Whether you manage an auto shop or run an industrial hydraulic trucks rental service, it is important that you and your employees have solid hydraulic lifts training. Working with hydraulic lifts, from hydraulic lift platforms to hydraulic jacks, requires specific training in equipment operation and safety.

To ensure that all members of your team are properly trained to work with an industrial hydraulic lift, you need to secure the right hydraulic lifts education and training. As you look for training sources, remember the following:

1. Look to a hydraulic lift manufacturer to receive training for specific equipment.

2. Safety training should be a top priority when working with hydraulic equipment.

3. It is important to get training that is specific to hydraulic lift trucks.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get operational training from hydraulic lift manufacturers and distributors

There is no better way to get specific hydraulic training on your equipment than from the company that manufactures or distributes it. Many companies offer this service free of charge when you conduct business with them. It's a smart idea to ask a company about its training policies before you give them your business.

I recommend: Contact Industrial Parts Warehouse for operator training. The company also offers on-site repairs, equipment inspections and several other services to aide you with the operation of your hydraulic lift equipment. Sign up for classes with Versalift East. The company also offers helpful tips on its website.

Avoid serious injury with industrial hydraulic lifts safety training

Working with industrial hydraulic equipment, such as a hydraulic lifting platform, requires intensive safety training to ensure that workplace injuries are avoided. There are several safety standards that govern lift operation, specifically those created by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). It is important for all lift workers to receive proper training to meet these standards.

I recommend: Order the “do-it-yourself” Aerial Lift Training Kit from Safety Services Company to train your employees in safety procedures yourself. Get your Aerial Lift Safety & Inspector certification from the Crane Institute of America.

Find training that is specific to trucks with hydraulic lifts

Lift trucks have unique operational and safety issues compared to other types of hydraulic lifts. If you work primarily with hydraulic lift trucks, you will need to find training sources that focus specifically on those types of lifts.

I recommend: Sign up for the operator training programs from Raymond. The company offers intensive training on each of its lift trucks and you can download the free brochure that outlines its eight-part training program. Cat Lift Trucks offers a seven-part safety training program that conforms to OSHA's standards. The company will also tailor its training to fit the needs of your specific industry.

Industrial hydraulic lifts are types of elevators that typically move products, materials, vehicles or even people from one level to another. Consisting of hydraulic cylinders that raise or lower platforms, hydraulic lifts fit a wide range of applications.

Hydraulic platform lifts are indispensable for multilevel manufacturing applications. They make moving finished products to loading docks, pallets or storage faster and less labor-intensive. A hydraulic platform lift is excellent for order picking in a factory, lifting a car for an oil change or lifting a patient in a hospital.

Here are some of the special features that expand the range of applications for industrial hydraulic lifts:

1. Some hydraulic platform lifts can handle loads as great as 10,000 pounds and beyond.

2. Some hydraulic lifts are available with wheels so they can traverse a distance before unloading.

3. The addition of a rotating platform to a hydraulic lift works well to redirect an object before unloading.

Action Steps
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Get a hydraulic lift platform from the right hydraulic lift manufacturer

There are wide range of applications for hydraulic lifts. The quality of your lift could be the difference between a shipped product and a destroyed product; or, in the case of a hospital, it can potentially be the difference between a grateful patient and a lawsuit. Shop the hydraulic lift manufacturers that have the widest range of quality products.

I recommend: Advance Lifts carries lift, tilt and lift-and-turn tables, as well as upenders, dumpers, order pickers and many other related products that will fit almost any industrial application. For medical patient lifting, Live Well Medical Supplies carries a model that's been put to the test for over 40 years.

Replace other moving methods with hydraulic lift platforms

An industrial hydraulic lift is energy efficient. It also cuts down on worker fatigue and can even lower labor costs. Additionally, hydraulic jacks are low-maintenance.

I recommend: It's not always cost-efficient to dismantle new or working equipment, but as your industrial machinery wears down, consider taking advantage of hydraulic platform lifts. Among hydraulic lift manufacturers, ECOA Industrial Products, Inc. and Southworth Products Corp both provide quality solutions.

Repair your hydraulic lifting platform

You should have an idea of the strength and the weight capacity of a hydraulic platform before you buy it. And though they are generally very low-maintenance, you might encounter problems or see oil blow out the exhaust line or leak from the connections, in which case you should repair your machine.

I recommend: Hydraulic lift repair is relatively easy. Hydrotech services all types of hydraulic applications, and Metro Hydraulic Jack Co. specializes in hydraulic lifts.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't just consider hydraulic lifts for lifting. They can also add an element of safety when raising or lowering objects, as they limit free fall.

A hydraulic lift is an important component of a material handling system. Hydraulic lifts are equipment that use hydraulic cylinders to lower or raise work platforms, industrial products or personnel. Various types of hydraulic lifts are available in the market, including table lifts, personnel lifts, dock lifts and fork and pallet lifts.

While buying or renting hydraulic lifts, you will come across various technical terms, which indicate types or specifications of hydraulic lifts. This guide intends to familiarize you with key terms, such as hydraulic cylinders, rotary lifts, lift capacity and hydraulic scissor lifts.

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Hydraulic cylinders

Hydraulic cylinders are mechanical actuators that use hydraulic pressure to give a linear force through a linear stroke.

I recommend: GlobalSpec, an informative Web site, provides description about hydraulic cylinders.

Rotary lifts

A rotary lift is a type of hydraulic lift that is useful for lifting automotives to comfortable heights for service and storage.

I recommend: You can learn more about rotary lifts at IQS, an online directory of manufacturers of industrial products.

Hydraulic scissor lifts

A hydraulic scissor lift is another lift that is widely used in many industries for material handling. In a hydraulic scissor lift, a crisscrossed mechanism is employed for lowering or raising the load.

I recommend: ScissorLiftRentals.net is an informative Web site for prospective renters and customers of scissor lifts.

Hydraulic lift tables

A hydraulic lift table is an ergonomic device that uses a hydraulic system for raising, lowering, stacking or moving industrial goods between two or more elevations.

I recommend: easy2source.com, a Web site by Netlink Solutions, offers detailed information about hydraulic lift tables.

Hydraulic dock levelers

A hydraulic dock leveler is useful when there is a height difference between the bed of the truck and the floor of a loading dock.

I recommend: On Track Door Systems Inc., a supplier of dock systems, explains more about hydraulic dock levelers.

Lift capacity

Lift capacity is the most important specification of a hydraulic lift. Lift capacity is the maximum load or force supported by the lift. Before buying or renting a hydraulic lift, you must assess your requirements and calculate the lift capacity.

I recommend: Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) publishes a glossary of technical terms, including lift capacity.

Metric or imperial dimensions

Metric dimensions are the dimensions of industrial products according to Systeme Internationale (SI) standards. For lifts, load capacity is measured in kilograms and length dimensions are measured in centimeters, according to the SI standards. Unlike metric dimensions, the imperial measurement system specifies the lifting capacity of a lift in pounds.

I recommend: Technology Services (PDF), a part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, provides an informative document that explains the relation between the different measurement units.

Being safe around hydraulic lifts is the easiest way to avoid injuries or unnecessary equipment malfunction. With a little training and periodic refresher in lift safety, you can keep your business running smoothly.

Your options when it comes to hydraulic lifts safety include purchasing and using in-house training materials, finding safety materials on your own, asking for a lift manufacturer's help or even sending your employees to a training course or putting them through an online safety session. To find safety information, you should:

1. Look for hydraulic platform lifts safety information materials to purchase or download free of charge online.

2. Ask your hydraulic lift manufacturer for safety materials or any programs they may offer.

3. Get your workers some online lift safety training.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use information about hydraulic lifts safety to train in-house

There are a number of hydraulic lift safety courses and manuals available for sale online. Some safety materials and recommended safety programs are even available for download free of charge. Buy or print the information and put a manager or safety operator in charge of in-house training with the materials.

I recommend: The OSHA Safety Training website offers a hydraulic lift safety course that includes a training video that you can preview online. More hydraulic lift safety information is available free of charge at Find Lifts.

Get training from hydraulic lift manufacturers

If you are looking to buy new hydraulic lift equipment, find a manufacturer that offers safety training or training materials. Some manufacturers even offer periodic safety training with a lift purchase. If you already own hydraulic lifts without any support from the manufacturer, it doesn't hurt to look for safety information from other manufacturers of similar equipment.

I recommend: Mohawk Automotive Lifts offers its customers installations, inspections and safety training that is OSHA-certified. Titan World Wide is a manufacturer of the industrial hydraulic lift in a variety of styles. The company has a help section that includes choosing and operating lifts.

Train your employees with online courses for hydraulic lift platforms

When you don't have the time to train your employees, it's still important to get them trained in proper use and safety procedures when it comes to hydraulic lifts. Many online education organizations offer lift safety classes. Some courses are even available for free.

I recommend: Set your employees up with a free training session from FreeTraining.com. The website offers an interactive course on forklift and hydraulic lift safety. Consider signing up your hydraulic lift operators for a distance learning safety class through DistanceEducation.org.