Guidelines for Safety Inspection of Electric Forklifts Before Use

1、 Battery system inspection

1. Confirmation of battery level

Instrument display: Before starting, check the battery level indicator on the dashboard to ensure that the battery level is ≥ 30% (lead-acid battery) or ≥ 20% (lithium battery), and avoid operating with low power.

Charging status: If the battery level is below the safety threshold, it needs to be charged before use (lead-acid batteries need to be charged on the same day, lithium batteries can be charged as needed).

2. Physical inspection

Electrolyte level (for lead-acid batteries):

Open the battery compartment cover and check if the electrolyte level in each cell is above the injection valve indicator line.

Add distilled water or deionized water when the liquid level is insufficient, and do not add tap water or sulfuric acid solution.

Battery surface:

Clean the dust or acid residue on the surface of the battery to prevent short circuits or corrosion.

Check the battery casing for cracks, deformation, or leakage.

Connecting line:

Confirm that the positive and negative connection wires are securely fastened without any looseness, oxidation, or burn marks.

Apply Vaseline to the wiring terminals to prevent oxidation (once a month).

3. Adaptation to low temperature environments (winter or cold storage operations)

Lead acid batteries: fully charged in advance, avoid deep discharge during operation (pause use when there is 40% remaining power).

Lithium battery: Confirm that the heating function of the battery pack is normal (some models are equipped with a self heating system), ensuring normal operation above -10 ℃.

2、 Electrical system inspection

1. Instruments and signals

Start test: Insert the key to start and observe if the dashboard self-test is normal, with no fault codes or warning lights flashing.

Lighting and Sound:

Test the functions of turn signals, headlights, reverse lights, and brake lights.

Check if the reverse buzzer and horn sound clearly.

2. Controller and Circuit

Controller status: Check if the controller box is well sealed and free of water ingress or dust accumulation.

Line insulation: visually inspect the main cable and motor harness for damage or aging, and use an insulation tester to test the insulation of the line (once every quarter).

3. Motor and fan

Motor operation: Start the motor without load and listen for any abnormal noise (such as bearing friction or electromagnetic whistling).

Cooling fan: Confirm that the fan blades are not deformed or damaged, and there is no jamming during rotation.

3、 Mechanical component inspection

1. Braking system

Brake pedal: Step on the brake pedal and feel if the travel is smooth, without any jamming or softness.

Brake pad thickness: visually inspect the wear of the brake pads, and replace them if the thickness is less than 5mm (check every 500 hours).

Hand brake function: Pull up the hand brake to confirm that the vehicle cannot move. When starting on a slope, the hand brake needs to be used in conjunction.

2. Steering system

Steering flexibility: Turn in place and feel whether the steering is light and smooth without any lag, with a steering wheel free travel of ≤ 10 °.

Steering rod: Check whether the steering rod and ball joint connection are loose, without leakage or cracks.

3. Tires and wheel hubs

Tire pressure (inflatable tires):

The front wheel pressure is 6-8 bar, and the rear wheel pressure is 4-6 bar. Use a pressure gauge to check and adjust.

Solid tires: Check the surface for cuts, delamination, or deformation.

Wheel hub bolts: Tighten the wheel hub bolts using a torque wrench to the standard torque (such as 200-250Nm for M16 bolts).

4. Forks and door frames

Fork status:

Check the fork for cracks, deformation, or wear (replace the fork if its thickness is ≤ 90% of the original thickness).

The horizontal deviation of the fork is ≤ 1%, and there is no jamming phenomenon when inserting the pallet.

Door frame system:

Operate the lifting handle to confirm that the door frame is lifting smoothly without any abnormal noise or shaking.

Check the tension of the chain, zip the middle section of the zipper with your hand, and ensure that the sag is ≤ 20mm (adjust every 500 hours).

Visually inspect the gap between the door frame guide rail and roller. If the gap is greater than 2mm, adjust or replace the components.

4、 Hydraulic system inspection

1. Hydraulic oil status

Oil level check: Open the hydraulic oil tank cap, and the oil level should be between the upper and lower limits of the dipstick. If it is insufficient, add hydraulic oil of the same model.

Oil cleanliness: Take a sample of hydraulic oil, visually check for impurities or emulsification, and use an oil filter if necessary (replace every 1000 hours).

2. Hydraulic pump and valve

Pump operation test: After starting, operate the lifting handle to confirm that the hydraulic pump has no abnormal noise and the pressure gauge displays stable (usually 16.5MPa).

Control valve function: Test tilt, lateral movement and other functions to confirm precise action without jamming or oil leakage.

3. Pipelines and fittings

Leakage inspection: visually inspect the hydraulic pipelines and joints for oil leakage or stains, tighten loose joints or replace seals.

Pipeline fixation: Check whether the pipeline is rubbing against the vehicle body or other components, and adjust the position of the fixing clip if necessary.

5、 Safety device inspection

1. Safety belts and guardrails

Seat belt function: fasten the seat belt, confirm that the buckle is secure, and there is no damage or aging phenomenon.

Integrity of guardrails: Check for any deformation or looseness in the driver's cab guardrails or door frame guardrails to ensure effective protection.

2. Emergency power-off device

E-Stop button: Press the emergency power-off button to confirm that the vehicle is immediately powered off, all actions stop, and the function is restored after resetting.

3. Speed limit and warning devices

Speed limit valve function (some models): Test whether the speed limit valve is effective to ensure that the maximum speed does not exceed the set value (such as 5km/h).

Overload protection: Simulate overload situations (such as placing goods that exceed the rated load), confirm system alarms, and limit actions.

6、 Environment and homework preparation

1. Inspection of homework area

Ground condition: Confirm that the ground is free of oil stains, accumulated water, debris, or potholes, and that the bearing capacity meets the forklift tonnage requirements (such as concrete ground ≥ 15MPa).

Channel width: Measure whether the channel width meets the requirements of the vehicle model (such as ≥ 2.5 meters for balanced forklifts and ≥ 2 meters for forward moving forklifts).

Obstacle cleaning: Remove debris from the passage and ensure that there are no hanging objects or low pipelines in the forklift lifting area.

2. Preparation of goods and pallets

Tray quality: Check for any damage, exposed nails, or mold on the tray to ensure it can stably carry the goods.

Goods fixation: The center of gravity of the goods is centered and fixed using wrapping film, straps, or corner posts, with a height not exceeding the shelf.

3. Personnel and Communication

Operation qualification: Confirm that the driver holds a valid special equipment operation certificate and is familiar with the vehicle operation manual.

Communication equipment: In complex work environments such as multi story warehouses, equipped with walkie talkies or signal flags for command and coordination.

7、 Final confirmation before startup

1. Trial operation test

Empty driving: Drive at low speed (≤ 3km/h) for a distance to test the steering, braking, and lighting functions.

Lift test: empty load lift fork, confirm that the door frame has no shaking or abnormal noise, and the hydraulic system pressure is stable.

2. Record and sign

Inspection Record: Fill out the "Daily Safety Inspection Form for Electric Forklifts", recording the inspection time, items, results, and operator signature.

Exception handling: If a fault is found, immediately stop using the equipment, hang a "fault" sign, contact maintenance personnel for handling, and record maintenance details.

The main equipment produced by Hebei Makita: stage electric hoist, electric chian hoist, wire rope electric hoist，Hand chain hoist, lever hoist, pneumatic hoist and other lifting equipment