The Choice Between Buying a Sit-Down or Stand-Up Forklift Comes Down to How You’re Going To Use It
A forklift buyer has many choices when considering a new material-handling vehicle for a plant, warehouse, distribution center, or retail operation. Among them are power choice–IC vs. electric, tire choice–sold vs. pneumatic, and financing–lease vs. buy. One of the options that’s sometimes overlooked is whether to specify a sit-down or stand-up forklift.
Generally, longer runs, higher capacity and longer working hours favor a sit-down truck. Narrow aisles and multi-tasking operators favor stand-up forklifts.
In this blog, we’ll examine the pros and cons of both types of forklifts and provide guidelines for selecting the one that best suits your application.
The Sit-down Forklift Pros
- Long Working Hours – If your forklift operator is working a full eight- or ten-hour shift, sitting in a forklift with an ergonomically designed seat is certainly more comfortable and less fatiguing. Many seats are designed with a huge number of seat adjustments, making your day on the forklift feel like a day behind a desk in an office. Seats offer heating, cooling, and ventilation, all designed to maximize the comfort and thus the productivity of the operator.
- Higher Capacity & Speed – Traditional sit-down forklifts also have greater load-carrying capacity, offer fast lift-and-lower speeds, and zip around a large facility or yard at speeds of up to 10 mph. They’re certainly the best choice for making long runs. Thus, they are the best choice for high-volume operations.
- Better For Challenging Environments – Sit-down forklifts can handle various environmental conditions and are a good choice for wet, oily or slippery conditions. They are the exclusive choice for most outdoor forklift applications.
- More Versatile – You can also add attachments to a sit-down forklift for specific material handling operations like moving cartons, rolls of material or wire, drums or other bulky material. Layer pickers and multiple load handlers attached to sit-down forklifts can greatly improve productivity.
- Safer – Operators of sit-down forklifts are required to wear set belts, an obvious safety advantage. Should a tip-over occur, they would be strapped into the truck’s seat, reducing the potential for serious injury.
- Easier To Use – Sit-down forklifts operate very much like a car, so although operators need to be trained on the use of the specific forklift, from a driving perspective, they’re pretty intuitive for anyone who’s a motorist.
And Now the Cons of a Sit-down Forklift
- Not Good For Multi-tasking Operators—Sit-down forklifts are not the best choice for operators who frequently exit the forklift to complete other tasks. The operator has to apply the brake, unfasten the seat belt, and climb down from the truck. These steps need to be done in reverse to resume using the forklift, which could be very tiring for the operator and take a toll on productivity.
- Limited Use in Narrow Aisle Scenarios – Sit-down forklifts require a wider aisle than many narrow aisle storage layouts provide. However, three-wheel forklifts generally have a tighter turning radius than four-wheel trucks and can operate in aisles as narrow as nine feet.
- Not Ergonomically Ideal in Reverse – When driving in reverse, operators of sit-down forklifts have to twist their bodies completely around to get good visibility of what’s behind the truck. That can cause neck, back and shoulder strain. Back-up cameras and proximity sensors mitigate this problem to some degree, but it’s still generally a good idea to look in the direction that the forklift is moving.
- Can Cause Drowsiness – Another potential problem is operator attentiveness. Sitting in the same seat all day long can cause operators to lose focus, creating the possibility of errors and accidents.
Stand-up Forklift Pros
- Best For Narrow Aisle Applications – Stand-up forklifts are ideal for narrow-aisle applications in warehouses and distribution centers. They have a smaller footprint, a smaller turning radius and right-angle stack, and can comfortably operate in aisles less than nine feet wide. That’s why narrow-aisle order pickers are configured for stand-up operation.
- Best For Multi-tasking Operators – For applications where the driver needs to get off the forklift to perform other operations, a stand-up forklift can’t be beat. Since most standup forklifts come with a “dead man” pedal, the operator simply has to bring the forklift to a stop and step off. Returning to the operator position is just as easy. This can be a huge productivity saver if the operator needs to exit the vehicle many times during the day.
- Better Forward/Reverse Visibility—Stand-up forklifts offer better driver visibility. Since the operator is positioned facing the forks and at 90° to the direction of travel, he/she only needs to turn 45° to face the direction of travel. This eliminates the strain of turning 180° to drive in reverse. Ergonomic professionals suggest that a stand-up forklift should be used if the operator has to drive in reverse more than 25% of the time. This contributes to better safety and less strain on the body.
- Driving Position Fosters Alertness – Standing operators are prone to being more alert to conditions around them. What’s more, exiting and re-entering the operator compartment multiple times per day tends to improve attention and is better for your body.
And Now the Cons of Stand-up forklift Cons
- Lower Capacity – Although stand-up forklifts have their center of gravity much closer to the forks than sit-down forklifts do, they don’t have the same lifting capacity as a large counterbalanced four-wheel forklift. However, compared to a three-wheel forklift, they have comparable capacity, generally up to 5,000 lb. Four-wheel sit-down forklifts have capacities well in excess of 20,000 lb.
- Additional Training Required – Operating a stand-up forklift requires additional training for operators who are used to driving a sit-down forklift or a Ford F-150. That’s because stand-up forklifts don’t have a traditional steering wheel but rather a joystick that’s more akin to playing a video game.
- Less Safe in Collisions – Stand-up forklifts are somewhat less safe than sit-down vehicles, especially in case of a collision. The operator needs to be alert enough to jump off the forklift and get clear of a potential falling load. With their center of gravity closer to the forks, stand-up forklifts are less prone to tipping over, but should a tip-over occur, the operator needs to get out of the way as fast as possible.
- More Expensive – Cost is a factor, too. Stand-up forklifts are about 20% more expensive than three-wheel sit-down vehicles with similar capacity.
Other Considerations
- If you’re locked into using an IC-powered forklift, you don’t have a choice. The only IC-powered forklifts are sit-down trucks.
- With stand-up forklifts, you have the choice of counterbalanced or outrigger models. Each has pros and cons: Counterbalanced stand-up forklifts have a better right-angle stack, while outrigger-equipped stand-up forklifts offer better lateral stability when storing or removing pallets from very high racks.
Still not sure which one works best for you? Try them out. Apex offers short-term rentals where you can see first-hand how the vehicle will work at your facility.
Whether you decide on a sit-down or stand-up forklift, the material-handling experts at Apex can help you specify a forklift that’s ideal for your specific application. We offer the training that you’ll need if you transition operators accustomed to operating sit-down forklifts over to driving stand-up vehicles. Apex can supply your company with various sit-down and stand-up forklifts from Linde, Clark, Big Joe, and BYD. Call us today!