There are 5 important steps to ensuring safety is a top priority. The first step is completing a Walk-Around Inspection to be able to insure that the model is visually safe. Next check if the worksite is safe to utilize with a Worksite Assessment. The Function Test is the third step in order to know whether or not the model is working in a safe manner. The 4th thing to consider is Proper Operation, so as to know whether or not the unit is working safely. Lastly, Proper Shutdown needs to be checked so as to make sure the unit is in a safe place and is capable of shutting down properly.
At the center of the 5 steps and this regulation, there is a machine which lifts heavy weights to impressive heights and stands on a triangular footprint. The key goal is to keep the telehandler upright, but surely there are risks.
The telehandler's triangular base comprises the two front wheels and the rear-axle pivot point. The rear axles normally oscillates, therefore the back wheels are not considered part of the base. The telehandler remains upright as long as the center of gravity of the machinery, which is defined as the point in 3 dimensions around which the equipment's weight is balanced, stays oriented in the stability triangle.
When the boom is down, adding a load to the forks at that same time changes the center of gravity forward and down. Lifting the load will change the center of gravity to the rear and upwards. At the same time, when this happens, the stability triangle shrinks. Thus, the higher you lift a load, the less of a margin for error you have since the stability triangle lessens.
With a stable but small stability triangle, it leaves less room for the center of gravity to move left or right. This wandering action can change the stability triangle, leaving less room for the frame to remain balanced if it is not perfectly level. Like for instance, imagine the center of gravity resembling a plumb bob hanging from the boom. You would always be able to find the center of gravity somewhere on a totally vertical line between a point on the boom and the center of the ground. If the frame is not level, the center of gravity would not be oriented over the equipment's centerline. The stability triangle is always aligned with the telehandler's centerline.