FOR K-LIrTS A QUESTION OF COMFORT
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• As with your road vehicles, ergonomics is a key factor in ensuring a happy and productive workforce behind the wheel. A few years ago, the fork-lift's ancestry in farm equipment was all too visible with hard, unadjustable seats and basic controls. These days a huge effort goes into seat design, control layout and visibility through the mast.
Though any type of modern fork-lift will generally incorporate sound ergonomic principles, reach trucks and counterbalanced trucks have come in for some careful design because the heights to which they lift mean operators are constantly straining their necks and spines as they look up to position the forks.
Some reach trucks now include automatically tilting seats or cabs to put the operator in a more comfortable position for such operations.
The inclusion of CCTV cameras at fork level with in-cab monitors is another option.
Visibility is a key issue with fork-lifts as up to 50% of forward vision can be obstructed by mast and chains—not to mention the load itself, if it is above a certain height. Driving in reverse is an option with tall loads but, because of the driving position it involves, this is usually impractical for prolonged periods.
In the cab, most manufacturers now offer electronic joystick control in place of steering wheel and traditional mechanical levers, while seats and steering wheels are now as adjustable as those in road vehicles.