What are the common causes for Forklift Accidents?

For businesses across a range of industries, the powerful capabilities of forklifts make them a vital asset to speed up operations and maximize productivity. As much as they bring value to a company, it is paramount that the necessary health and safety procedures are put in place to ensure responsible working. The outcome of a forklift accident can be incredibly

How are Forklifts Safely Operated?

There are many different hazards that exist in the workplace. Forklifts are frequently involved in accidents and injuries because of the fact that they are used so often in many different environments. While there is no doubt that forklifts can be hazardous, they are also considered an essential piece of equipment in many workplaces. Fortunately, when everyone working on or

What Hazards Does a Forklift Pose?

Forklifts are one of the most important pieces of equipment in many different workplaces. Whether it is a warehouse, a manufacturing facility, a construction site, or any number of other situations, forklifts allow you to efficiently move items around with ease. While they are undoubtedly practical, they can also be very dangerous if not used properly. Learning about the types

How Often Should Operators Inspect Their Forklifts?

One of the most important things that can be done to improve forklift safety is to make sure that the forklift itself is in proper working order. To do this, forklifts need to be properly inspected on a regular basis. While a detailed inspection by a mechanic may only need to be done occasionally, the operator of the forklift itself

What are the Most common Forklift Accidents?

If you have forklifts operating in your facility, you need to make sure that you are doing everything possible to minimize the risk of accidents and injuries. When an accident occurs with a forklift, it can cause severe damage, injury, or even death, which is why this is such a serious issue. While there are many things you can do

How can Visual Communication Reduce Forklift Injury or Accident?

Every warehouse, factory, and construction site is going to be unique, but what almost all of them have in common is that they can be very loud. This means when someone is operating a forklift or other piece of equipment, it can be difficult to communicate with them through just talking (or even yelling). On top of that, it is

What PPE is Required for Forklift Operators?

Forklift safety is extremely important because any accident with a forklift can cause serious injuries, extensive property damage, and even fatalities. One of the most important things you can do to make a forklift safer is to make sure that the operator is protected as much as possible. This means equipping them with the right personal protection equipment at all

Are Forklift Operators Required to Wear a Seatbelt?

Forklift safety is a complex subject. All facilities need to make sure that they are doing everything they can to ensure forklifts are being operated in a way that is as safe as possible. While there are many different forms of personal protection equipment, visual communication, operation requirements, and other things that can be done to improve safety, it is

How Can I Improve Forklift Safety in My Facility?

Workplace safety is an essential goal that all companies should be focusing on. One of the best places to start is going to be with forklift safety since there are many accidents and injuries involving forklifts each year. Fortunately, there are quite a few simple things that you can do to improve forklift safety in your facility that won’t take

Why is Forklift Safety Important?

Everyone knows that workplace safety is extremely important. Unsafe working environments are far less profitable in most cases, and can even be shut down by OSHA or other agencies. When trying to decide where to put your time, money, and effort in terms of safety improvements, many people don’t consider forklift safety. The reality is, however, that forklift safety is

How can workplace design prevent forklift accidents?

Preventing forklift accidents often begin with the design of the facility. While it's important for operators to have proper training, the environment plays a major role in avoiding forklift related injuries and fatalities. Preventing Forklift Related Accidents Avoid serious injuries by taking the following forklift safety tips into consideration when setting up your facility: Aisle width: Aisles should be wide enough for

How does floor marking affect forklift safety?

Forklifts are used in most facilities throughout the world. They make it faster and easier to move items around a warehouse or other location much more efficiently. Unfortunately, they can also be very dangerous. Approximately 20,000 people are injured in workplace accidents involving a forklift each year in America. With this in mind, it is important to take all possible

Does OSHA have forklift regulations?

Forklifts are one of the most common types of vehicles used in many workplaces. They can be found in manufacturing, warehouses, shipping facilities, and much more. While the benefits of a forklift are obvious, the hazards associated with them can often be overlooked. This is why it is so important to take forklift safety throughout all facilities. Some companies and

Why would a forklift tip over?

When operated properly, forklifts are a great way to lift and move a variety of different types of objects in the workplace. They can safely transport pallets loaded with just about anything one can imagine, and bring it to the location where it is needed. Forklifts can, however, tip over if they aren’t operated properly. When a forklift tips, it

Why is forklift safety training important?

A forklift is a very popular type of vehicle used in a variety of different work environments. Compared to many other types of equipment, forklifts are also quite easy to operate. This can make it tempting to allow people to operate forklifts without the necessary training. Unfortunately, this can lead to significant hazards that could result in serious accidents. Understanding

Is forklift certification required?

Forklift certifications are an interesting topic, and one where there is a lot of misinformation that people believe. OSHA requires that forklift operators be trained and certified before they can run a forklift on their own. They do not, however, offer any type of training or certification program. In addition, they don’t endorse or approve of any specific certification or

Who needs a forklift certification?

Any facility that has to move large or heavy items around will typically want to have a forklift available to perform this task. Whenever a forklift is in use, an operator has to be behind the wheel controlling it. In order to be able to operate a forklift, individuals need to obtain a forklift certification. This is an unusual certification

Who issues forklift licenses?

In order to operate a forklift in the United States, OSHA requires that operators are certified to show that they know how to run these machines safely. Many people think that in order to drive a forklift one must attain a special forklift license, but that is not the case. Instead, it is only necessary to have the certification. Getting

How often should forklift training be provided?

Providing employees with forklift training is an important part of keeping everyone safe. Forklift operators will obviously need the most training since they will be the ones performing the bulk of the duties on these machines. Other people who work with or around forklifts, however, will also benefit from proper training. Understanding what type of training everyone needs, and how

Who should be trained on forklift safety?

Forklift safety training is an important part of minimizing hazards in the workplace. At first, most people would assume that only forklift operators will need forklift safety training, but that is not actually the case. Just about everyone who works with or around forklifts can benefit from at least some level of training. Of course, the operators will need to

How is forklift training conducted?

Forklift training is essential for all forklift operators. In fact, OSHA requires that forklift operators are properly trained and certified by their employer before they can operate this type of machinery. Employers are the ones who are directly responsible for ensuring all operator receive the training they need before they ever get behind the wheel of a forklift. Fortunately, there

Can forklifts carry passengers?

Forklifts are known for being able to pick things up and transport them to various places within a facility. While they are great for moving lots of different things, they certainly aren’t designed for everything. When it comes to moving people, for example, a forklift should only be carrying the operator. Forklifts are not designed to carry passengers at all,

Are forklifts more dangerous than a car?

Forklifts are a very common type of workplace vehicle which are used to move millions of tons of products each year. While they are an essential machine for many workplaces, they can also be very dangerous. In fact, workplace vehicles (including forklifts) are responsible for a large portion of all workplace accidents and fatalities. This leads many to wonder if

Do forklift operators need to be certified?

If a worker is required to drive industrial vehicles such as forklifts in their workplace, they absolutely do need a certification to operate the vehicle. In fact, certification is required by law. OSHA 1910.178 (i)(6) states that all forklift operators must complete proper training and on-site evaluation before they may operate powered industrial trucks. Forklifts come in all kinds of sizes

Forklift Safety Questions and Answers

Forklift Safety

When working to improve forklift safety in your facility, knowledge is going to be extremely valuable. The more you know about forklift regulations, how they operate, the types of accidents that they cause, and other facts, the better decisions you can make. When preparing to improve forklift safety in your facility, you will undoubtedly have a lot of questions that you want answers to. With this in mind, we have put together a list of some of the most commonly asked questions, and some simple answers, to help get you pointed in the right direction.

Click on any of the following questions to get the answers you need:

Take the time to read through all of these different topics to make sure that you have the answers you need. Once done, you can determine what steps you can take to improve the safety of your facility. In most cases, focusing on continuous improvement will help you to make great strides in forklift safety today, and continue to get further benefits for years down the road.

The most important thing is to make sure that you are constantly evaluating how your forklifts and forklift operators are working, and looking for ways that you can make them even safer. This is a task that is never truly finished, but the effort will help to make your workplace safer for everyone.