Ergonomic Workplaces

Although all forklift trucks are fitted with seat belts, as required by law, they are rarely used in day-to-day work. That is why the KION brands are continually adapting safety features to real-life working conditions, ensuring maximum protection for drivers.

STILL has developed a new restraint system for forklift trucks called netProtect, which eliminates the need to fasten and undo a seat belt when getting in and out the truck. netProtect consists of a fixed restraint bar on the right side of the truck and a bar on the left powered by an electric motor that is lowered while the truck is moving and holds a protective net in place. If the driver forgets to close the net when he drives away, a warning appears on the front display unit. The forklift's maximum speed is limited if the bar is not lowered. The net closes automatically at speeds of over 5 km/h.

To reduce the risk of accidents, Linde Material Handling offers customers a rear-area monitoring system as an optional extra. Visual and acoustic signals warn drivers as soon as objects appear in the area being monitored. If the situation becomes dangerous, the system automatically reduces the driving speed. The rear-area monitoring system consists of two units, each with six integrated sensors at the rear of the forklift truck. These are linked to a central control unit that emits visual and acoustic signals. The sensor units scan the area behind the truck, with the monitored area being divided into three zones. The system is similar to the parking assistant found in passenger cars.

Rear-area monitoring system for Linde trucks: If the system detects an obstacle during reversing, it warns the driver using visual and acoustic signals. The intensity of the signal changes depending on the distance from the obstacle.

Frequent braking and driving off on surfaces that are often uneven are an everyday occurrence for forklift truck drivers.

The bumpier the surface becomes, the more the human vibration increases. This term describes all types of mechanical vibration (vibration, jarring, bumps) to which people can be subjected. It can be detrimental to health in the long term.

The EU has defined mandatory maximum levels for human vibration since March 2007. Forklift truck operators are responsible for complying with the rules. The KION Group's brand companies have been working on protection against vibration for many years and set standards in the market.

To meet the requirements, Linde Material Handling separated the lift mast and drive axle, steering axle, and tilt cylinder from the truck. This significantly reduces the transfer of jarring and vibration. In STILL's forklift trucks, vibrations transferred to the driver's area are reduced thanks to the design of the seat and the driver's cab, which rests on rubber buffers.

Greater comfort for drivers. Deliberate points of separation in the truck design, such as in the Linde 386 series, ensure that bumps on the ground and vibration are absorbed effectively.

Vibrations transferred to the driver's area are reduced thanks to the design of the seat and the driver's cab, which rests on rubber buffers in STILL forklift trucks. This effectively absorbs vibration and helps prevent damage to drivers' health.

Soot particles from diesel engines can be harmful to health, which is why cars are fitted with filters as standard. Diesel particulate filters are also used in forklift trucks. The proportion of diesel-powered forklift trucks equipped with such filters has risen steadily in recent years. The KION Group's brands also lead the way here, having offered diesel trucks with integrated diesel particulate filters for many years now. These filters absorb around 95 percent of the soot. Forklift trucks combining a modern diesel engine and a filter achieve soot particle emissions that are well below the limit permitted by law, thereby helping ensure an eco-friendly workplace.

Particulate filters absorb the rust particles. It is permitted to operate the forklift trucks in closed warehouses due to their low diesel particulate emissions.