156 Forklift Safety: Basic

A forklift is a powerful tool that allows one person to precisely lift and place large heavy loads with little effort. Using a tool such as a forklift, cart or hand truck instead of lifting and carrying items by hand can reduce the risk that you will suffer a back injury.

Every year nearly 100 workers are killed and 20,000 are seriously injured in forklift mishaps. This course contains general information about:

• the kinds of forklifts commonly available
• the principles of physics that allow a forklift to lift and move heavy loads safely
• forklift operator training requirements
• some basic operator safety rules
• hazardous locations where carbon monoxide is a problem or a special forklift is needed
• safety while servicing a forklift

This course is general in nature and not designed to be a substitute for operator training in the operation of specific forklifts. Training on specific forklifts should be conducted by competent persons and include opportunities for employees to practice, demonstrate, and be evaluated to certify they have gained the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required for proper forklift operation. This course highlights OSHA standard 1910 Subpart N - 1910.178, Materials Handling and Storage, requirements.

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