An order picker lifts the person, not just the pallet. In e-commerce, spare-parts and retail warehouses where staff pick individual items from high racking, the operator rides up with the platform to the stock face instead of bringing whole pallets down. UAE Equipment Rental does not rent order pickers; this guide is general information to help you decide whether your warehouse needs one.
Order picker, reach truck or forklift?
- Order picker: the operator rides up to pick cartons or items at height.
- Reach truck: moves full pallets in and out of high, narrow-aisle racking.
- Counterbalance forklift: moves pallets and heavy loads on floors and yards, loads trucks and works outdoors.
Many warehouses use more than one: forklifts at the dock, reach trucks for pallet storage and order pickers for item picking.
Low-level and high-level pickers
Low-level pickers lift the operator a short height, for picking from the lower rack levels. High-level pickers raise the operator much higher and are used in taller racking, sometimes in very narrow aisles with guidance systems.
Safety at height
The operator works at height, so the machine’s fall-protection arrangements and harness requirements, operator training and a clear pedestrian policy in the aisles all matter. Racking must be in good condition and correctly labelled for load.
Details that decide the choice
The number of lines picked per shift, rack heights, aisle widths, the size and weight of picked items, and the floor condition.
Questions to ask a supplier
- Which picker type suits my rack height and aisle width?
- What training and fall protection does the operator need?
- What charging and floor standard does the machine need?
Where we can help
For pallet movement at the dock, in the yard and at truck beds, our forklifts cover 3 to 25 ton classes.