Every company wants to run at full efficiency. One minute of unexpected downtime costs big money.

In fact, 81% of companies surveyed said 60 minutes of unplanned downtime costs them more than $300,000.

However, it’s more than a loss of productivity and money. When your equipment fails, the safety of your employees is at risk.

Regularly scheduled maintenance will help reduce equipment issues and keep your workforce safer. You may be wondering, “How?”

In this guide, we’re going over five maintenance tips to help you maintain forklift safety.

Why Forklift Safety Matters

More than one million forklifts are operating in the United States. They’re found in warehouses, grocery stores, big-box retailers — the list goes on and on.

Since they’re one of the most common pieces of machinery in many American industries, it makes sense they break down often. But operators are often injured as well.

The most common injuries are:

• Neck and back pain
• Whiplash
• Injuries to muscles, tendons, nerves

In some cases, these injuries are the result of sitting too long or not having the proper posture. You need to train your employees on proper safety and operating techniques to avoid these injuries.

However, some of these are due to faulty equipment. Moreover, these issues are avoidable.

Take a look at five maintenance steps you can put in place to reduce downtime and increase safety.

1. Inspect the Machine Before Each Shift

Inspecting every forklift before an operator turns it on isn’t just a quick preventative maintenance measure, it’s an OSHA requirement.

It’s pretty simple, but it starts with employee training.

Your operators need to know how to check brakes, steering controls, and warning devices. They also need to know to look under the carriage for leaks and check the machine’s fluid levels. The seatbelt function and overhead guards should also get inspected.

Identifying a problem beforehand will allow you to call for repairs without putting the employee’s safety at risk.

2. Follow Your Forklift Maintenance Schedule

Your forklifts are a necessity for your business to run. But, they get used so often, it may seem like you can’t afford to have them down for maintenance.

What you can’t afford is to have a faulty forklift lead to injury.

Remember, your company loses thousands of dollars during unplanned downtime. However, if you schedule the maintenance in advance, you can make adjustments to the day’s workflow.

Oil and changes, battery maintenance, spark plug replacement — all of these need to get done on schedule. Check your manual or call the manufacturer for the recommended timeframes.

3. Check the Tires

The tires should be a part of the daily inspection routine. When tires wear out, steering and braking can be affected.

Forklift tires are essential for its operation, so make sure they’re at the proper pressure, and the tread isn’t worn. OSHA provides a detailed checklist that also requires tires low on the tread or missing rubber get sidelines until they’re fixed.

4. Clean Your Forklifts Once a Week

Cleaning your forklifts are essential to them running right. A clean machine also reduces safety issues.

Your forklift takes on many contaminants on a weekly basis. Lint, dirt, dust, sawdust, plastic shavings — all these get caught in your filters, radiators, and even the motor.

Every week, the mechanical parts should get blown out and wiped down. It’s not a glamorous job, but it prevents breakdowns and injuries caused by a malfunction.

5. Handle All Issues ASAP

It would be best if you instructed employees to come to you or their supervisor with any suspected issues.

If something doesn’t seem right like a warning light is on, or there’s corrosion around the battery terminal, you need to handle it at once.

Don’t Put You or Your Employees at Risk

The number one way to ensure forklift safety is proper training. Train your employees on how to operate the machine. They must also have instruction on how to inspect the forklift.

Second, consider a maintenance contract with a reputable industrial repair company. For more than 40 years, Kor-Pak has serviced heavy equipment for many industries.

Contact us today for any questions about parts or service.

On average, nearly 6,000 American workers die as a result of on the job accidents each year. Over 35 percent of these deaths are caused by slip and fall accidents.

For businesses that have a large loading dock, keeping this area safe is a bit easier said than done. Failing to focus on loading dock safety can lead to disasters.

Often, business owners fail to realize just how dangerous this area can be until it is too late. Working with professionals who are familiar with loading dock safety is a great way to get advice on how to eliminate the dangers in this area.

Read below to find out more about how to make the loading dock at your business safer.

1. Keep an Eye Out For Common Loading Dock Safety Hazards

The first thing you and your employees need to do when trying to make your loading dock safer is to keep your eyes peeled for hazards. These hazards come in some different forms, which is why educating yourself on proper loading dock safety is a must.

If you have things like wet or oily floors or unsecured dock plates, it is only a matter of time before disaster strikes. By routinely inspecting your loading dock, you should be able to find hazards and address them quickly.

2. Maintaining Loading Dock Equipment

Most loading docks feature heavy machinery in one form or another. Things like overhead cranes are quite common in these areas. While these machines can reduce the strain put on your workers, they can be dangerous if they are not adequately maintained.

Machinery that is not inspected and maintained on a regular basis can pose a lot of danger. Instead of letting these machines fall into a state of disrepair, you need to work with professionals. A heavy machinery mechanic can work to ensure this equipment runs safely and correctly.

3. Take Precautions to Prevent Falls

There are some things you and your team can do to reduce the chance of slip and fall accidents on your loading dock. Posting signs that inform employees about the dangers of running in this area is a good idea.

You will also need to mark the edges of the loading dock. Using bright colors to show workers where the edge is can prevent accidents from occurring.

4. Working Safely Around Trucks and Trailers

Workers also face lots of hazards when trucks and trailers are put into the loading dock. The first thing your team needs to do before loading these trucks and trailers is to ensure the wheels are chocked. Failing to do this can lead to the truck rolling forward or backward.

Be sure to get truck drivers to turn off the engine to their rig while it’s being loaded. Doing this will help to reduce the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Need Overhead Crane Maintenance or Repair?

Taking loading dock safety seriously will serve you and your team well. Working with seasoned professionals is a great way to fix problems with your loading dock and the equipment in this area.

Are you in need of overhead crane maintenance or repair? If so, contact us now to find out more about the services we offer.

Over 5 million workers are injured on the job each year in the United States. For most business owners, finding a way to keep their employees safe is a must.

If your business deals in the loading and unloading of trucks, keeping workers safe can be more challenging. Most loading docks will feature equipment like dock levelers.

With these load dock leveler systems, workers can load and unload large trucks with ease. However, failing to maintain this vital piece of equipment properly can lead to big problems in the future.

Are you interested in creating a dock leveler maintenance plan? If so, check out the helpful tips below.

Properly Lubricating Dock Levelers is a Must

The main thing you will have to do to keep dock levelers functional is to lubricate them on a regular basis. The parts of a dock leveler are always in motion. This means you need a great deal of lubrication to keep these parts functional.

Inspecting your dock leveler will help you discover an orange spot of rust that may exist. As soon as you notice this, you need to lubricate these areas. Lubricating will not only make the leveler operate better, but it will also help to extend its lifespan as well.

Work on Keeping the Dock Leveler Clean

Typically, dock levelers are in high-traffic areas. In most cases, high-traffic areas have large amounts of various debris and waste.

If any of the parts of a dock leveler are covered by debris or garbage, it will prohibit them from working correctly. This is why you need to work with your employees to create a dock cleaning schedule.

By instituting a comprehensive plan, you can rest assured your dock, and the levelers on it will remain clean. Involving your employees in the dock leveler maintenance process is the only way to ensure it is successful.

Test Your Dock Levelers Regularly

Some business owners only look at their dock leveler when it is being used by employees. One of the best ways to honestly assess this machine’s functionality is when there are no distractions.

Taking the time to inspect and test a dock leveler can help you find repair issues before they cause too much damage. If you are unsure about what to look for during this testing, be sure to consult with professionals for help.

Check Fluids in Hydraulic Dock Levelers

If you have a hydraulic dock leveler, it is imperative to check the fluid levels in it on a regular basis. Allowing the hydraulic fluid level to get too low can lead to the dock leveler malfunctioning.

If you notice that the fluid levels are consistently low, chances are you have a leak that needs fixing. Allowing dock leveler repair professionals to diagnose and fix this leak can help to minimize the damage done to this equipment.

In Need of Professional Help?

Trying to repair and maintain dock levelers without professional assistance can create problems. The last thing you want is to damage this equipment due to a lack of experience.

Are you in need of professional heavy equipment repair? If so, contact us now to find out more about the repair services we offer.

Dock work is crucial to the ebb and flow of transported goods, and in turn, to the economy. The safety and smooth processing of dock work is also a must if you want to remain in business.

Dock workers are at risk for workplace injuries, but you don’t want faulty equipment to retract from the safety of your workers. Notifying dock workers during safety talks is just the beginning of keeping workers safe.

Your workers do their part to stay safe every day, now it’s time to do your part by making sure you have all the necessary equipment to run a successful and safe dock working environment. Read our ultimate dock equipment checklist to make sure your docks are operating sufficiently and safely!

1. Dock Levelers

Dock levelers operate mechanically, hydraulically or electrically. The facility where you operate will provide clues on which option may be best for your company.

You can raise dock levelers or lower them to accommodate for varying heights of trailers unloading at the dock. Once you engage the dock levelers, a dock plate will also be useful in providing a bridge between the trailer and the building.

2. Dock Bumper

Dock bumpers protect the surface of the dock from trailers lowering onto the dock. Made out of rubber, they can absorb the impact between the trailer and the dock.

Bumpers protect your building, the trucks, and the incoming trailers from damage. Corner protectors and wall protectors can also be useful in maintaining the condition of your building from trailer impact.

3. Dock Barricades

Dock barricades prevent workers from falling and provide a visual stopping point for forklift drivers and workers near the loading dock when a trailer is not present.

Dock barricades can be manual or powered electrically/mechanically depending on what works best for your company and your workers. Dock rails, handrails, and guards can also be useful in preventing falls and letting workers know where danger zones are located.

4. Dock Lights

Proper lighting is essential to the operation of your dock. Depending on your hours of operation, workers may use the dock at night when adequate lighting is needed the most.

Dock lights are essential and help to keep workers safe. Communication lights, much like stop lights, are also a good investment. They provide smooth communication between truck drivers and dock workers.

5. Vehicle Restraint Devices

Vehicle restraint devices keep the truck unloading its trailer from rolling during the unloading process. These devices also protect against human error on the truck driver’s behalf who believes the job is done prematurely.

Wheel Chocks are commonly used to prevent trucks from rolling. These are block wedges which are placed under the front of the rear tires to prevent rolling.

ICC bar restraint systems are also increasing in popularity. These systems engage a trailers rear impact guard and secure it from rolling away. It’s best to have on hand a variety of restraint devices in case of varying weather patterns and poor condition of trailer trucks entering your loading dock.

6. Screen and Curtain Doors

Screen and curtain doors protect your building and your workers from bad weather. Screens and doors provide a barrier from outside elements and assist in preventing slips and falls. They also allow your workers to be in a more secure and climate controlled environment making it easier to unload.

Ready to Upgrade Your Dock Equipment?

Contact us today to receive a quote on your dock equipment needs. We specialize in crane equipment, industrial brakes and clutches, and gearbox and transmission products.

Visit our blog for more about industrial equipment and safety tips available to your industry.

Whether you realize it or not, ball bearings are involved in many aspects of your life. They are in any machine with moving parts, as well as your car and your bike.

Cave drawings show that at the very beginning of civilization, people discovered that it was easier to move cumbersome things by placing them on top of a rolling log. Voila! Here you have the first bearing.

Although the main idea and design has not changed much, new ideas have been developed. What started as a wooden bearing, has graduated to what we have on the market today.

Which bearings offer the lowest friction? If you are choosing bearings for your machine or looking to customize an industrial application, you’ll want to know the answer to that question.

Read on as we explore the different kinds of frictionless bearings.

The Best Frictionless Bearings on the Market

Bearings were developed to help move things along with less friction. Typically, ball bearings still have some amount of friction. Because most bearings use a cage to keep the balls separate and evenly spaced, there is added friction. The remedy to this is to add grease.

What if bearings could be designed to work without the cage or metal or plastic framework? This would reduce friction without lubrication and make bearings virtually frictionless.

No-Cage Design

Coo Space, which is a Japanese engineering firm, has discovered a way to ensure that the balls stay evenly spaced without the need for the cage.

The Autonomous Decentralised Bearing (ADB) is the name of their product. It is designed with small indentations or divots.

The balls go into the divots as they roll over the track. This motion speeds up or slows down as the balls are rolling and they will never collide.

This invention makes the traditional cage design obsolete. Without the cage, the bearings have ten times less friction. Bonus: they never need lubrication because they are greaseless bearings.

These involve less energy. There will be fewer breakdowns in machines that use these new bearings.

These might just be the best bearings in the world!

Ceramic Bearings

The next best thing to the frictionless bearings mentioned above is ceramic bearings. Ceramic silicon nitride (Si2N4) is the material used to make ceramic bearings.

They are lower friction because they are rounder and smoother and more consistent in size. They are also harder making them more durable. Rust is not an issue either with ceramic bearings.

Heavy Industry Parts and Service

Bearings and other parts wear out over time. Whether you are in the market for frictionless bearings or crane wheels, we can help answer any of your questions.

Kor-Pak is committed to serving numerous industries. We are consistently focused on our customers’ needs and keep up with the changes in the industry.

Check out the information on our website and email or call us with your questions.

If you need replacement bearings for your heavy machinery it’s a good idea to pick out the best variety for your needs.

Using lower quality phenolic bearings will decrease efficiency and lower overall productivity.

They’ll also wear out faster and cause more downtime than if you put the time in to buy the best phenolic bearing.

Use this guide to learn how to choose the best bearing supplier for your operation.

Check Reviews

The first step when purchasing just about anything is to ask around for recommendations and check out reviews. You can get a pretty good picture of an organization’s product quality and overall customer relations this way.

Find out what variety of bearings they offer and see how they compare in head-to-head tests with other manufacturers. Double check how they are with delivery schedules, timetables, and how they deal with issues when they crop up.

Ask your business associates and other suppliers who they’ve used in the past and how they would rate their experience. It’s always a good idea to check out what other types of bearings a manufacturer provides. A well-rounded manufacturer with a wide range of experience in the industry will probably be able to assist you more effectively than a smaller one.

Compare Phenolic Bearing Prices and Properties

Phenolic bearings are composite bearings that use a cotton or other fiber layer bonded to phenolic resin. The best quality phenolic or nylon sleeve bearing will have extremely low thermal conductivity.

Make sure and get a firm answer on the level of thermal conductivity a manufacturer’s bearings have. Also, figure out what varieties of lubricant will work with them. This is especially important in roll stands, paper mills and construction equipment applications where heavy loads will be placed on bearings.

Don’t be afraid to shop around. One of the best ways to find the best price on phenolic and nylon bearings is to get quotes from numerous fabricators and manufacturers. This allows you to get a general feel for market prices and can help you in making counter-offers to a high-quality supplier’s offer.

Ask for Samples

If you only need two or three bearings you probably won’t have much luck getting samples to test out. If, on the other hand, you’re looking to create a continuing business relationship for a major source of supply don’t be afraid to ask for samples.

A quality manufacturer will have no problem letting you try out their products to see if they meet your long-term needs. There is a caveat here of course. If you need to get parts custom fabricated it’s unlikely you’ll be able to get a sample.

Weigh the Costs

Phenolic bearings are designed to provide expensive equipment with flawless functionality under extreme conditions. It’s not a good idea to cheap out on something that can cause a catastrophic failure in your capital machinery. Make sure you weigh the costs of high-grade bearings vs. savings.

If you’re having trouble sourcing a specific bearing, get in touch with us to get a free quote on custom machined parts.