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Moving Up and Down on a Building Ramp

Learning Objective: Move across a (10% or more grade) building ramp with empty forks.

Given: a Counterbalance Rider forklift with EMPTY forks and a need to move across a building ramp with a 10% or more grade, is able to travel across the ramp.

Standard (How Well to Perform):

1. Must move forward and then reverse through the complete length of ramp With NO load while forks are pointed DOWN grade.

2. When moving UP the ramp with EMPTY forks, must turn body to face the direction of travel (UP).

EMPTY forks are ALWAYS pointed DOWN

Discussion: When moving across a building ramp, the forklift must remain stable. If the forks are EMPTY, forklift stability is best achieved by pointing the EMPTY forks DOWN. This gives the operator the best control over the moving forklift. This means that traveling UP the building ramp with EMPTY forks requires you to turn your head in the direction of travel (UP) so you can keep a clear view of your travel path. Since a forklift with EMPTY forks is heaviest where the counterweight is located (at rear of forklift) the forklift is most stable, if the Counterweight is UP grade. Do NOT travel across a building ramp with EMPTY forks pointed up grade.

Learning Objective: Move across a (10% or more grade) building ramp with Load on forks.

Given: a Counterbalance Rider forklift with a LOAD on forks and a need to move across a (10% or more grade) building ramp, is able to travel across the ramp.

Standard (How Well to Perform):

1. Must move forward and then reverse through the complete length of ramp With LOAD on forks always pointed UP grade.

2. When moving Down the ramp with a LOAD on forks, must turn body to face the direction of travel (Down).

LOADED forks are ALWAYS pointed UP grade

Discussion: When moving across a building ramp, the forklift must remain stable. If the forks are LOADED, forklift stability is best achieved by pointing the LOADED forks UP. This gives the operator the best control over the moving forklift. This means that traveling DOWN the building ramp with LOADED forks requires you to turn your head in the direction of travel (Down) so you can keep a clear view of your travel path. A forklift with LOADED forks is most stable, if the LOAD is UP grade. Do NOT travel across a (10% or more grade )building ramp with LOADED forks pointed down grade.