The best forklift fleet maintenance is preventative and planned rather than reactive, built around manufacturer service intervals, hours worked, HSE-recommended checks and regular cost audits. At best, forklift downtime is inconvenient; at worst it can be expensive and risk disappointing clients with late or incomplete orders. By moving away from a reactive, fire-fighting approach to maintenance, and setting up a regular and disciplined forklift fleet maintenance program, you will ensure that forklift capability can be predicted at any given time. We look at forklift fleet maintenance and answer the most common questions.
TL;DR
- Plan, do not fire-fight. Regularly and systematically maintained forklifts have less downtime, are safer and last longer than those fixed only when they break.
- Set service intervals from real factors: manufacturer recommendations, hours worked, the age of the truck, the operating environment and its value to your organisation.
- Meet HSE requirements: equipment must be kept in an efficient state and good repair, with daily driver checks plus planned maintenance checks on tyres, steering, brakes, visibility, warning devices, hydraulics and safety systems.
- Telematics help predict maintenance issues before they occur and protect fleet performance, but need discussion, training and written policies to be accepted.
- Audit your costs to see whether you are paying the best price for parts and whether older trucks are less cost effective than newer ones.
- Training ties it together, and AFTT is an AITT-accredited training provider offering training for operators, managers and instructors.
Preventative maintenance, how often should I service my forklift fleet?
Service each forklift on a planned schedule set by its manufacturer intervals, hours worked, age, operating environment and value, rather than waiting for it to fail. Engaging in a regular program of forklift maintenance is by far the surest way to ensure the best return on your investment in your forklift fleet. Forklifts that are regularly and systematically maintained have less downtime, are safer and last longer than those that are maintained by a fire-fighting approach. In order to answer the question, ‘How often should I service my forklift?’ you should:
- Check the forklift manufacturer’s recommended service intervals
- Know the worked number of hours
- Know the age of the forklift
- Understand the environment in which the forklift operates
- Calculate the value of the forklift to your organisation
How does preventative maintenance compare with a reactive approach?
Preventative maintenance costs less over time and keeps trucks available, while a reactive approach trades short-term savings for unpredictable breakdowns. The table below sets the two side by side.
| Factor | Preventative (planned) | Reactive (fire-fighting) |
|---|---|---|
| Downtime | Lower and predictable | Higher and unplanned |
| Safety | Faults caught before they fail | Faults found in use |
| Truck lifespan | Longer | Shorter |
| Cost control | Budgeted and auditable | Unexpected repair bills |
| Client impact | Orders stay on time | Risk of late or incomplete orders |
HSE compliance, how do I ensure forklift fleet maintenance meets health and safety requirements?
Meet HSE requirements by keeping every truck in good working order and combining daily driver checks with planned maintenance checks. The Health and Safety Executive state that all equipment must be, ‘maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.’ As well as driver checks including indicators, tyres and lights at the start of every shift, HSE recommend planned maintenance checks and give a set of ‘safety precautions’ that should be adhered to whilst these checks are undertaken. The HSE recommended lift truck checks include:
Checks on Tyres
See manufacturers’ guidelines, as there are different requirements for pneumatic, solid rubber and polyurethane tyres. Tyres should only ever be re-grooved by professionals.
Steering Checks
Forklift steering should not have any play or be difficult. Common problems include low levels of transmission fluid and worn gears.
Brake Checks
A regular driver reporting system will help to ascertain the level of play in forklift brakes. These issues should be addressed immediately.
Visibility Checks
Visibility checks should include mirrors, windscreens, washers, wipers and other equipment that enables the driver to see, such as CCTV cameras.
Warning Devices Checks
No forklift should be used without correctly operating warning devices such as horns or lights.
Checks on Pipes, Hoses and Moving Parts
Hydraulic issues may be indicated by the failure of a forklift to properly raise and lower. Driver reports are useful indicators of this, but checks on all hydraulics and moving parts should be aspects of a regular maintenance schedule.
Checks on Specific Safety Systems
These should be undertaken on any equipment designed to control the movement of the vehicle during lifting. Rope securing points and racks should also be checked.
How can telematics improve forklift fleet maintenance?
Telematics improve maintenance by letting you monitor efficiency and safety and by flagging problems before they turn into breakdowns. There has been a marked increase in the number of forklifts fitted with telematics, which allow businesses to monitor the levels of efficiency and safety of their forklift fleets. Telematics can help to predict maintenance issues before they occur, safeguard optimum fleet performance and also ensure adherence to driver operator guidelines.
These vehicle management systems are not always initially popular with operators who fear a ‘Big Brother’ approach, and it is important to provide opportunities for discussion, training and the creation of written policies to ensure a smooth introduction and optimum usage.
Why should I audit my forklift maintenance costs?
Audit your maintenance costs because it is the only reliable way to know whether you are spending wisely and where you could save. In order to completely understand the implications and costs of existing forklift maintenance programs, as well as planning for future initiatives, it is important to be able to answer a wide selection of questions such as:
- Are we being charged the best price for parts?
- Are the older elements of our fleet less cost effective than the newer ones?
The ability to answer such questions can save a lot of money, but the only way in which to adequately do so is to conduct regular audits of forklift maintenance expenditure. Some organisations opt for buy-in cost management solutions to help with this.
The importance of forklift maintenance schedules is clear, however even the most systematic of schedules will fail in effectiveness and safety without regular and targeted training. Forklift drivers and managers alike need to feel comfortable with procedures including maintenance needs reporting and telematics operation in order to ensure a team approach to safety and maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a forklift be serviced?
There is no single interval that fits every truck, so base it on the manufacturer’s recommended service intervals, the hours worked, the age of the forklift, the environment it operates in and its value to your organisation. A truck used intensively or in harsh conditions will need servicing more often. Following a plan based on these factors is safer and more cost effective than waiting for a breakdown.
What is preventative forklift maintenance?
Preventative maintenance means servicing and inspecting forklifts on a planned schedule to catch problems before they cause failure. It replaces a reactive, fire-fighting approach where trucks are only fixed once they break down. Fleets maintained this way have less downtime, are safer and last longer.
What does the HSE say about forklift maintenance?
The HSE states that all equipment must be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. It expects daily driver checks such as indicators, tyres and lights, alongside planned maintenance checks carried out under proper safety precautions. Meeting these expectations is part of an employer’s health and safety duty.
What should a forklift maintenance check include?
HSE-recommended lift truck checks cover tyres, steering, brakes, visibility aids, warning devices, pipes, hoses and moving parts, and specific safety systems. Daily driver checks add indicators, tyres and lights at the start of each shift. Together they keep the truck safe and roadworthy for its tasks.
Who should carry out forklift tyre work?
Tyre requirements differ for pneumatic, solid rubber and polyurethane tyres, so always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Tyres should only ever be re-grooved by professionals. Getting this wrong risks both safety and premature tyre failure.
What are the signs a forklift needs repair?
Common warning signs include play or difficulty in the steering, spongy brakes, and a failure to raise or lower properly, which can point to hydraulic problems. A regular driver reporting system helps surface these issues early. Any fault affecting safe operation should be addressed immediately and the truck taken out of use if needed.
What are forklift telematics and are they worth it?
Telematics are vehicle management systems that monitor the efficiency and safety of a forklift fleet and can predict maintenance issues before they occur. They safeguard fleet performance and help enforce operator guidelines. They are worth it for many operations, provided you introduce them with discussion, training and clear written policies so operators accept them.
How do I control forklift maintenance costs?
Control costs by conducting regular audits of maintenance expenditure so you can see whether you are paying the best price for parts and whether older trucks are less cost effective than newer ones. These answers can save a lot of money. Some organisations use buy-in cost management solutions to support this.
Why does training matter for forklift maintenance?
Even the most systematic maintenance schedule will fail without regular, targeted training. Drivers and managers need to be comfortable with procedures such as reporting maintenance needs and operating telematics. This creates a team approach to safety and maintenance across the whole fleet.
At AFTT (Advanced Fork Truck Training) we offer professional forklift safety training for operators, managers and instructors. Contact us now for more information and a discussion of your needs.
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