Okay. So it is an indoor warehouse 4500 lb max narrow aisle reach, and what I suggested, still stands.

Thanks Guys,
The reach truck is a 2 tonne narrow aisle truck with the option of either sitting down or standing up. It is not fitted with a seat belt. It is used in a cold store facility where ice on the floor can be encountered.

Paddy B,

What type of reach truck are you talking about ----
1.) The little baby ones used in a warehouse or
2.) finn r was refering to (container handling, telescoping reach types) the giant sized (PaPa Bear)ones in his response.

Most of this thread seems to be discussing the warehouse type, electric reach.

Let's see if this train is on the right track.

yep, and the same could be said of any powered industrial truck tip over, if the operator was following the directions given during a proper training class, the incident (what ever it was) would not ever have happened.
and if the operator could not follow the directions given in a proper training class for the unit, then that person should not be anywhere near the heavy machinery that a powered industrial truck is.

Well, if an operator is travelling while raising the forks, and he should know better, and his mast is therefore high enough to hit an overhead crane, which it wouldn't if the forks were lowered, then the incident wouldn't have occurred, right?

he said;
"unless the operator does something unorthodox"....
which it shouldn't...
tip over, in _any_ direction.

you know they say that if you build something "id10t proof", they build a better id10t, right away.
I have seen reach trucks fitted with a bar on hinges and a hasp to prevent operators from coming out of place.

The reach truck, obviously, is where one exits out the back, and not off to the side. If the truck tips over on its side, and the operator jumps, sayanora! Out the back, the issue is not as grave, as long as the truck does not tip backwards, which it shouldn't, unless the operator does something unorthodox.

Since the vast majority of stand-ups, either reach or counterbalance, do not offer seating options, my preference would be to jump out, but I am smart enough not to get myself in those precarious situations.

In the meantime, no reach trucks, as far as I know, I am a trainer and not an OEM affiliate, have no seatbelts so the operator can jump to safety, provided the truck does not fall back.

johnr j.
sorry mate, different terminology.
when someone suggests a reach truck i,think big ,like a 75tonne machine.(you cannot really jump of it as i,d break a leg)
a reach forklift has me thinking of something you can stand up in.
now that we all talk about the same type of machine.
the big modern machines have a cutout fitted.(to prevent over reaching&tipping over)
i think this technology could/should also be used on reach forklifts.
regards finn

I think that what it really boils down to, is that the reason we have operator restraint systems is that our instinct to jump from a rollover is what gets us killed in a sit-down, as much as the rolling over, and what we are really discussing is leaving the vehicle when tipping -sideways-, far more than front or backwards motion.

Well, you are right. Improper operation, because first of all, never travel while operating the hydraulics, and secondly, maintain the forks as low to the ground as possible.

Using an analogy, we have air bags in our cars with seatbelts, and if we decide to drive in oncoming traffic at 70MPH and hit an 18 wheeler head on, I guess the protection equipment won't save our lives.

So, if someone is incorrectly trained, or ignores proper operating procedures, and drives with the forks elevated, and hits an overhead crane with the mast, what can you do?

Unfortunately, he paid the price.

Hey Dan, I have seen where a reach truck was traveling rather fast, in the forks first direction, while raising and when the carriage struck an overhead crane, the truck flipped backwards, I was told the operator lost a leg.
(we aren't talking about "proper operation". we are discussing -emergency- egress of stand up operated narrow aisle equipment).
The forklift, once back upright, a new battery installed, washed down the spilled acid, and lost almost no hydraulic oil, worked well for many more years, never complained of guilt.

I have had the good fortune of operating this Crown Reach Truck with a seat. No seat belt tho', and it IS quite easy to step off in case of a tipover.

The BT's have the same configuration as well. All I have ever come across are the older ones and they have no seat belts either. Again, it is quite fast and easy to jump out.

However, the sit-down is not as easy as one must clear the steering wheel, then turn sideways, and either slip or push oneself out, and in that time, the truck has indeed tipped, trapping the poor operator between the truck and the ground.

Much easier in the sit-down reach trucks. They are sitting sideways. The truck is not going to tip backwards unless they are falling off a loading dock backwards.

dan m,

I have seen mast reach trucks where the operator is seated & fitted with a lap belt. I know Crown has an a pantograph reach unit where the operator can be seated -not certain if they have lap belts also. What to do?

On stand up trucks, I teach my participants to step out. Sit-downs, they stay in buckled.

That is why they do not put doors on stand-ups, counterbalance or reach, so the operator may quickly escape out of the unit. I once viewed a film by Clark, Better Safe Than Sorry, where they strongly urge the operator to step out.

Only makes sense!

finn r,

Not certain what type of reach unit you maybe refering to. But most reach unit (carriage pantograph design not mast reach type) are not fitted with seat belts. The operator merely stands in the compartment and hold on to the tiller and hydraulic control handle or lever(s). At one time US manufacturers offered a optional door enclosure over the operators entry opening to keep the operator retained inside but because of issues that the operator could not easily escape when the unit over turned many if not all discountinued this option.

I always was advised that on stand-up units (reach type not counterbalanced) it is best for the operator to step out in cas of turn over as most units reach unti will turn over sideways

It would be interesting to here from someone from Crown, Raymond (pantograph reach) and Nichiyu (mast reach manufactuer) on this matter.

finn r,

Not certain what type of reach unit you maybe refering to. But most reach unit (carriage pantograph design not mast reach type) are not fitted with seat belts. The operator merely stands in the compartment and hold on to the tiller and hydraulic control handle or lever(s). At one time US manufacturers offered a optional door enclosure over the operators entry opening to keep the operator retained inside but because of issues that the operator could not easily escape when the unit over turned many if not all discountinued this option.

I always was advised that on stand-up units (reach type not counterbalanced) it is best for the operator to step out in cas of turn over as most units reach unti will turn over sideways

It would be interesting to here from someone from Crown, Raymond (pantograph reach) and Nichiyu (mast reach manufactuer) on this matter.

yes its the same.((for container reach stackers)
do you think you get a clean getaway then sure.
i don,t think there is time (how big is your reach truck?)
legally the operator should stay seatbelted up in case it goes bad and he /she gets hurt.