Most reach trucks and forklifts are available with many common security features, like seat belts on sit-down vehicles. Stand-up vehicles will usually have dead-man petals. In addition, certain manufacturers are providing extra features like speed controls that could reduce the overall speed based on load height and steering angle. For more info, there are many articles available on Lift Truck Safety and Loading Dock Safety.
Service and Support
Making certain you would maintain access to high levels of support and service is a really essential part of forklift selection. There seem to be a variety of new players within the lift truck business each and every year. Even if they offer a decent lift truck design and a nice price, if they do not provide the regional or local service and support infrastructure, you must be prepared for major aggravation when the lift truck breaks. Every lift truck model goes down sooner or later and parts, service and general questions must be addressed at some point.
You will normally want to have a nearby repair shop or dealer with a full supply of the components you need for your specific unit. Be sure to visit the dealership or the repair shop and take a look at their parts room in order to try to know how many parts they stock. Make sure to inquire that if they do not have the part you require, where will it come from? With a bit of luck, the answer will be from a local or regional distribution facility.
Moreover, try to get some ideas as to how many of those particular units are currently being utilized within your area. This is really important for specialty trucks including turret trucks. If there are only a small amount of trucks in use in their service area that you must assume they may not be stocking many if any parts for them. What's more, they could have very little overall experience in servicing that specific model too.