Here’s the thing about common injuries. Most are preventable. A little common sense goes a long way, and forklift operators can do a lot of things to prevent many of the injuries commonly associated with forklifts and the environments in which they operate.
Of course, accidents do happen, but continuous training and safety awareness are certainly part of the accident prevention puzzle. You, as the owner/manager bear much of the responsibility to ensure your forklifts and your people are working in a safe environment, but your lift operators carry some of that load as well.
There are things your operators can do to prevent the most common forklift accidents.
One of the common injuries to forklift drivers are “musculoskeletal” injuries like sprains and fractures. Most are caused, or exacerbated by, poor posture in the cockpit.
Ask your forklift operators to stretch before they start a shift. This sounds unusual, but being loose and limber before you climb on board really does make a difference. In addition, encourage your operators to take breaks, get off the machine, and stretch again when they do.
Some attachments and modifications can be made to the driver’s seat to increase circulation and improve the driver’s posture as well.
Pedestrians working around a forklift are a major hazard. In highly congested areas, make sure your operator has a spotter working with the forklift. Eliminate distractions and require your operator to always have both hands on the steering wheel. Do not allow your operator to listen to music or anything else using earbuds in high-traffic areas.
In addition, educate your employees who work around a forklift about safety procedures and the importance of being alert at all times.
Finally, here’s where the common sense comes in: eliminate falls by being smart. Drivers should NEVER allow anyone to ride on the forks, or anywhere else on the lift where there isn’t a seat. Usually, that’s nowhere else on the lift as most have only one seat for the driver.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility, and our experts understand how to make your facility safer, and more efficient. Check with us to make sure your policies and procedures provide your employees with the safest working environment possible.