Crown Equipment
Order picker operators are multitaskers who must efficiently and effectively operate the lift truck in highly dense environments in addition to picking product. In these applications, limited visibility, especially at height, can pose a safety hazard to operators and warehouse employees and negatively affect efficiency and productivity. This is why visibility and design features that optimize visibility need to be an essential consideration when choosing high-level order pickers.
Operators can face hazards that may greatly impact visibility, such as dim warehouse lighting that may create shadows or misplaced loads within the racks, as well as other equipment. For order pickers, these issues can be exacerbated by working at height and experiencing what one might call “tunnel vision” that can impact an operator’s ability to adequately see what’s below, above, and even in front of the forklift.
Poor visibility can contribute to accidents that result in personal injury, but it can also negatively affect a warehouse’s productivity and profitability. These same accidents can cause costly damage to racks, loads, and the order picker itself.
Forklift designers are making advances that enhance visibility and increase operator confidence by expanding what the operator can see above and below and to each side while working within the aisle and traveling throughout the warehouse.
For example, Crown’s new SP 1500 Series order picker features the industry’s first mid-console window, centered between the operator controls, to provide a view of the floor below when the platform is raised. This is combined with a large upper window that offers a wide view of pedestrians, objects, and other equipment, as well as openings in the center and on each side of the floorboard to provide clear views directly below. An optional large panoramic window above the operator provides clear sightlines to pick locations.
Crown’s new SP 1500 Series also includes an Aux Lift model. In addition to the same visibility features as the standard SP 1500 Series order picker, it also includes two auxiliary mast windows between the operator platform and the forks. This enables the operator to see the warehouse floor when traveling forks-first with the load raised. This model is also available with dual controls, one facing the power unit and one facing the forks, to enable the operator to easily and efficiently switch between power unit-first or forks-first travel while maintaining all-around visibility.
Beyond operator visibility, the SP 1500 Series also provides operational insight through the Gena® operating system and the InfoLink® operator and fleet management system. The Gena system monitors inputs from all on-board sensors, with control modules in constant communication so that real-time information is always accessible. The InfoLink system captures operational data and provides insight into operator access, impacts, productivity, lift truck utilization, and service tracking.
For more information on how Crown helps companies create and maintain strong safety-first cultures, visit Crown’s safety page, view Crown’s e-book, “An Integrated Approach to Forklift Safety,” and visit the Training section of crown.com.
Contributed by Crown Equipment Corporation
