Traveling
Forklift safety while traveling is crucial for maintaining a safe and productive work environment.
The primary importance lies in preventing accidents that can lead to serious injuries or fatalities. The most basic rule for traveling is that you maintain control of your forklift at all times. Collisions with pedestrians, other forklifts, or workplace objects can cause significant harm and disrupt operations. Ensuring forklift stability is essential, as tip-overs due to uneven loads, sharp turns, or driving on irregular surfaces pose major hazards. Falling loads, often a result of improperly secured items, can also result in injuries and damage.
Maintaining clear visibility is vital to avoid accidents, especially in busy or cluttered areas. Operator fatigue, stemming from long hours or repetitive tasks, reduces reaction times and situational awareness, increasing the risk of incidents. Mechanical failures are another concern, as malfunctioning forklifts can cause unexpected breakdowns or accidents.
Safety best practices, such as proper training, pre-operation inspections, controlled speeds, and using safety features, are critical in mitigating these risks. By adhering to these guidelines, forklift operators can ensure their safety and that of their coworkers, ultimately contributing to a safer and more efficient workplace.
Click on the link below to review precautions and best practices while traveling in a forklift.
- Operate a forklift only while in the seat or operator's station.
- Never start it or operate the controls while standing beside the forklift.
- Never allow passengers unless the forklift was designed for a passenger.
- Do not put any part of your body between the uprights of the mast or when traveling, outside of the forklift frame.
- Never drive with wet or greasy hands. If necessary, keep a towel or rag handy at all times.
- Whether loaded or empty, carry forks and platforms on lift trucks as low as possible. This lowers the center of gravity and reduces the possibility of overturning the truck or dumping the load.
- Always look in the direction of travel and keep a clear view of the travel path. Travel in reverse if the load blocks your view.
- Always look in the direction of travel and keep a clear view of the travel path.
- If the load being carried obstructs forward view, travel slowly in reverse with the load trailing.
- Slow down and sound the horn at cross aisles and other locations where vision is obstructed.
- Look in the direction of travel and do not move a vehicle until certain that all persons are in the clear.
- Keep a distance of at least three forklift lengths between you and any forklift traveling in front of you.
- Do not pass a forklift traveling in the same direction if it is at a blind spot, intersection or other dangerous location.
- Consider all intersections as required four-way stop. Use the right-of-way rule and continue through the intersection when safe to do so.
- Never drive a forklift up to anyone in front of a bench or other fixed object.
- Never allow anyone to walk or stand under the elevated forks - even if the forks are not carrying a load.
- Check that there is adequate clearance under beams, lights, sprinklers, and pipes for the forklift and load to pass.
- Never engage in stunt driving or horseplay.
Failure to Wear Seatbelt Causes Fatal Forklift Accident
An August 29, 2023 fatality may have been prevented if the employer had ensured proper operation of forklifts. An Airport Technical Services’ employee was attempting to drive a forklift into a building when the vehicle’s forks and mast struck the overhang of the entrance, causing the forklift to tip over. The operator, who was not wearing a seatbelt, fell to the ground, and the tipping forklift fatally struck him.
OSHA inspectors found that the company failed to ensure the worker wore a seat belt while operating the forklift, exposing him to rollover and crushing hazards. The agency also determined the following:
- The forklift’s forks and mast were not raised only as far as necessary to clear the road surface.
- All forklift operators were not properly trained and certified.
- A damaged forklift was not examined before being placed in service.
- A damaged forklift was not taken out of service.
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3-3. What is the most basic rule for traveling in a forklift?
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