mation described by Hasenstab were at the top of several
OEMs’ lists for both current and future improvements.
While such capabilities are available now, they are not yet
in widespread use, and vendors will continue to introduce
new products and improvements in this area.
MCFA, whose Jungheinrich brand offers the Warehouse
Navigation semi-automation system for remotely controlling lift truck operation, notes that lift trucks are
becoming sophisticated “computers on wheels” that allow
customers to customize and program many aspects of the
forklift’s operation to meet particular requirements, thereby helping to reduce risks stemming from operators’ errors
in judgment. For example, using location signals from
radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, Jungheinrich’s
system can control a lift truck’s acceleration, travel speeds,
lift heights, stops, and avoidance of overhead objects.
Yale recently joined the field with its A-Ware control
solution, which also uses RFID sensing to enforce travel
speed, acceleration, and lift restrictions. The company says
its system can also adjust to the nuances of each aisle, identifying high-traffic areas and automatically detecting dead-ends to reduce the risk of collisions.
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO PEOPLE
Equipment design and technology are extremely important
tools for improving safety, but they can—and should—
only go so far. It’s important that operators are not
lulled into expecting the forklift to do everything for
them, or believing that the technology takes the responsibility for safe operation off their shoulders, says Crown’s
Gaskell.
That was something every lift truck OEM we polled
agreed on, and which many emphasized. Tony Kordes
of UniCarriers spoke for all of them when he said,
“Manufacturers design with the standards in mind and create the best equipment to encourage proper use and protect
operators in case of accidents, but nothing can be designed
into a lift truck to make it perform safely with an operator
who doesn’t use it that way. So the absolute best way to
improve operator and warehouse safety is to train every
operator properly and continually refresh and reinforce
those practices. Operators still must take responsibility for
their actions.” c
TOBY GOOLEY IS A SENIOR EDITOR AT DC VELOCITY.
