How to select the correct forklift aisle width

The widths of forklift aisles are extremely important. Unfortunately, the width of the aisles are often guesstimated. In order to be safe and secure, you should do more than simply guess the sizes you need for the aisles. Reducing the aisle space not only will make your team more productive and efficient, you’ll be utilizing the warehouse space far more, reducing the storage cost per pallet.

Vehicles can have specific calculations and determinations but there is general knowledge for aisles show below:

The 12″ add-on is for maneuvering space
Head length is the distance from the back of the forklift to the front of the load back rest
The 6″ add-on is for pallet overhang. Loads can hang over further than 6″
Load length is the length of the pallet down the stringer, plus its load overhang
When you’re designing warehouse, keep in mind that your rack supplier and forklift supplier should be in contact either during the planning stage, or when the order is finalized. It’s critical the racking is installed at the correct aisle width to ensure your forklifts aren’t using too much space. Even worse, this ensures your aisles are not installed too narrow for your equipment to work. Call RACKsteel for further information.