Hello and welcome to Premier Handling Solutions’ video series on running a safer and more efficient warehouse. If you stopped by our blog earlier this week, you probably noticed our blog post and video called “What is a Pallet Jack?” (I you haven’t read/watched it yet, there’s no better time than now! I’ll wait…), and now that we all know what a pallet jack is, how do you use a pallet jack?

How Do You Use a Pallet Jack?

Before we get into the “how,” let’s refresh on why exactly you need pallet jacks in your warehouse. To compress it down to the narrowest explanation possible, pallet jacks are perfect for moving around your palletized loads quickly and easily. If you need to move a pallet from your warehouse to your loading docks, just wheel it over using a pallet jack, instead of by hand or with a bulky forklift.

There exists a huge variety of pallet jacks you can purchase for your warehouse, a no two are exactly the same but the following directions should have you covered for just about any manual pallet jack.

Step 1. Use the release on your pallet jack’s handle to make sure the forks are lowered to ground level.

Step 2. Line your pallet jack and pallet up so that the jack’s two forks go through the corresponding openings at the back and front of your pallet

Step 3. Pump the pallet jack’s handle, much like you would a jack for your car when changing out a flat tire, until the pallet is completely off the ground. Most pallet jacks will lift their forks roughly 7 inches from the ground.

Step 4. Wheel your palletized load around by pulling the handle wherever you would like it to move to. Lower your pallet jack and remove it from beneath the pallet. It’s just that easy!

A powered or electric pallet jack operates pretty much the same way, except it’s far less taxing physically. Situate your electric pallet jack at ground level beneath your pallet, and then press a button or pull a lever to raise the forks. In some cases, you can also move the pallet jack around while you stand on a small platform attached to it, so you don’t even have to pull the load around!

Thank you for stopping by to watch the Premier Handling Solutions video series on running a safer and more efficient warehouse. Remember to watch our previous video explaining what a pallet jack is, as well as our videos on how to safely operate a manual pallet jack, as well as a video on electric pallet jack safety. Be sure to stop by often for more warehouse tips!