Forklift Safety Best Practices: How Workplace Conditions Affect Safety Operations

forklift

Understanding the dynamic of your work environment is essential when applying best practice navigation and forklift safety throughout your facility.

Physical Conditions:

Consider the physical conditions of your facility

  • Are there any known and constant obstructions or uneven surfaces that should be accounted for such as large stacks of pallets, columns, storage etc.?
  • Are there any breaks in the floor or steps down to a lower level that are not clearly marked that could be missed in transit?
  • Consider the construction of your building itself are there potential floor loading limits that the use of a forklift may exceed, and are the overhead clearances such that there will be no issues with navigation and if so are they identified?

                Pedestrian Traffic:

Pedestrian traffic should be a primary concern and should always have the right of way when using forklifts around your facility.

  • Slow down, stop and sound horn at intersections, corners, and wherever your vision is obstructed to reduce the likelihood of collision.
  • Use a spotter for blind spots and Proceed cautiously through any congested areas.
  • If at all possible consider separating pedestrians from lift trucks by providing special designated pedestrian lanes or forklift lanes to avoid cross over.

                Enclosed and Hazardous Areas:

Know what type of truck you have and its designated areas for usage. OSHA has categorized forklifts into 11 specific types.

  • Know that you should not ever operate a gasoline/propane/diesel engine for long periods of time in a confined area.
  • Drive sensibly. Avoid racing the engine or idling for long periods of time to reduce the emissions of fumes from trucks.
  • Consider switching to battery-powered forklifts, if much of the work is in poorly ventilated spaces. Unconsciousness and death may result from carbon monoxide overexposure as the concentration in the bloodstream rises, make sure you are taking the proper precautions necessary to ensure proper levels of clean air flow throughout your facility when using forklifts.

In many cases forklifts are an irreplaceable necessity to get products moved, loaded, and unloaded to its destination. Make sure you are taking the time to correctly navigate and reduce the risk of injury to yourself and others who are enroute.

 

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