Why Your Forklift's Rating Plate Should Always Be Visible

7th Oct 2019

Question: Why is it important to always keep the forklift's rating plate visible?

The rating plate usually carries very important information on a forklift. In fact, forklift operators are usually required to be familiar with a forklift's rating plate information before they can even operate it.

From the rating plate, you can figure out information like;

• Unit Model, Unit Serial Number, Year Of manufacture and the forklift's manufacturer.
• The forklift's load capacity, its weight without a load or a battery.
• The tire types, sizes, capacity and their recommended air pressure.
• The mast type, the maximum degree of its back tilt and the maximum lift height.
• The kind of attachments on the forklifts and their capacities.

So why is it important that this information is visible? Here are some of the reasons.

It Helps Manage Forklift Servicing

The information on the rating plate like the Unit Model and Unit Serial Number makes it easy to uniquely identify forklifts in your fleet. This information is critical when it comes to establishing the servicing history of each forklift in your fleet. Each forklift should be serviced after every 200 hours and the information on the rating plate will help you stay on course if you run a rigorous maintenance plan.

It Helps Get Compatible Forklift Parts

During routine servicing of your forklift, you will from time to time be recommended to purchase replacement parts for your forklifts. However, establishing the right parts would be tough if the rating plate information on the Unit Model, Unit Manufacturer and Year of manufacture is not clear. Dealers usually use this information to locate compatible parts for your forklift.

It Gives Insight On Forklift Stability

Forklift Stability is easy to achieve once you understand the information crucial for stability as stated on the rating plate. From the rating plate, you can establish the weight capacity of the forklift so that you don't overload it. It also helps you establish how much load weight you can handle with your forklift given the increase or decrease in the load center. Sticking to this information during operations will help your operators avoid damage to the load and fatal accidents.

You should, therefore, ensure that the information on your forklift rating plate is always visible. It will help you in monitoring the servicing history of the forklifts in your fleet. Getting replacement parts for your forklift will also be very easy. Your operators will be able to understand the capacity of the forklift from different dimensions. If your rating plate is not clear you can always get it replaced. 

Forklift Tire Company is one of the largest suppliers of forklift tires in the USA. We are happy to help you find the right tires for your forklift truck. Visit our online store here for great discounts or email us at sales@forklifttire.com, our customer service team is ready to assist you.