With the expense of a forklift, it only makes sense to purchase adequate protection for it. The majority of forklift buyers choose a preventative maintenance (PM) plan. These PM plans cover oil and filter changes, transmission servicing, and general check-ups at regularly scheduled intervals.

Just as with any other major purchase such as a home, vehicle, major electronic purchase, you want to make sure you have adequate 'insurance' against major defects and costly repairs. Owning a forklift truck should be no different. Planned maintenance should meet all O.S.H.A. and A.N.S.I. requirements for lift truck maintenance.

Service history reporting should be maintained. It is important to keep detailed records of the preventative maintenance performed on your lift truck. This information should include, but not limited to, the service worked performed, lift truck hours of operation, and costs for such service or repair.

Without preventative maintenance, a forklift truck can actually become a hazard to both the operator of the lift truck as well as those in the vicinity of the truck operation. Proper pre-operation inspections are OSHA required as part of a pre-shift inspection prior to putting any forklift into operation.

A properly maintained forklift truck can significantly reduce your repair expenses by fixing them before they become a major repair item.