An order picker or stock picker machinery is really like a standard forklift. It has hydraulic forks able to raise a pallet. Order pickers can also lift the operator up to high places, which is a feature that lift trucks presently do not offer. Normally, order pickers are operated by electricity. These type of machines are mainly used in a warehouse environment. Usually they are utilized for transporting pallets and completing certain jobs in the shelving and stocking department.
The order picker operator sits up on a platform where they operate the controls. These controls help to direct the machinery backwards, forwards or steer it from side to side. When the operator has positioned the unit in place the tines could be raised to the required level that makes it convenient for the operator. For instance, if the needed materials, are located on a shelf which the operator cannot reach, then entire platform is capable of being lifted up to certain level. Due to the counterweight situated at the other end, the unit remains balanced, even at higher levels.
After the order has been picked, the platform is lowered back to its original position. Then the order picker can be driven to its next load. With the majority of models, it is possible to move the order picker while the platform is raised, although, some companies might have policies and procedures in place preventing such maneuvers in the name of safety. An order picker could also put pallets on a shelf. Forklifts and stackers could be used to finish these particular jobs at some companies instead.