A pallet jack is a tool that makes life easy for a warehouse worker. There is no need to move things by hand or use a forklift every time. With a pallet jack, moving small to medium loads becomes extremely easy. The only problem is that many people are not familiar with how it works. Well, worry not because here is a step-by-step guide to use a pallet jack:
Manual Pallet Jack
1. Find the Release Lever on the Pallet Jack
Once you have the Pallet Jack in front of you, the first thing you need to do is find a lever at the center bar. Most commonly, this lever is in a different colour than the entire center bar, so finding it should not be that hard. If there is no lever at the center bar that is of a different colour but there is one that stands out from the entire structure, it is the one you are looking for.
2. Lower the Prongs Using the Lever
For this step, you need to stand behind the steering handles of the pallet jack, on opposite of the prongs. Prongs are two long pieces of metal at the base of the pallet jack. They do the work of lifting the pallet with the load on it.
Once you are in position, pull the lever to lower those prongs. They should remain only an inch or two above the ground, so they can slide easily under the pallet.
3. Slide the Prongs Under the Pallet
When you have successfully lowered the prong, you just need to move the pallet jack forward and slide those prongs carefully under the pallet. Always check if they are properly in position before you try to lift them. The wheels under the prongs should remain on the floor.
4. Lift the Prongs
Use the handles to lift up the prongs. Pull the center metal bar towards you with your grip on the handles. The pull should be diagonal, towards you and the floor at the same time. This will jack up the prongs that are under the pallet, making them lift the pallet and the load on top of it.
5. Move the Pallet Jack to Designated Location
Once the pallet has been safely lifted up from the ground, you need to take the pallet jack to the location where you wish to deposit the load. Pushing the pallet jack is easier and safer than pulling because of the weight.
6. Use the Release Lever to Lower the Prongs
With the lever, slowly lower the prongs to the ground. Make sure the pallet remains securely on top of the prongs while you do that.
7. Slide Out the Lowered Prongs From Under the Pallet
After you have lowered the pallet, you just need to slide the prongs out from under it. This last step completes the operation of a pallet jack successfully.
Electric Pallet Jack
With an electric pallet jack, you are essentially required to perform similar steps to that of a manual pallet jack. The only difference comes when lowering or jacking up the prongs, and moving the pallet jack. For this, controls are generally provided on a panel at the center bar. So, instead of manually doing those things, you can use buttons like “down” and “forward” for it.
Conclusion
These were the steps to successfully operating a pallet jack, whether manual or electric. If you are looking to buy one, you can find pallet jacks on sale in Brisbane.
