Use a forklift to remove snow

In December of this year, a once-in-a-lifetime cold wave has arrived, and heavy snowfall continues in various places. In snowy areas, many businesses put a lot of effort into clearing the snow, and some of them may be asking outside contractors to remove the snow at a high cost.

Among them, there may be many business establishments who want to do the snow removal that they can do by themselves. That said, installing a snowplow costs a considerable amount of money, and there is a limit to what can be done with human power.

So this time I would like to introduce the snow removal work using a forklift. If you attach a snow removal attachment to the forklift you normally use for cargo handling, you can easily remove snow.

In the first place, is it okay to remove snow with a forklift?

In the first place, many people are wondering whether it is okay to remove snow with a forklift or whether it is legally illegal. The first thing to note is that the forklift cannot be driven on public roads or removed snow while the snow removal attachment is attached.

In addition, Article 151-14 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health stipulates that "vehicle load handling and transport machines such as forklifts must not be used for purposes other than their primary purpose, such as lifting loads and lifting workers." It can be read that it should not be used for anything other than normal cargo handling and transportation work.

However, this article also states that "However, this shall not apply when there is no risk of danger to workers," and it is generally interpreted that there is no problem with snow removal work using a forklift. Just in case, it would be a good idea to inquire at the nearest Labor Standards Office to see if it falls under the category of non-intended use, and then consider introducing it.

Advantages of snow removal with a forklift

First, attach the attachment for removing snow to the claw of the forklift. The mounting method differs depending on the product, but in most cases the attachment can be installed in a short time, so it has the advantage of being able to respond quickly to sudden heavy snowfalls.

In the case of snowplows and snowplows, it costs money to install them, and they are not operated except during the snowy season, so it seems a bit wasteful to think that they will only be in operation for a limited time. On the other hand, if it is a forklift attachment, it is inexpensive to introduce, and the forklift can be operated for normal cargo handling during the snow removal season.

While carrying out normal cargo handling work, it is possible to attach an attachment and remove snow at the timing when snow removal is required. Businesses with forklifts, especially in areas where there is heavy snowfall every year, should have a snow removal attachment ready for emergencies.

How to remove snow

Before removing snow, make sure there are no people around. Work efficiency will be improved if the area to be cleared of snow is at a time when there are as few cars or people passing through as possible.

After attaching the attachment to the forklift, collect the snow in one place. If the area to be plowed is large, divide it into several areas and set up temporary snow collection areas to collect the surrounding snow. If heavy snow and light snow are mixed, put heavy snow on top of the light snow, and it will solidify well and reduce the volume of the mountain.

Before starting the actual work, it is a good idea to have an image of what kind of wire you will use to work with less loss.

As a point of caution, avoid sudden starts, sudden acceleration, sudden braking, and sudden steering, be careful not to let the front wheels float, and keep the speed as constant as possible to avoid slips. .

The accumulated snow masses are large and heavy. There may be an avalanche on the other side of the piled pile, so check in advance that there is no easily deformed object such as a fence on the other side of the piled place so that it will not interfere with traffic or cause a nuisance to the neighbors. Put.

In addition, forklifts are not heavy equipment intended for removing snow and are vulnerable to unevenness, so when driving into a piled-up area, do not force it too far.

Types of snow removal attachments

Various snow removal attachments are sold by each company, but we will introduce the representative types.

snow removal bucket

A bucket is a type of attachment attached to the arm of heavy machinery such as excavators. Often seen at excavation sites, snow removal buckets are designed with a size and capacity suitable for removing snow, and are designed to be easily attached to the claws of forklifts.

Some have a constant bucket tilt angle, while others have inertia that increases the bucket tilt angle when the lift is raised and the brake is applied, making it easier to clear the snow from the bucket.

snow removal blade

The concept is the same as the snow removal bucket mentioned above, but unlike the bucket, it does not have a bottom and is shaped like scraping out the snow.

It is easier to drive than the bucket type that you have to pay attention to the bottom while driving, and it is characterized by its ability to turn in a small radius. It also has the advantage of being able to handle heavier and harder snow than the bucket type.

How to choose a snow removal attachment

First, you need to make sure it fits your forklift claws. Also, since it will wear due to unevenness of the road surface, it should be as sturdy as possible, and whether it is possible to deal with wear (whether the entire attachment needs to be replaced, or whether only the worn part can be replaced, etc.) It is a good idea to check in advance.

Even if the shape is similar, the durability varies greatly depending on the product. There are some products that look super cheap but obviously have low durability, so be careful. This snowplow blade (you can check the details from the image below) is manufactured by casting instead of sheet metal welding, which is often seen. We have a proven track record in moving not only snow but also rubble, scrap, earth and sand, etc.