For a long time, it is generally believed that reducing workers' discomfort by paying more attention to ergonomics has a positive impact on efficiency and productivity. For example, in a modern office environment, when creating a workspace, the design of tables and chairs, displays, keyboards and lighting will be evaluated in detail to reduce the musculoskeletal impact of people who sit and stare at the screen for a long time. Gary ison, sales training and product development manager of Toyota material handling UK, said: "the forklift operator's office is the forklift cab, so if the operator wants to maintain comfort and efficiency throughout the working day, all aspects of cab design must be considered."
Ergonomics is often defined as "the science of making the workplace meet the needs of users". However, when something is described as "ergonomically designed", it does not just mean that it is "suitable for a specific purpose." Ergonomics means paying special attention to the development of a product to ensure that it is most likely to be "suitable" for users, the environment and the tasks expected to be performed.
The office of the forklift operator is the cab of the forklift. This is where he / she spends about 8 hours a day, so every aspect of the cab design - from the step height to the shape of the control lever - must be considered if the operator is to remain comfortable throughout his / her shift, thereby improving work efficiency.
At Toyota, for more than a quarter of a century, we have focused on ergonomics to improve driver comfort. During this period, we have introduced some breakthrough features, such as the unique inclined cab used on the reflex e-reach forklift series, which can reduce the driver's pressure and provide maximum vision from height, but we believe that our new series BT reflex forward forklift represents the most ergonomically advanced machine we have ever produced.
With no less than 11 adjustment points, it is no exaggeration to say that the driver's position in the new BT reflex series can be customized in a variety of ways, so as to provide a perfect working environment for operators of any body type or body type.
From the ground up, the low steps lead to the cab floor with adjustable height, and the accelerator and brake pedal can be raised and lowered as needed to adapt to different operator heights or leg lengths. All new models can be equipped with high-quality air suspension seats, which have no less than five adjustment points, allowing the operator to choose the most comfortable driving position.
The operator can adjust the length and vertical elevation of the steering column according to the needs of the operator, and the three control points can be switched according to the length and vertical elevation of the body. In order to further improve the operation experience, the palm rest of the steering device has been improved to improve the touch sensitivity and feeling, while the new main console on the right side of the driver makes the new model highly intuitive control.
The levers are arranged in contour patterns to match the natural rest of human fingers, while the new large color touch screen display provides a clear view of key information and direct access to the programmable features and functions of the forklift. Like the main control, the design of touch screen also takes into account the convenience of operation, and its intuitive interactive function ensures high efficiency. Other additional features that make life easier for drivers include an additional storage box, a mobile phone charging point and an optional Bluetooth connection.
Forklift operators are the most important asset in any logistics operation. They are becoming increasingly scarce commodities in the labor force. Therefore, respecting drivers has never been so important, and a good way to do this is to ensure that their working environment is relaxed and pleasant.
By putting the operator at the center of our design thinking, Toyota's new BT reflex series provides the best driving experience for forward forklift drivers. Its innovative features ensure comfort on all shifts, improving forklift performance and optimizing internal logistics efficiency. And, of course, this means that warehouse and RDC managers can rest assured that their forklift drivers are happy and that throughput targets are being achieved.
