equipment used by their companies. The respondents ranked criteria
on a scale of one to 10, with 10 the most important.
Here are the results.
Factors critical in decision-making.
1. Lift truck is highly reliable and durable 9.7*
2. Dealers have parts available when needed 9.3
3. Dealer responds promptly to service needs 9.2
4. Lift truck is easy to maintain and service 8.9
5. Lift truck is easy to operate 8.8
6. Manufacturer offers excellent warranties/guarantees 8.8
7. Manufacturer offers the most value for initial price 8.5
8. Manufacturer has a good reputation 8.3
9. Lift truck offers excellent cost of ownership 8.2
10. Dealer delivers promptly 7.3
11. Manufacturer offers lowest initial purchase price 7.2
12. Dealer has rental trucks available 6.8
13. Dealer has convenient locations 6.8
14. Manufacturer offers complete product line 6.5
15. Dealer provides application analysis 6.1
16. Manufacturer offers fleet management services 6.1
17. Manufacturer offers financing options 4.7
* Indicates mean rating of each decision-critical factor on a scale of one to 10, with 10 the most important. These
decision-critical factors corroborate a similar survey conducted in 1994
Source: Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks
Resources:
Here's a list of sources mentioned in this article and contact information.
American National
Standards Institute (ANSI)
(212) 642-4900
www.ansi.org
Clark
(606) 288-1574
www.clarkmhc.com
Crown
(419) 629-2220
Hyster
(252) 931-5666
www.hyster.co.uk
Mitsubishi
(713) 365-1000
www.mit-lift.com
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
(202) 693-1999
www.osha.gov
Raymond
(607) 656-2415
www.raymondcorp.com
Schaef
(712) 944-5111
www.schaeff.com/inc
Simpson Machine Corp.
(210) 599-6541
Toyota
(800) 226-0009
www.toyotaforklift.com
From the Jan/Feb issue of Warehousing Management
By Amanda Loudin, Contributing Editor
FORKLIFT
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