03 Aug 5 Ways to Prevent Forklift Accidents
Unfortunately, forklift accidents are common. It’s estimated that up to one hundred thousand forklift injuries occur every year; statistically, up to one hundred of those accidents are fatal. No one wants an injury or an accident to occur in the workplace, but they do still happen; accidents and injuries can happen even under the very best conditions. Once an accident or injury occurs, folks look at their safety procedures and policies, and try to determine ways to avoid a similar incident in the future. But it’s important to look at policies and procedures and the habits of forklift operators before an accident or injury occurs. Here are a few things to keep in mind…
First, nothing is a better preventative than training. Training is important for both productivity and performance. It helps the operator understand their responsibilities as much as it helps them to understand their machine. Through regular training an operator, and those who work on the ground, should be aware of the limitations of the warehouse and the machine they operate; they should understand the regular traffic and remain vigilant of the foot traffic. Operators should know intimately the aisle and height limitations. And in addition to initial training, operators and those who work around the machines should participate in refresher training. This type of training is in addition to training on procedures in regard to the operation of the machine.
One other tip is cleanliness. Cleanliness of the warehouse is important for both efficiency and safety. Warehouse clutter creates both a hazard and a time-waste. And in addition to cleanliness it’s important to invest in quality lights. Everywhere within the warehouse should be optimally lit. There should be no dark corners and poorly lit areas that create a potential hazard.
Hopefully you already know and do many of these safety and efficiency practices in your workplace. And if you have any questions about how a new or refurbished forklift can help you achieve more reliable efficiency, then call the forklift experts at Anderson Forklift today.
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