Warehouse Safety Tips | Episode 30

Forklift Safety

On today’s Podcast – we’re going to be covering Forklift Safety. So stay tuned…

Welcome to Warehouse Safety Tips!

If you’re a seasoned Podcast Listener – this podcast is going to be different from most you listen to. It’s based around exactly what the name implies – Warehouse Safety Tips. And since the people in that industry are busy – we know time is money, so each episode will be as short and to the point as possible.

And now that all that is out of the way – let’s get to the Podcast!

For those of you listening that work in an environment with lots of Forklift Traffic – you’re probably numb to what I’m about to say. By the way – we’ll be addressing that in this Podcast as well.

But if you haven’t been in an environment like that, as a Forklift Operator or someone who works among them – you’ll be amazed when you see it. “It” being a controlled chaos of almost hive-like activity. Especially in Distribution Centers with dozens (Even HUNDREDS) of Loading Dock Doors. Watching it live is crazy enough – but if you could watch a couple minutes on fast forward – you wouldn’t believe your eyes! It’s an absolutely WHIRL of activity!

One thing allows this to happen.

SAFETY!

That safety is divided into several different components – and we’ll be doing a high level look at some of the most important ones.

Before moving on – here’s a word from one of our sponsors.

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Now back to the Podcast…

The first component of Forklift Safety you need to know is – unless you’re working at a facility that doesn’t follow OSHA Regulations AND is begging for trouble, you need to be trained BEFORE attempting to operate one. At the very least, this instruction should include (But not be limited to) – how to check the Fork/Lift Truck for proper use (Inspection and general maintenance info), operation and maneuverability of the equipment, safety and operational rules and regulations of the facility in reference to operating the equipment, and load rules and requirements. Fork/Lift Truck Training usually involves a license of some sort and continuing education and certification to keep it valid.

The experience you get in a training environment is awesome – but what happens when you hit the before mentioned hive-like activity of your facility? You NEED to know – and most importantly FOLLOW:

All the rules of your facility for BOTH overall safety and operation of Fork/Lift Trucks
Safety Floor Markings and Signs (Possibly even traffic like lighting in some areas)
Speed Limits
Load rules and regulations
Fork Height and/or Tilt
Pedestrian Guidelines
Travel Conditions – assuring wherever you are is free of debris, obstacles, and/or anything that can cause you to damage wheels and/or lose control in any way. Some areas have water and/or oils that are unavoidable. These areas need to have additional attention to assure handling and stopping is under control.
Safety Equipment that needs to be worn during operation.
Your overall surroundings.

There’s MUCH more that can be covered for this topic – but these again are some of the high-level things to consider.

The majority of accidents and deaths related to Fork/Lift Trucks COULD have and SHOULD have been avoided! If you take away situations where Fork/Lift Trucks overturned, a driver was thrown from the truck, or someone was hit and/or crushed – much less than half of the overall fatalities would remain.

At the beginning of this Podcast – I mentioned being numb to the topic of Forklift Safety. That’s where many of the accidents happen. You get so used to one thing that when something out your routine happens – you don’t have time to react properly. This could be a change in Floor Markings, an altered Pedestrian Crossing, different height of an area, a new sprinkler system, or any other change that could alter your routine. Look at your experience as new EVERY time you get on a Fork/Lift Truck and always try to make every day better than your last for knowing the rules and staying safe.

Simply stated – if you’re safe and pay attention, you’ll have the odds in your favor!

Thank you for listening to Warehouse Safety Tips – and have a SAFE day!

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