Different loads require different types of shipments, and forklifts are no exception. Forklifts are used in many types of businesses, from manufacturing plants and lumber yards to distribution centres for major retailers and online apparel companies.
Unfortunately, forklifts – whether during transport or on-site – account for a high frequency of accident and injury, particularly in the manufacturing and construction industry, due to:
- Weight – a forklift will generally weigh 1.5 – 2 times the lifting capacity, with the average small forklift weighing 4000 kg, which is the same as two cars or the size of an average dump truck
- Proximity to pedestrians – Forklifts and people don’t mix. They pose risks to both drivers and people walking in the areas they are used in. Approximately 36% of forklift fatalities are pedestrians.
- Rear steer – Rear steer on a forklift can be a great feature for manoeuvring in dense areas, but are known to be unstable when speeds are increased. With their high danger factor, it’s imperative that only highly trained and skilled drivers operate forklifts.
Due to these reasons, determining the best way to transport a forklift can be quite a difficult process and requires special consideration.
Using a purpose-built forklift trailer
Whether you’re transporting a forklift from the showroom floor, or you regularly transport it to different work sites, a low loader for a forklift is a safer, more efficient way to transport forklifts from A to B. Using a forklift trailer give businesses the confidence to move vehicles, equipment and heavy materials from site to site with ease.
Drake Trailers is proud to have the only Australian-made, semi-trailer forklift trailer in the market place. It has been built with a low angle, specifically designed to offer ultimate safety for forklifts, light vehicles and access equipment that require a low approach angle. Drake Trailers forklift trailer has a wide range of great features including:
- 15 tonne capacity
- Low tare, multiple loaded items
- Independent hydraulic suspension
- Length variations
- Running deck height of 500mm – 550mm
- Tie downs in the deck plate and outer coaming
Since Drake Trailers new breed of forklift trailers started rolling out the door in 2016, some of our long-standing customers including Howie Transport and Nationwide Towing & Transport have added our purpose-built forklift trailer to their ever-expanding fleet. The feedback speaks for itself, with our customers saying their new forklift trailer has enhanced productivity across the business.
Safety and compliance are the highest priorities at The Drake Group. Every trailer we manufacture goes through an application of stringent safety standards across our production process, while the design team considers the operational safety risks. For more information about transporting low-angle equipment with a forklift trailer in Brisbane, contact Drake Trailers today.