Forklift tips for winter

During the winter months as temperatures drop, added strain is put upon the key components of fleets such as batteries, alternators, tyres as well as vital service fluids such as engine oil and antifreeze.

Phill Bird, aftersales director at Toyota Material Handling, says: "As part of our on-going safety awareness campaign 'Taking Care with Toyota', we want to give companies simple and clear advice on looking after your fleet during the winter months. By implementing daily maintenance checks into your business operation, companies can concentrate their efforts on what really matters - running their operation." Follow these basic tips to ensure you don't get caught out this winter: Carry out daily checks Ensure your service history is up-to-date Keep emergency call out / service numbers to hand Provide clothing suitable for both indoor and outdoor environments See and be seen - driving in poor visibility or low light conditions increases the risk of accidents Address any operator training needs - your operators are your most important asset Ensure you have back up equipment or access to short-term hire trucks In line with Toyota's Year of Safety - 'Taking Care with Toyota', a series of free safety resources including the Forklift Safety Guide are available by request from: Toyota Forklift website: www.toyotaforklift.com