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A liftgate is a broad plate-like attachment to the truck or trailer’s backdoor, which helps lift the heavy cargo to load or unload in the truck. If you are new to the business or have a newly installed liftgate, explore ahead all about liftgate safety training on how to use them safely.
Why are liftgates essential?
Haven’t you considered a liftgate yet? Are you still struggling to lift and put the heavy boxes and loads inside your truck? A liftgate reduces your burden of lifting the weights as you can easily roll any humongous package on a wheeled roller. It also ensures you aren’t hurt during the loading process, nor does the package gets damaged. Installing this single aid can really cut down your crew as you can do multiple jobs single-handed. As they are frequently used with varied loads, proper usage is quite essential.
Tips for a safe usage
Liftgates are automatic mechanical lifting systems to reduce the human burden. However, you should be careful to follow the guidelines to use it for both your and the lifting boards’ safety. You should carefully look for the following factors.
- Hook and fix the liftgate properly before use. The gate is generally folded up, which is switched on to lower down. You may have to bring the boards slowly as the levers adjust. Open the gate completely and fix the hooks tightly to avoid any accidental folding up.
- Study and take care of the liftgate’s capacity. Exceeding load can damage the mechanical levers or sometimes lead to a sudden break and fall. In such a case, you might get hurt, and the cargo also gets damaged.
- Don’t stand in the way of the liftgate’s motion. Since the board and the levers are metallic structures, a hit can result in a bad bruise or swollen legs.
- After the task, raise the platforms, fold the gate, and secure the lock chains before you start and drive. A loose locking system can suddenly dangle the plates, which can be accidental.
If you are a freight transporter or work in the pick and pack business, you might understand the importance and the feasibility of having a liftgate. Ensure you are implementing the basic safety tips and regularly maintaining the liftgate to employ its best usage.
