Forklift Safety Tips
Forklifts are extremely useful vehicles in the workplace if they are used properly and safely by competent and trained operators. Ensuring forklift safety is essential to avoid accidents.
Forklift trucks can be one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in the workplace, if not handled with care and with due safety measures.
Some of the common faults, affecting the safe operation of forklift trucks are:
- Faulty brakes
- Worn hydraulic hoses
- Low hydraulic fluid levels
- Sub-standard tyres
- Sub-standard seat
- Operator controls which are working properly or are not marked correctly
- Lights and warning devices that are not working
Neglecting forklift safety rules can be dangerous.
Now let’s look at some simple forklift safety tips for operators which can ensure forklift safety.
Forklift operators should be competent and well trained
Individuals with forklift safety training and the license should only operate a forklift. Workers who do not have enough exposure, should not be allowed to operate the forklift.
Proper clothing must be worn by forklift operators
To avoid risky situations, operators must always ensure to wear appropriate clothing. Proper safety shoes, hi-visibility jacket and hard hat should be worn.
Examine the forklift before use
Regular maintenance of the forklift and checking of tyres, brakes, steering, controls, warning devices, etc. is essential before its safe operation and should be checked before its use.
Always ensure safe speed
Overruling forklift safety and operating at an unsafe speed can be the biggest mistake. Drivers should never exceed the speed limits and should take proper care while driving.
Drive only when you have clear visibility
Do not drive the forklift, in case of poor vision it can lead to hazards. Ask for helpers to assist you in required circumstances.
Stability of the load should be kept in mind
Forklifts with unstable loads are at higher risks of causing injuries and damage. Always look that the load is carefully stacked and secured before moving the forklift. Overhead objects should be looked for while lifting the loads as they might cause an accident.
Leading cause of operator’s death, which involves forklifts, is overturning. Cornering too fast, driving on uneven grounds, across inclines, with raised forks, striking low doors or beams, etc. are some of the important causes of forklifts overturning. Braking too quickly and towing disabled forklifts, colliding with another vehicle, can also cause overturns and fatalities. To be effective, a forklift must be maneuverable.
Pre-use forklift safety checklist should always be maintained and checked whenever any forklift operation is undertaken.
Proper forklift safety training and adherence to forklift safety rules can reduce forklift accidents.
Share your views and queries. Happy lifting.
nice post
It is a good presentation for the health and safety industry.And i believe incidents involving forklift will minimise if Operators adhere to these measures.
I think you give some really valuable tips here regarding forklift safety. I think that one of the best ways to prevent accidents from happening is constantly checking the forklift and making sure that the parts are all working well. You can never be too sure! My wife used to always say that you would rather be safe than sorry. Thanks again!
A lot of us agree that training is a must, however I think that operation at regular intervals (if not the majority of the time) is crucial. Operating these IS a skill that if not practiced semi-regularly, can deteriorate.
Years ago when I had a bad accident in which I got ejected and the truck landed on my right leg, crushing it down to 1 inch. I was told I might not walk again! The following week I purchased a Komatsu fork lift. What an amazing thing to have around!! It’s all 5 guys that don’t show up when needed and never gets tired. I had it towed to my house to put up a small steel building and a sunshade. I have had it for about 8 years and still the oil is clear. It wasn’t changed that I know of anytime close to when I bought it and I still haven’t yet. Thank God that I have made an almost full recovery on my leg and still use the forklift almost daily.
Stay Safe :) :)
These are some great tips for forklift safety. How fast can forklifts go? You said to always stay under the speed limits, but I wasn’t aware that they even had the ability to go above speed limits!
Great Tips! I would like to add one more is to make sure that your forklifts horns work properly. A horn is the best tool a driver can have to warn of oncoming traffic, warn pedestrians, and help pedestrians
I would like to thank you for sharing such a nice article. Undoubtedly, the forklift plays a critical role in the warehouse. However, it is also responsible for the most number of accidents in the warehouse. The accidents could be due to mechanical error in the forklift or human errors while operating a forklift. But such accidents lead to a huge amount of product loss. So, suitable initiatives should be taken to prevent such kinds of accidents to prevent subsequent product loss. Regular inspection of the forklift is really essential to identify and repair a mechanical error in time to prevent any kind of major problem. Apart from this, use of weaker pallets in the warehouse is another important reason behind such kinds of accident. So, such pallets need to be replaced.
Amazing blog.Thanks for sharing .
It is interesting for me to learn about Safety Tips. This article has a lot of great ideas on that. I will have to look more at some of the options you are talking about. Thanks for sharing
That’s really informative post. I appreciate your skills. Thanks for sharing.
Great safety tips. Thank you for sharing.
Really a great post! By implementing these kinds of Safety tips, you can avoid accidents. But one more important thing required for the safety of the worker is offering them proper training of how to use the equipment carefully and to its optimum efficiency. And I think this training program should be offered to all the site workers from their owners, in order to ensure their safety. So, Just like how you have wrote on this topic, can you also put some light on another important topic on the Importance of Material Handling Equipment Training? Keep sharing such useful information.
Thank you for the tips.
Great safety tips. Thank you for sharing.Many industries consider Forklift one of the most valuable ways to enhance productivity. But forklifts come with lots of hazards too. If an adequate Forklift safety system is not implemented, people at the workplace face lots of problems. Even they face lots of accidents and injuries
Thanks for sharing these amazing tips. Heavy machines need extra care and maintenance. All your tips are useful for machine operators and machinery manufacturers.
Safety always comes first. So all these tips are so crucial for the forklift operators.
Wonderful blog on forklift safety tips. Thanks a lot for this amazing post. Forklift operators must wear the correct safety equipment at all times, including a hard hat, steel-toed shoes, gloves, long pants and high visibility clothing. Loading and unloading with a forklift requires extreme caution and attention to detail. All loads must be properly strapped down with proper restraints to ensure they stay in place while being transported. You can also consider these while operating forklift.
Great tips for forklift safety! Nice work
Hello and thanks! I just finished reading your post on forklift safety suggestions and wanted to express my gratitude. As someone who works in a warehouse, safety is a major concern for me, and your smart advise truly resonated with my personal experiences. It’s clear that you know a lot about the subject, and I like how you presented the data in a clear and concise manner.