There are two standard types of forklifts, those which run on gas and units which run on electricity:
Internal Combustion Lift trucks: The Internal Combustion forklift would run on fuels like liquid propane, gas, compressed natural gas or CNG or diesel. Gas powered units are best suited for outdoor use as they release gases and pollutants that are harmful to employees and pedestrians. Gas units are also suitable for use in bad weather conditions and in the rain. These units could carry weights approximately 15,000 to 35,000 pounds. Due to the fuel costs and maintenance, models which run on gas are a lot more expensive to use compared to units that run on electricity, although, they cost much less up front than the electric units. The liquid propane units are the right choice to be utilized inside.
Electric Forklifts: Electric forklifts take batteries that require regular charging. As these models do not burn any fuel, there are no emissions polluting the air with these vehicles. They are the right option for warehouses and indoor use. Moreover, forklifts that run on electricity are much quieter to run than other models and they do not require any fuel storage units. One of the disadvantages of electric powered units is that they are unable to lift cargo more than 15,000 pounds and hence, have a slower acceleration compared to gasoline powered units.
Lift trucks are specifically designed to easily and quickly transport heavy cargo with ease. As the case with most kinds of machinery, unfortunately, forklift accidents do happen on a regular basis. There are some safety regulations that should be followed to be able to keep everyone safe. The most essential issue is recruiting a trained operator, who would be able to show you a valid forklift license.
There are numerous different types of forklifts offered on the market. Deciding which one is right for your particular needs would be based on the kinds of loads that you have to transport, what kind of environment your machinery will need to operate in, like for example, outdoors or indoors or both. When you understand your specific requirements, it would be easy to match up to the right type of forklift. When you know your needs exactly you could make a correct decision.
Leasing is one more good way to check out various units if you want to check out different features and see what kind of choices are available. This is a cheaper way to know if the machinery you have chosen could keep up with you on the job location.