The Guinness Book of World Records: Forklift Edition

Have you ever wondered what is the biggest forklift in the world? Or, have you ever wondered which forklift has lifted the most weight? In most instances, you may consider consulting the Guinness Book of World Records to answer these questions. But, you may quickly discover that you need to look elsewhere to get the answers you want. To better understand why, let’s consider the history of the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Guinness Book of World Records: A Brief History

The Guinness Book of World Records was first published in 1955. Sir Hugh Beaver, managing director of the Guinness Brewery, wanted to know the fastest game bird in Europe. After much research, he could not find the answer. So, he decided to compile a book of facts and figures that eventually became the Guinness Book of World Records.

Today, the Guinness Book of World Records is one of the most popular books around the globe. Since its first edition, the Guinness Book of World Records has included a wide range of records — everything from the fastest bird to the most sausages produced in 1 minute.

With so many interesting facts, the Guinness Book of World Records should have plenty of data on forklifts. Yet, upon close examination into the book’s details about world forklift records, it comes up short. Lucky for you, the team at CertifyMe.net put our noses to the grindstone (actually the Internet) and came up with a few “unofficial” forklift world records.

World’s Largest Forklift

Finding the world’s largest forklift was no small feat. We first considered marina lifts, which resemble traditional forklifts but can pick up boats. The Wiggins Marina Bull can lift boats up to 75 feet in the air, and it can lift 10,000-lb. vessels that high.

Consider this too: one of the world’s largest owner-operator of marinas in the U.S. asked Wiggins Marina to build a giant forklift that could:

• Transport 50-ft. boats that can displace 20 tons
• Raise 10,000-lb. boats to 75 ft.
• Safely place boats in a marina’s five-level racking structures

What’s more, the marina operator wanted two of these large forklift trucks. When completed, these trucks became the largest marina lifts in the world, surpassing the previous world record Wiggins Marina built-in 2013.

World’s Strongest Forklift

Feats of strength are a hit with most Guinness Book of World Records fans. From the bench press to the squat, the upper limits of human strength never fail to surprise and amaze. However, human strength pales in comparison to the strength of an average forklift.

The second-strongest forklift on the planet weighs nearly 100 tons, and it can lift up to 65 tons in one load — that’s 130,000 lbs., or about the weight of 45 average size cars. Can you picture a forklift driving around with 45 vehicles stacked on top of each other on the lift forks? That would be a sight to behold!

To go one step further, the Kalmar DCG720-10LB forklift can top that. This forklift can lift up to 72 tons, making it the strongest forklift in the world. Even more amazing, the forklift can lift that weight on an inclined slope of up to 34%.

How to Operate a Giant Forklift Safely

A giant forklift may seem intimidating to operate, regardless of whether the machine has earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. Fortunately, safety training is available that you can use to teach your employees how to properly operate a forklift.

Safety training is comprehensive, and it teaches employees how to operate a forklift in different work settings. The training enables workers to become OSHA-compliant forklift operators. It can also help your company reduce the risk of forklift accidents, injuries and fatalities.

Want to Use Biggest Forklift Correctly? Safety Training from CertifyMe.net Is Key

At CertifyMe.net, we offer extensive forklift safety training courses designed for employees of all skill and experience levels. Our classes can be completed at workers’ convenience and allow them to quickly become OSHA-certified forklift operators. To learn more about our forklift safety training classes, please contact us online or call us today at 1-888-699-4800.