So, you have an enormous pile of pallets and no way to lift them? This can be so annoying! Thankfully these days pallet jacks are easy to access. Buying or hiring a pallet jack to take care of your pallet-lifting needs can positively affect your operation in a number of ways. These handy tools are increasing in popularity due to their versatile and easy-to-use nature.
Here is everything you need to know about these very convenient devices, so you too can enjoy their benefits.
WHAT ARE PALLET JACKS?
A pallet jack is a device that can be used to lift and move pallets around a work area. This can be either a garage or a worksite. You can carry a stack of empty pallets or move a pallet with items on top. Pallet jacks are the most basic form of a forklift on the market. It’s a smaller scale, more cost-effective solution to this kind of lifting.
Pallet jacks are operated and maneuvered by human beings. Some require physical effort to move, and others work electrically.
Now, which one will be your best investment?
TYPES
There are three main types of pallet jacks on the market.
MANUAL JACK
The manual pallet jack requires a person to provide force for it to move.
These pallet jacks are usually thinner and can most commonly be found in grocery stores. They are the right sizes for aisles and for lifting products onto shelves.
Manual pallet jacks can only handle about 5500lb at a time. They lift the goods up and down by applied force to a lever. It’s also not uncommon to find these kinds of jacks in the back of delivery vans and trucks.
ELECTRIC JACK
As the name suggests, these pallet jacks are electrically operated – by a battery to be specific. These jacks don’t require any human force to work. Instead, the loads are raised and lowered by the push of a button. These jacks are more convenient as they do not require a specific size or strength of a person to use them. Electric jacks can typically handle more weight than your average manual jack.
RIDER JACK
The rider jacks are the big brothers to the electric and manual pallet jacks. The design is closer to the size of a forklift than it is to a manual jack. These jacks are best for heavy-duty warehouse tasks. Instead of walking behind the jack (as with the manual and electric models) the driver climbs aboard the jack on a standing platform. He or she rides the jack around to use it. The jack operates fully electrically.
WHO MIGHT NEED ONE?
A pallet jack can come in handy more often than you think. Even some households can benefit greatly from a pallet jack on the premises. This depends on the scale of the home and the storage needs associated with it. Also, if someone can’t lift items due to health concerns, a pallet jack is a dynamic solution.
Other common places to use a pallet jack might be:
- A library: Lifting and lowering piles of books from shelves higher up
- Post office: Retrieving packages from warehouse shelving
- Market: Moving and loading of produce
- Schools: Lifting and moving of equipment and supplies
- Construction sites: For small-scale lifting and moving on site
ADVANTAGES
Pallet jacks are handy devices to have around in many different scenarios. Here is some benefit you could be missing out on.
COST EFFECTIVE
Pallet jacks are far more cost effective than purchasing or hiring full sized forklifts. They can help you get close to the same amount of work done but at a much smaller price tag.
In construction, it’s always important to be as cost-effective as possible due to the rate at which things tend to go wrong. Using a cheaper piece of machinery is most advisable.
Regarding load, pallet jacks eliminate the need for manpower to complete lifting tasks. One jack will replace the work of ten to twenty men in one go.
NO TRAINING NECESSARY
Forklifts are usually reserved for use by individuals who have been properly trained and certified for that specific task. However, pallet jacks do not require extremely qualified or trained individuals for operation.
Pallet jacks are easy to get used to handling, and there are little to no safety risks involved in them being maneuvered by someone less qualified. This makes them extremely versatile and able to be used no matter who is or isn’t present at the time.
SAFER OPTIONS
Pallet jacks are also much safer than forklifts. They move at a slower, less dangerous pace. They’re lighter and easier to maneuver which poses less of a treat to anyone who may be in the vicinity if something should go wrong, such as sliding out of control.
They also handle lighter, more manageable loads than full-sized forklifts.
Since they’re physically smaller than other lifting devices on the market, they are easier to store away. They can be kept out of the reach of individuals who should not have access to them quite easily. Make sure to brush up on manual pallet jack safety before purchasing one.
CONCLUSION
Investing in a pallet jack for your home or business is a sure win regarding efficiency and performance. Being able to reach the shelving you can’t now means you can utilize more space.
Pallet jacks are versatile and, dare we say, fun pieces of machinery. There is something very satisfying about being able to lift and maneuver loads you usually could not physically.
So, where will you fit one of these into your life?
