When you need to add extra lifting and pallet handling capacity, Southern California small business owners can find themselves trying to decide between purchasing a brand-new forklift truck, a used forklift, leasing, or renting to own. This kind of equipment is a large cash outlay if you’re looking to buy but having a forklift on the premises comes with additional expenses that may not have been previously considered.
You may need to look at your insurance to make sure that you are covered to operate a forklift, and your workers’ compensation premiums may take a bit of a bump.
Forklift 101
Forklifts come in electric and natural gas powered from a variety of manufacturers including Hyundai, Bendi, Linde, Toyota, Drexel, and others. The type of machine that you need is dependent on the cargo that you will be moving in the surface over which you will be moving it. Additionally, forklifts, the conditions in which they operate, and their operators are subject to California state law.
If you have never had a forklift before, and have an employee that you wish to operate it, that employee has to be trained and certified before climbing into the driver seat. Forklift trucks are classified as heavy equipment and, despite being fairly simple in operation, require excellent hand and eye coordination, as well as training and safety equipment. If you think that operating a forklift is simple, simply go to YouTube and search for forklift accident videos.
Work with a Top Provider
When considering such a big move for your business, it pays to look at Select Equipment, a top provider of new and used forklift trucks. Working with a Southern California company with a top reputation for sales, maintenance, and even training can make all the difference. Remember, prices not the only consideration when purchasing a forklift truck.