Dhollandia DH-R Series User manual

Order ref: MD029.US.EN Doc: USE_US operation manual DHR_US EN_2020_rev1 Rev: 1Date: MARCH 1, 2020
DH-R* fold-away liftgates
OPERATION MANUAL
Read the manual in its entirety before operating the liftgate
Keep this manual in the vehicle cab, as reference for the driver and liftgate operator
Manufacturer:
DHOLLANDIA US, L.L.C.
E-mail : [email protected]
270 Southridge Parkway
Bessemer City North Carolina, 28016
website : www.dhollandia.com

1
DHOLLANDIA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1UNDERSTANDING SAFETY AND WARNING SIGNS........................................................................................................................ 2
2CONTACT INFORMATION AND DISCLAIMERS................................................................................................................................ 3
3GENERAL INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................................... 4
4INTENDED USE .................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
5IDENTIFICATION ................................................................................................................................................................................ 5
6DESCRIPTION AND LIFTGATE TERMINOLOGY .............................................................................................................................. 5
7SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE LIFTGATE.................................................................................................................... 8
7.1 DO NOT use liftgate without adequate safety and operator training........................................................................................... 8
7.2 General safety instructions.......................................................................................................................................................... 8
7.3 Danger zones, risk of crush and shear injury ............................................................................................................................ 13
7.4 Safe operator position ............................................................................................................................................................... 15
7.5 Instructions for working at loading docks .................................................................................................................................. 18
7.6 Recommended daily pre-trip inspection.................................................................................................................................... 19
7.7 Importance of preventative maintenance .................................................................................................................................. 21
8LOAD CHARTS AND CORRECT LOADING PROCEDURES........................................................................................................... 22
9OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS - PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES............................................................................................... 25
9.1 Platform ride.............................................................................................................................................................................. 25
9.2 Main external control boxes ...................................................................................................................................................... 26
9.3 Most popular auxiliary controls.................................................................................................................................................. 27
9.4 Switching the main power ON / OFF......................................................................................................................................... 28
9.5 Operation .................................................................................................................................................................................. 29
9.6 The use of cart stops................................................................................................................................................................. 32
10 DECALS............................................................................................................................................................................................. 34
10.1 Regular decals .......................................................................................................................................................................... 34
10.2 Liftgate decals used and affixed in areas, other than the rear of the vehicle: ........................................................................... 36
10.3 Use of the ‘WARNING. LIFTGATE OUT OF SERVICE. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OPERATE’ sign .......................................... 37
11 MEANING OF SAFETY AND WARNING SIGNS .............................................................................................................................. 38
12 END NOTE ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 40
13 ANNEXES.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 40
13.1 Checklist for preventative maintenance and repair ................................................................................................................... 40

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DHOLLANDIA
1UNDERSTANDING SAFETY AND WARNING SIGNS
Many safety signs and symbols used in this manual are based on international standards, others refer to specific situations or actions.
Consult section 11 page 38 for an overview of signs and symbols used in DHOLLANDIA manuals and their meanings.
Please take special notice of the following signs used in the manual. They indicate the likelihood and severity of a potential injury if a
person fails to follow the instructions presented on the safety sign.
DANGER: indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in death or
serious injury. [white letters on red background]
WARNING: indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or
serious injury. [black letters on orange background]
CAUTION: indicates a potentially hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in minor or
moderate injury. [black letters on yellow background]
NOTICE: is used to address practices not related to physical injury. [white letters on blue
background]
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS: indicate general instructions relative to safe work practices, reminders
of proper safety procedures, or the location of safety equipment. [white letters on green
background]
SAFETY ALERT SYMBOL: is used to alert the user to potential hazards. All safety messages that
accompany this sign shall be obeyed to avoid possible harm. [free-standing, or on background
colors red, orange, yellow or black]
WARNING
•Failure to understand and follow the instructions in this manual can put the operator and any bystanders at great risk of serious
bodily injury and death.
•Prior to operating the liftgate, make sure you understand the safety and warning signs used, and read them in conjunction with
the instructions in this manual.
•If in doubt, DO NOT operate the liftgate. Contact your national DHOLLANDIA distributor. See page 3 for contact info.
NOTICE
SAFETY
INSTRUCTIONS

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DHOLLANDIA
2CONTACT INFORMATION AND DISCLAIMERS
•DHOLLANDIA liftgates are regularly being adapted to new vehicle and chassis developments and specialized customer requirements.
Therefore, DHOLLANDIA reserves the right to alter product specifications without prior notice; and potentially modifications or new
developments might not have been taken into account at the time of printing.
NOTICE
Please confirm you have reviewed the most up-to-date version of this manual prior to operation of the associated DHOLLANDIA liftgate.
See below for instructions to download the latest version of the manual.
•Contact your national DHOLLANDIA distributor if you have any questions regarding the installation, operation, repair and maintenance
of DHOLLANDIA liftgates, to obtain replacement copies of manuals or decals, or to learn about available equipment options for
DHOLLANDIA liftgates.
•Take notice of following important disclaimers:
DISCLAIMERS
•DHOLLANDIA disclaims liability for any personal injury, death, or property damage that results from operating a liftgate that has
been modified from the original design, without explicit written approval from the manufacturer.
•DHOLLANDIA disclaims liability for any personal injury, death, or property damage that results from use of aftermarket or non-
OEM replacement parts for service or repair of the liftgate.
•DHOLLANDIA disclaims liability for any personal injury, death, or property damage that results from improper use of the liftgate.
•DHOLLANDIA disclaims liability for any personal injury, death, or property damage that results from overloading or improperly
loading the platform, disregard of the maximum rated lift capacity and the applicable load charts.
•There are no warranties, express or implied, including the warranty of merchantability or a warranty of fitness for a particular
purpose extending beyond that set forth in this manual.
The latest version of all manuals can also be downloaded from the DHOLLANDIA website:
www.dhollandia.com → Country & language selection → Downloads → Operation Manuals
→ … select required manual
DHOLLANDIA US, LLC
United States - East
200 Hilton Street West
Easton PA 18042
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]
DHOLLANDIA CANADA, Inc.
Canada
2105 Boulevard des Entreprises
Terrebonne Quebec J6Y1W9
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]
DHOLLANDIA MEXICO, Inc.
Mexico
Fraccionamiento Industrial
Dinamo del Norte,
Calle Tierra 103-105
C.P. 65500, Salinas Victoria,
Monterrey- Nuevo Leon
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]
DHOLLANDIA US, LLC
United States - West
12968 Santa Ana Avenue
Fontana CA 92337
Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]

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DHOLLANDIA
3GENERAL INTRODUCTION
•This OPERATION MANUAL explains how the DHOLLANDIA liftgate is manufactured, what safety devices are incorporated in its
design; and how to use the liftgate in a correct manner, that preserves the integrity of the machine over the intended lifetime and helps
maximize the safety of the operator and any bystanders.
•The MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR MANUAL (separate) explains how to maintain and service the liftgate in the appropriate manner,
maximizing the safety of the operator and any bystanders, and ensuring the reliability of the liftgate over the intended lifetime.
•The manuals must be kept with the liftgate at all times, as a reference book for the operators and technical service
4INTENDED USE
DHOLLANDIA liftgates are designed to be fitted to commercial vehicles (commercial trucks, trailers and semi-trailers), and shall be used
exclusively to load and unload the goods transported on the vehicle it is fitted to, within the limits of the load chart, in compliance with the
operator instructions and safety instructions described in this manual.
WARNING
•Improper use of the liftgate will put the operator and other parties at great risk of serious bodily injury and death. Therefore, the use
of the liftgate is restricted to skilled operators only; who have been properly trained, and who know and understand the full contents
of this manual.
•Unauthorized modifications to the liftgate can put the operator and other parties at great risk of serious bodily injury and death.
Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to modify the liftgate and its safety devices in any way.
•Use of aftermarket or non-OEM replacement parts to repair or maintain the liftgate is strictly prohibited and may result in serious
bodily injury or death to the operator or any bystanders.
WARNING
•Improper use of the liftgate will put the operator and bystanders at great risk of serious bodily injury and death. Therefore, it is
strictly forbidden to use the liftgate in a different way, or for different purposes than described in the operation manual.
•The liftgate must NEVER be used as an elevated work platform, to push loads, or to carry people.
•The liftgate must NEVER be used as a wheelchair lift.

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DHOLLANDIA
5IDENTIFICATION
•Every DHOLLANDIA liftgate is identified by and labelled with a
unique 8-digit serial number (with or without a space
between the first and last 4 digits). Use this number for any
inquiry on a particular liftgate, or when ordering replacement
parts.
•In addition to the liftgate type and serial number, the various
serial number labels provide additional information, such as:
the maximum rated lift capacity and load chart, the date of
manufacture, etc...
•These labels are usually affixed to various liftgate components,
and can be found in following locations (the yellow arrows point
to the serial numbers):
On the lift frame
On the lift cylinder and parallel arms
On the platform
On the pump unit
6DESCRIPTION AND LIFTGATE TERMINOLOGY
•DHOLLANDIA liftgates are developed and manufactured using state-of-the-art technology, high quality materials and components and
highly skilled workmanship.
•The DH-R… series comprises of a range of fold-away liftgates, designed for a wide variety of trucks, trailers and semi-trailers, and is
available with lift capacities ranging from 1,350 to 5,500 lbs.
•In its travel position, the foldable platform of the liftgate is safely stowed underneath the vehicle body. To deploy the liftgate, the
platform and lifting mechanism are lowered to the ground by means of the electric controls. Then the platform main section and flip-
over point are unfolded manually.
•Main details and terminology: see below
Affixed to the side of the vehicle body, or on the platform

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DHOLLANDIA
LIFTGATE TERMINOLOGY
See figure on page 7 for parts corresponding to numbers in this table
#
Description
1
Lift frame: mounted in a fixed position under the vehicle chassis. It bears the platform and its load via connection to the lift arms
and hydraulic cylinders.
2
Mounting plates: used to mount the lift frame to the vehicle chassis.
3
Foldable platform: carries the load during loading / unloading, lifting / lowering. Consists of a platform main section and a flip-
over point.
3a
Platform main section: inboard section of the foldable platform. Manufactured from steel or lightweight aluminium, with a
permanent non-slip working surface.
3b
Flip-over point: foldable, outboard section of the platform. Manufactured from lightweight aluminium.
4
Lift arms L+R: actuated by the hydraulic lift cylinders, used to LIFT / LOWER the platform and its load.
5
Lift cylinders L+R: 1 or 2 hydraulic cylinders used to LIFT / LOWER the lift arms, the platform and its load.
6
Parallel arms L+R: 2 parallel arms, supporting the platform while it travels up and down.
7
Hydraulic pump unit: contains the electric motor driving the hydraulic pump, the oil tank, and the control valves.
8
Toggle-switch control: easy-to-use controls to LIFT / LOWER the platform, mostly mounted in fixed position at the side of the
vehicle body, or on the rear post of the body.
9
Bumper bar: under run protection device, certified conformance to CE legislation.
10
Center point of maximum load: point up to which the maximum rated capacity of the liftgate is valid. Beyond that point, the
maximum safe working load diminishes according to the applicable load charts.
11
Platform opener: arm with roller(s) mounted on the lift frame, assisting the deployment of the platform from its travel position to
the work position, then back to its travel position.
12
Extension plate: heavy duty steel extension mounted to the rear sill of the vehicle floor, with a permanent non-slip surface.
13
Side steps L + R: steps mounted to the side of the extension floor to help the driver climb into the vehicle from the side. The
side steps incorporate rubber dock bumpers [13a]; support channels [13b] and diagonal braces [13c].
13a
Dock bumpers: rubber buffers mounted on the rear face of the side steps, to reduce impact damage when the vehicle is backing
into a loading dock.
13b
Support channels: steel channels welded to the underside of the vehicle body (to the rear sill and support cross members
underneath the vehicle floor).
13c
Diagonal braces: steel profiles linking the side steps and dock bumpers with the support channels welded to the underside of
the vehicle body. The construction with support channels and diagonal braces aims to distribute the forces of a dock impact over
the rear sill and support cross members of the vehicle body and avoid damage as much as possible.

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DHOLLANDIA
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
2
3a
3b
10
11
12
13
13a
13b
13c
9

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DHOLLANDIA
7SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE LIFTGATE
7.1 DO NOT USE LIFTGATE WITHOUT ADEQUATE SAFETY AND OPERATOR TRAINING
•DHOLLANDIA liftgates shall be exclusively used to load and unload the goods transported on the carrying vehicle, within the limits of
the applicable load chart, in compliance with the operator instructions and safety instructions in this manual.
•The operator should follow all other policies and procedures applicable to the job situation including health and safety regulations,
road and traffic regulations, as well as company procedures. The operator should not use the liftgate if he / she cannot use it in
accordance with all applicable regulations and instructions.
•The operator must be at least 18 years of age.
7.2 GENERAL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
WARNING
•To avoid serious bodily injury or death, the operator must use appropriate work clothes. NEVER wear loose-fitting clothes that
may be trapped in the moving parts of the liftgate. ALWAYS wear professional safety-toe shoes, protective gloves, and eye
protection. Use of a hardhat is recommended.
•Slipping (and falling) can result in serious bodily injury and death. To prevent injury by slipping:
oALWAYS wear professional safety-toe shoes with a good non-slip sole.
oDO NOT use the liftgate if it is covered with snow, mud, dirt, debris, liquids or other substances.
oDO NOT run on the platform.
•Tripping (and falling) can result in serious bodily injury and death. To prevent injury by tripping:
oDO NOT use liftgate platform as a step. NEVER leave the liftgate unattended in partially deployed position.
oPay attention to protruding items on the platform surface at all times (ex. platform lights, cart-stops and their
levers, foreign objects, etc…).
oDO NOT run on the platform.
•Falling from the platform can result in serious bodily injury and death. To prevent injury by falling:
oMake sure your footing is solid, and you maintain 3 points of contact. See 7.4 on page 16 and 17.
oUse guard rails where available. See 7.4 on page 17.
oNEVER move the vehicle while a person is standing on the platform, or inside the vehicle body.
oNEVER use the platform as an elevated working platform.
WARNING
•Improper use of the liftgate will put the operator and other parties at great risk of serious bodily injury and death.
•To reduce the risk of serious bodily injury to the operator and any bystanders, the use of the liftgate is restricted to skilled operators,
who have been properly trained, and who know and understand the full contents of this manual.
•To reduce the risk of serious bodily injury or death, THE OPERATOR MUST COMPLY WITH ALL SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS AND
WARNING LABELS IN THIS SECTION AND THE ENTIRE MANUAL before and while operating the liftgate.

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DHOLLANDIA
WARNING
•Prior to operating the liftgate, the vehicle must be safely parked on level and solid ground, have the parking brake applied, and the
engine switched off. Lock open the rear doors and secure all other moving parts of the vehicle body. Failure to abide by these
instructions can result in serious bodily injury or death to the operator or bystanders.
•Ensure that the vehicle cannot tip-over when putting heavy weight on the platform. If the vehicle or the liftgate are equipped with
mechanical or hydraulic stabilizing legs, deploy these before opening the platform. Ensure that the stabilizing legs are positioned
on solid, even ground. In case of soft terrain (sand, gravel), solid support blocks must be used under the stabilizing legs. Failure
to abide by these instructions can result in serious bodily injury or death to the operator or bystanders.
•To reduce the risk of serious bodily injury or death which may
result from other vehicles when parked, ALWAYS make sure a
safety distance of 16 ft. or 5 m. is kept between the back of the
truck and the following vehicle.
•To reduce the risk of serious bodily injury or death, ALWAYS
make sure the platform is clearly visible to other persons from all
approach directions. DHOLLANDIA recommends the use of 4
warning cones, placed around the work area of the platform.
[See notice below].
•To reduce the risk of serious bodily injury or death, make sure
the working zone is sufficiently lighted.
NOTICE
DHOLLANDIA offers optional platform mounted flashing lights and flags to make the platform more visible to other people. Please
visit www.dhollandia.com or contact the national DHOLLANDIA distributor for more information. See page 3 for contact info.