The electric pallet truck, also commonly referred to as an electric pump truck or pallet jack, is an incredibly useful and efficient method of transporting/lifting stock across warehouse settings. An electric pallet truck works by using tapered forks that slot beneath pallets whereby an operator will then use the pump handle controls to raise or lower the desired pallet electronically. There are many situations where these nifty pieces of machinery excel as opposed to full-scale forklifts and with this in mind, here at Trucks Direct, we are going to discuss:
- Common applications pallet jacks are used in
- The benefits of an electric pallet jack
- Final point
The most important thing to us however, is your safety. We’ve published a number of safety guides for you to use alongside your electric pallet jacks. Start with our guide on ‘should you push or pull an electric pallet truck?’.
Common Applications Pallet Jacks Are Used in
First and foremost, it is necessary to point out that there are manual and ride-on pallet truck variants, both of which offer highly sought-after properties depending on the application they are utilised in. With this in mind, and for the purpose of this article, we are going to focus on ride-on pallet trucks.
Some of you reading this article may be wondering about the common situations in which pallet trucks are best deployed in. Generally, an electric pallet jack works best when used for relatively short distances and if your overall warehouse setting is small in size. It is also worth noting that each and every pallet truck comes with its own weight capacity which can be found in the machinery user manual or sometimes on a sticker on the side of the truck.
Because electric pallet trucks are designed for use with wooden pallets, they thrive in stockrooms, warehouses and other environments that use wooden pallets frequently. They also eradicate many of the health risks and hazards that often come with having to lift heavy loads in a warehouse.
The Benefits of an Electric Pallet Jack
So, why should you use an electric pallet truck? Well, there are many highly desired benefits to these machines for warehouse operations which we have detailed below:
– Small in Size
These types of machinery are manufactured so that they are able to lift pallets that are smaller than a standard forklift truck pallet, meaning that they are able to access and navigate in tighter/narrower spaces. This makes them highly practical when completing tasks that shouldn’t require much time or space to complete.
– Greener
The electric pump truck is safe to use indoors. This is due to the machinery’s batteries being powered by electricity so no harmful emissions are emitted when in operation making them perfect for businesses looking to reduce their carbon footprint and hit their sustainability targets.
– Easier Workload
Electric pallet trucks are designed with warehouse operators intentions at heart, meaning they are manufactured to make workloads easier and safer. Operators who are required to move and stack pallets can do this swiftly and efficiently with an electric pump truck due to its easy controls and impressive levels of reliability.
– Improves Productivity
Electric ride-on pallet trucks are high-speed, are able to be charged quickly, and are versatile because they can be deployed in narrow spaces. These properties help to improve productivity across warehouses or similar settings, particularly when transporting multiple pallets at once from one area to another.
– Greater Visibility
Ride-on electric pump trucks allow the individual greater visibility when operating the machine. This increased visibility allows the operator to manoeuvre down narrow aisles and converse throughout the warehouse with absolute ease. The reason for this is because the machine doesn’t possess a cab (the seated area in all forklifts), which can easily obstruct oncoming traffic or pedestrians. It also means that lifting and lowering loads is also much safer as operators have total vision of the pallet being lifted.
– Affordable/cost effective
Many warehouses opt to use a ride-on pallet truck instead of a forklift truck. This is because they are considerably more affordable, are quicker to achieve a full charge, have fewer moving parts (meaning they’re less likely to break down), and are also a lot less quieter than ICE forklift engines. This means that sound pollution is greatly minimised which employees value massively.
Final Point
As a final point, it is important to choose the right pallet truck to suit your particular needs. For example, you will need to consider if your electric pallet jack is being utilised on smooth or rough terrain and then will need to assess whether it is best to operate this type of machinery for your desired application. What’s also important to remember is that every pallet truck comes with its own weight restrictions and therefore, you should never exceed the maximum weight. Failure to do this will not only damage the pallet truck, but it could also seriously risk the health and safety of your fellow employees and the surrounding working environment.
Trucks Direct stock a broad range of electric pallet trucks, and have the safety guides to go with them. Shop with us today.