Load Testing a forklift

LOAD TESTING

Load testing a forklift

Every company or owner of lifting machinery has a lawful obligation to have their lifting machinery load tested annually and inspected 6 monthly.

The Occupational Health & Safety Act, Act 85 of 1993, Driven Machinery Regulation 18 (5) states that: “The user shall cause the whole installation and all working parts of every lifting machine to be thoroughly examined and subjected to a performance test, as prescribed by the standard to which the lifting machine was manufactured, by a person who has knowledge and experience of the erection and maintenance of the type of lifting machine involved or similar machinery and who shall determine the serviceability of the structures, ropes, machinery and safety devices, before they are put into use following every time they are dismantled and re-erected, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 12 months: Provided that in the absence of such prescribed performance test the whole installation of the lifting machine shall be tested with 110 % of the rated mass load, applied over the complete lifting range of such machine and in such a manner that every part of the installation is stressed accordingly.”

Checklist to ensure the legality of your load test:

• The Company is accredited with the Department of Employment and Labour as a Lifting Machine Entity (LME) • The LMI performing the load test must be accredited by ECSA with the correct scope • The load test is done in accordance with SANS 10388 (Inspection, test & examination of lift trucks) It is a requirement by law that all forklifts are subject to a load performance test. “No user shall use or permit the use of a lifting machine unless - • It has been designed and constructed in accordance with a generally accepted technical standard; • It is conspicuously and clearly marked with the maximum mass load which it is designed to carry with safety: provided that when this mass load varies with the conditions of use a table showing the maximum mass load with respect to every variable condition shall be posted up by the user in a conspicuous place easily visible to the operator.

Some of the most common causes for failure during testing:

ITEM NON COMPLIANCE - REFERENCE SANS10388

Carriage Carriage wear, stoppers, cracks & excessive play etc Chains Stretched, parts missing, side wear etc. Data Plate No plate, wrong specs, info not legible etc. Forks Heel wear, cracks, straightness, wrong capacity etc. Horn Not working Hoist Cylinders Leaking, uneven lift, bleeding back etc. Hoses Leaks etc. Load backrest No load backrest, broken, loose, cracked etc. Lights Not working, broken etc. Mast Channels Cracked, worn, bent etc. Parking Brake Not holding Safety Devices Not working, bypassed etc. Tyres Worn, cracked through limit ring, chunking etc. The user shall cause the whole installation and all working parts of every lifting machine to be thoroughly examined and subjected to a performance test, as prescribed by the standard to which the lifting machine was manufactured, by a person who has knowledge and experience of the erection and maintenance of the type of lifting machine involved or similar machinery and who shall determine the serviceability of the structures, ropes, machinery and safety devices, before they are put into use following every time they are dismantled and re-erected, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 12 months: Provided that in the absence of such prescribed performance test the whole installation of the lifting machine shall be tested with 110 % of the rated mass load, applied over the complete lifting range of such machine and in such a manner that every part of the installation is stressed accordingly. Notwithstanding the above mentioned regulation, the user shall cause all ropes, chains, hooks or other attaching devices, sheaves, brakes and safety devices forming an integral part of a lifting machine to be thoroughly examined by a person contemplated in sub regulation (5) at intervals not exceeding six months. Every user of a lifting machine shall at all times keep on his premises a register in which he shall record or cause to be recorded full particulars of any performance test and examination prescribed by sub regulation (5) and (6) and any modification or repair to the lifting machine, and shall ensure that the register is available on request for inspection by an inspector. The user shall ensure that every lifting machine is operated by an operator specifically trained for a particular type of lifting machine: provided that in the case of a lift truck with a lifting capacity of 750 kg or more and jib-cranes with a lifting capacity of 5000kg or more at a minimum jib radius, the user shall not require to operate such a lifting machine unless the operator is in possession of a certificate of training, issued by a person or organization approved for the purpose by the Chief Inspector.” The main purpose of annual forklift load testing is to

determine whether your forklift remains safe to operate.. The favourable outcome of the load test confirms that your forklift is in optimal condition for the next 12 months, alternatively, identifies components that are damaged or degrading and require adjustments, maintenance, or complete replacement. All lifting machines and lift trucks such as forklifts and related driven material handling equipment require a thorough inspection and performance test at 110% of the safe working load over the complete lifting range of the respective forklift. A performance test must be conducted in such a way that every component of the forklift is placed under stress in order to determine the serviceability and safety of the forklift and its components. In the event of any incidents and accidents occurring within the workplace and the respective forklift being without a valid forklift load test certificate, this could land you as a person or entity into serious trouble for non-compliance with OHSA and the Driven Machinery regulations. This could mean being held liable, upon conviction, for a financial penalty or imprisonment for up to 12 months. Further, forklift load testing must be conducted by an ECSA registered Lifting Machine Inspector (LMI) who are qualified and able to issue your forklift with a valid certificate on the satisfactory outcome of the forklift load test.

What is being checked during a forklift load test?

During the forklift load test, the forklift’s performance is observed and recorded when tested with and without a load. The following is assessed:

The engine of the forklift

How well does the engine operate at idle and full speed; is the radiator and charging system operating effectively.

Forklift Mast lifting and lowering

The forklift mast is the lifting mechanism of the forklift and is responsible for lifting, lowering and positioning loads manipulated by the forks. Common forklift mast problems include slow, jerky lifting and lowering of the mast or no movement at all. Masts can become damaged via everyday operations showing up as misaligned, bent, cracked, twisted or rusted masts which would then require repair or replacement. During the forklift load testing the hydraulic fluid is also checked to determine that there aren’t any leaks in the hoses during operations.

Forklift mast tilting

Common forklift accidents such as a forklift tipping over often occur when lifting a heavy load at a height. The forklift mast tilting angle control must function in such a way to restrict the mast title angle to ensure that the forklift remains stable and does not tilt beyond the vertical position, either forward or backwards which would result in spilling loads or the forklift tipping over.

Forklift Transmission System The forklifts transmission system is a component of Everyday operations result in wear, tear, and damage to your forklift thus impacting its ability to perform safely over the long term [ ] the engine assembly that connects the engine and wheels so that they can work and rotate in unison. During the forklift load testing procedure, the engagement and disengagement of gears are analysed for any slippage or abnormalities.

Steering

Common forklift steering problems include locked steering, not getting a response from your forklift when trying to turn, to noisy strange sounds when turning the wheels. Forklift steering issues can come about because of worn gears, misaligned tyres, a rusty steering mechanism, worn pressure valves or low steering fluid. During the load testing procedure, any defects or concerns are identified with recommendations for repairs and/or replacements so that your forklift does not continue to operate in such condition until it is eventually placed out of commission.

Forklift brakes

When it comes to forklift safety, the brakes are heavily utilized to slow down and manage the speed of the forklift or to bring the forklift truck to a stop. Ensuring that the forklift brakes function as they should and remain effective is key to maintaining both the forklift driver’s safety as well as productivity within your operations. The service and parking brakes are checked during the forklift load testing procedure with recommendations to replace the brakes made, if necessary.

Forklift gradient testing

Forklifts operate on many different types of surfaces, including slopes, ramps and inclines. The risk of a forklift tipping over is great and forklift operators are required to be trained on how to correctly manoeuvre a forklift over such surfaces. However, during the forklift load test, observations are made in order to identify any potential risks in the performance of the lift truck.