How to Address Bent Forklift Forks
The short answer is - it's time to look for replacement forks. You’ve probably seen videos online of people heating and bending their pallet forks. Some people have gone as far as to weld their forklift tines with a hydraulic press.
While this may
appear to be a quick fix, the integrity of the steel is lost with heat. Once compromised, the integrity of the forks is gone forever. Just because forklift tines look like they once did doesn’t mean they’ll have the same strength. If you “fix” your forks with heat, you’ll never know their new forklift capacity. Therefore, you’ll never be able to operate safely.
Not only is reshaping forklift forks dangerous, but it is strictly against
OSHA regulations. In fact, OSHA
explicitly states, “Modifications and additions which affect capacity and safe operation shall not be performed by the customer or user without the manufacturer’s prior written approval.”
This mandate covers forklift blades as well. More often than not, the right choice is a replacement. If you have a question or concern about the integrity of your pallet forks, contact your manufacturer.
Though it may be tempting, a DIY fix is not a reliable or viable option. Instead, it is incredibly dangerous. Spend the couple hundred dollars to invest in new forklift blades if yours are bent.
