Section 1 Forklift Training Manual

FORKLIFT SAFETY TRAINING MANUAL • LESSON 1 • INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW TO FORKLIFTS

Stability Triangle Ensure the cargo is using load center as despite the weight an unevenly distributed cargo load can cause instability. The truck's center of gravity will continue to shift toward the direction of travel until the brakes stop the momentum of the truck. Hopefully, they both stop at the same time. When the forklift is at maximum capacity and as the center of gravity shifts even further toward the fulcrum, it is easy to see how a forklift can be overturned. A narrow wheel base and a high center of gravity tells the operator immediately that the forklift can be easily overturned. A forklift is NOT engineered to make fast, sharp turns. Several things happen to a forklift turning a corner.The momentum of the truck is trying to keep it moving in a straight line and the steering wheel has to counteract the force of momentum exerted on it by the floor or road surface. The lesson to be learned is very simple; slow down and turn slowly! Another reason for making slow turns has to do with the steering and the core stability points of a forklift. These points are part of what is called the “stability triangle.” Since forklifts do not have shock absorbers , engineers have made a three-point suspension system.The rear end is supported by a pivot pin in the center of the axle which allows for the up and down movement of the rear tires when going over bumps and uneven surfaces.This, combined with the two front wheels, makes up the three point system known as the stability triangle .

Understanding the stability triangle and maintaining stability prevents tip-over accidents.

Most counterbalanced forklifts have a three-point suspension system, meaning that the truck is supported at the two front wheels and the center of the steer axle. If you imagine all three points connected into a triangle, this is the forklift’s stability triangle. When the lift truck’s center of gravity falls within the perimeter of this triangle, a load is safe to carry. The Stability Triangle forms by connecting three points: the two front wheels and the center point of the rear axle. For the forklift to remain balanced, the forklift’s center of gravity must stay within the triangle.

If there is no load present, the lift truck’s center of gravity is firmly inside the triangle. Because there is no load, the center of gravity is nearly in the center of the forklift’s counterbalance. As you add weight to the forks, the center of gravity shifts closer to the front axle. Once the center of gravity reaches the front axle, it is at the edge of the stability triangle, and the load becomes unsafe to carry.

Lesson 1 • Page 13