Pallet truck or hand truck? 4 differences in use
4min read
19/07/2016
Hand pallet trucks and reach trucks are sister tools that coexist in the warehouse for the same purpose: to transport loads easily. However, each one is specialised in a different type of lifting and this is something to bear in mind when deciding to use one or the other. To get the most out of each tool, we have identified four key differences in the use of pallet trucks and reach trucks. Do you know what they are?
When to use pallet trucks or reach trucks in the warehouse
Before deciding on the ideal candidate to accompany you in your work in the warehouse, it is worth asking yourself some pertinent questions:
1. What load do you need to carry?
In the case of having to move palletised goods, the hand pallet truck is the best option. Its design is especially designed to easily transport loads that are properly organised on pallets, since the pallet truck’s bars are inserted between the pallet and the load to ensure stability when moving
however, we should consider the hand truck when two variables are met with respect to weight: the goods are not palletised and simply weigh (considerably) less than the 2200 kg that the shoulders of the pallet truck can support (for example, the wheeled truck can carry up to 250 kg). The versatility of the folding truck allows the load to be easily secured with tensioners and straps if necessary to move it safely.
2. Where will you carry the load?
The surface over which you pass with the load is essential to tip the balance towards one tool or another. In the case of smooth, flat and wide surfaces, the pallet truck will be used without problem. In fact, the forks that hold the pallets will achieve greater stability the closer the goods are to the pavement
if the floor is uneven, slightly sloping or narrow, the hand truck ensures better manoeuvrability. Why? Because of a simple principle: to operate the pallet truck you need to pull the load, whereas to carry the folding truck you need to push it (and it’s better to do so to avoid unwanted injuries). If potholes become a complication, wheelbarrows can help you transport the load firmly.
3. Do you need to lift it to higher levels?
sometimes, we need to place the goods on top of shelves, on other pallets or move them to higher levels. The question then becomes more complicated. What do we have to take into account? The pallet truck, as you know, has great strength to lift weight compared to the agility of the folding forklift. So, if we talk about lifting the load by hand, only the pallet truck will be able to lift a tonne up to 80cm high
but semantically, “lift” has more meanings… what happens when we use a forklift to climb to another level? In this case, a hand truck is ideal to fit it on the forklift platform, which is not usually particularly wide (although pallet trucks with shorter bars may be useful in this regard). On the other hand, only the folding forklift is capable of overcoming obstacles that the pallet truck does not work with: stairs. The folding forklift is equipped with that speciality required by the forklift stair climberis endowed with this speciality that requires, of course, some control on our part…
4. And you, how do you handle it?
Finally, after so much talk about these warehouse companions, we must also measure our strength and handling. Using the pallet truck requires little strength, while the hand truck needs more physical support. When in doubt, we should not be emboldened: in certain cases, cooperation is key to carrying out the task successfully. Asking for help from a colleague is better than getting injured or ruining the goods, especially in cases where the goods are so bulky that it cuts off our angle of vision. And at this point we can only add that the presence of both in the warehouse is essential, even though we may have a preference for one or the other.
