Forklift Maintenance & Inspection Tips to Enhance Safety

What Is Forklift Maintenance? 

Are your business’ forklifts ready to safely handle the heavy lifting required to keep your operations running smoothly without a hitch? If you have a forklift maintenance plan in place, then they should be. This step-by-step process involves the routine inspection, servicing and repairing of forklifts to keep them in reliable working condition and to extend their lifespan. 

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), forklift-related accidents cause between 35,000 to 62,000 injuries a year — and of those, an average 87 incidents are fatal. OSHA is a federal regulatory agency that sets and enforces standards to assure safe conditions for businesses and workers through assistance, education, outreach and training. The agency fines companies that fail to maintain their forklifts properly, as doing so helps prevent accidents and ensures workplace safety.

Needless to say, having a forklift maintenance schedule is crucial for not only employee safety but also for your business to follow federal guidelines. Read on to see the most important forklift maintenance tasks to perform and how much they can impact your business’ bottom line.

Benefits of Regular Forklift Maintenance 

Routine forklift repair and maintenance tasks offer numerous benefits to businesses and workers. These include: 

• Improved safety: No matter how you use a forklift, one minor malfunction can endanger anyone in and around it, which is why preventive maintenance and servicing is critical.
• Extended lifespan: Planned maintenance, lubricating forklift parts and replacing worn-out components reduces wear, prevents long-term damage and extends the service life of the forklift.
• Decreased downtime: A well-maintained forklift reliably handles loads over longer periods, maximizing your return on investment.
• Cost savings on maintenance/repairs: Maintenance and smaller repairs on a forklift over time reduce maintenance costs compared to rebuilding or replacing it altogether. 
• Better resale value: A well-maintained forklift with a documented history is more attractive to potential buyers, as it shows reliability and a lesser risk of expensive repairs. 

Determining How Often to Maintain Forklifts 

OSHA regulations require regular maintenance on forklifts. Companies that don’t adhere to these regulations can pay a significant price in fines and worker injury. There are several factors to consider regarding the frequency with which you should perform forklift maintenance, including: 

• Age and total hours of operation: Older forklifts with more usage may require more frequent checks.
  
• Mechanical condition: Does your forklift show signs of wear or malfunction? If so, it may need more immediate attention.
  
• Previous damage: If a forklift has been damaged, it should be more frequently monitored to avoid further deterioration or unsafe operation.
  
• Service record: Previous paperwork on servicing helps teams track patterns in past issues and ensures timely maintenance.

Forklift Maintenance Checklists

Forklift technicians can use the following checklists to determine which forklift services to perform daily, weekly and monthly:

Daily Inspection Checklist Before Starting the Forklift

• Check tire condition and pressure: Make sure tires show no significant wear, cuts or punctures, and make sure that tire pressure is within the manufacturer’s recommended levels.
• Ensure all hoses are securely connected: Hoses related to fuel, cooling and hydraulic systems should be properly attached and free from cracks or leaks.
• Inspect load backrest for stability: The load backrest should be tightly fastened and able to prevent the load from shifting backward.
  
• Check fluid levels and look for leaks: Review the levels of fuel, hydraulic oil, engine oil and radiator coolant. 
• Examine tines and overhead guard for damage: Tines should not be worn, bent or cracked. Check the overhead guard for any structural damage.
  
• Clean operator compartment: The operator compartment should be free from debris or obstructions.
• Look for any visible damage: Checking for any dents, cracks or other signs of damage overall.

Daily Inspection Checklist After Starting Forklift

• Check steering, brakes and accelerator: Steering should operate smoothly, brakes should respond immediately when engaged, and the accelerator should control speed without hesitation.
• Test forward and reverse gears: Make sure the transmission shifts with ease and the forklift moves without any unusual noises, vibrations or delays.
• Examine clutch release, pedals and handbrake: The clutch and pedals should release and engage without sticking. The handbrake should hold the forklift securely in place when needed.
• Inspect tines by raising and lowering them: Check for any unusual sounds, hesitation or jerking movements. Tines should remain level and respond accurately to controls.
• Ensure horn, lights and backup alarm are all in working order: The lights and horn should function correctly, and the backup alarm should sound when the forklift is placed in reverse.

Monthly Preventive Maintenance Checklist

• Inspect for any cracks appearing in the forklift’s structural elements: Look for these signs of fatigue — cranks can mean danger to a forklift operator. 
• Lubricate the chassis and mast: Apply lubrication to these critical parts for smooth movement and to reduce wear.
• Change the engine oil and filter: Fresh oil helps keep the engine running smoothly. A new filter helps keep it free of contaminants.
• Adjust the engine timing and idle if necessary: These adjustments should help to avoid rough operation, reduced fuel efficiency and unnecessary strain on the engine.
• Examine the drive belt: Look for proper tension, wear or cracking so as not to damage the engine.
• Inspect the lift, tilt and cylinder operations: Look for any hesitations, leaks or jerking movements.
• Replace fuel filter, hydraulic pump and brake fluid: Regularly checking and replacing these items prevents blockages and enhances equipment uptime.

OSHA Standards for Forklift Maintenance 

OSHA requires further daily inspection steps, which vary depending on whether the forklift is run on electric, internal combustion or liquid propane. Let’s take a look at each:

Electric Forklift Daily Inspection Steps

• Checking cables and connectors: Inspect these items for signs of wear, fraying or damage.
• Examining battery restraints and hood latch: The battery should be properly secured, and the hood latch should open and close correctly.
• Monitoring electrolyte levels: The battery’s electrolyte levels should be within the manufacturer’s recommended range at all times.

Internal Combustion Forklift Daily Inspection Steps

• Checking engine oil, brake fluid and coolant levels: Too low levels of oil, brake fluid and coolant can lead to engine overheating, brake failure or other operational issues.
• Inspecting air filter and radiator: The radiator should not show signs of blockage, leaks or damage, and the air filter should remain debris-free.  
• Examining belts, hoses and hood latch: Belts and hoses must be securely fastened, and the hood latch should open and close properly.  

Liquid Propane Forklift Daily Inspection Steps

• Ensuring propane tank is secure: The propane tank must be properly secured and mounted according to the manufacturer’s specifications.
• Looking for leaks, dents or cracks: Propane can be extremely dangerous if it’s not contained, so look for any signs of leaks, dents or cracks in the tank. 
• Checking pressure of the relief valve: This helps prevent excess pressure buildup in the propane system. 
• Inspect hoses and connectors: Properly functioning hoses and connectors guide the safe transfer of propane to the engine.

Example of Forklift Maintenance 

OSHA keeps a watchful eye on companies that don’t adhere to its regulations, and they can pay a costly price for not following its guidelines. 

Thanks to a 2018 Rural King Supply worker complaint, OSHA proposed $258,672 in fines against the company for allowing employees to operate defective forklifts. The agency cited Rural King Supply with two Willful violations, each with a penalty of $129,336, stemming from the company’s failure to repair a forklift that had been repeatedly inspected and reported faulty brakes. Instead of carrying out the necessary repairs, OSHA alleged that Rural King Supply continued allowing the defective forklift to be used without taking it out of service to address the problem.

This example serves as a reminder for all companies using forklifts to take pre-shift maintenance seriously. Any issue that could compromise the safe operation of a forklift should be addressed promptly, and if repairs cannot be made right away, the forklift must be taken out of service. What “safe” means may vary depending on a company’s interpretation, but OSHA sets these standards to guide decisions about whether or not a forklift is safe to operate.

Rural King Supply had 15 business days from receiving the citation to either comply and pay the penalties in full, request an informal meeting with OSHA’s area director or contest the citation with the agency’s commission.

Using Coast for Forklift Maintenance 

Coast’s CMMS can improve forklift maintenance in your business by keeping all aspects of maintenance management well organized. It schedules preventive maintenance, which helps prevent unexpected breakdowns, as well as alerts you to potential issues before they become significant problems, reducing service costs and production downtime in the process. 

Additionally, Coast’s CMMS tracks all maintenance activities, so you have detailed records of repairs and inspections. This reporting will help you see patterns in a forklift’s full maintenance history, ensure safety and regulatory compliance, and manage parts inventory efficiently, allowing you to avoid unnecessary maintenance delays and keep your operations running smoothly.