Wednesday, October 11, 2023

4 Simple Safety Precautions around your Pallet Jack

Though relatively simple machines, pallet jacks can cause serious injury and damage to goods if not used and stored safely.

Implement these 4 points to keep everyone, and your equipment, safe:

1. Always inspect the pallet jack before use

Before operating a pallet jack, always look and ensure everything is in working order. You want to look for things such as loose prongs, unbalanced wheels, debris in wheels, or oil leaks.

You might want to ensure that your jack lifts and releases properly. If it doesn't, try to bleed it.

If your wheels are worn, or any other parts are broken or missing, make sure to call right away and get your replacement parts. We have more than 200,000 parts in stock and an order fill rate of 98%. We ship same day if you order before 6 P.M. EST. In addition, you can watch our step-by-step videos on how to do basic repairs on your pallet jack.

Though it may seem like a waste of time, it’s worth it to take the extra couple of minutes to make sure you don’t accidentally drop your pallet due to a faulty pallet jack.

2. Make sure your path is clear

The second step is to make sure that the route you will be taking to the pallet, and then with the pallet, is clear of obstacles and reasonably clean. Look for stray construction materials and electric cords, and take note of the ground surface. If the ground is too rough, find another route.

3. Keep Machine Access Restricted

You will want to make sure that only authorized personnel are able to operate. You could keep access restricted with a security code needed to use the machine, or with something as simple as a sign-in and sign-out sheet which will allow you to keep track of who is using each one. This might also prompt a check to make sure to leave the jack in good condition after using it.

4. Store Pallet Jacks in a Secure Area

This is especially important if you are working on a site that non-workers can easily access. Make sure that the pallet jacks are kept in an area that is not easily accessible by customers or civilians, and that the machines are kept out of the way so other workers can easily move around the site.

Did you know we also sell toe guards for some pallet models?