WAREHOUSES CAN BE DANGEROUS PLACES TO WORK. THAT’S
because equipment and products are in constant motion. The risk of
injury is particularly high in warehouses with a lot of forklift traffic. One
in six workplace deaths is forklift-related. And forklifts are connected to
more than 100,000 serious workplace incidents a year nationwide.
As scary as these statistics may be, most accidents and injuries within warehouses can be prevented if workers simply follow the facility’s
established safety procedures. June is one time of year when our industry
focuses on forklift safety, culminating in National Forklift Safety Day on
June 13 (see our full online coverage at www.dcvelocity.com/nfsd2017).
While we pay particular attention to forklift safety
this month, it is important that workers be reminded
year round that safety should be their primary concern
every time they strap themselves into a forklift seat.
Fork truck manufacturers have worked diligently to
make today’s vehicles safer than they’ve ever been. It’s
up to workers to use the safety features found on their
trucks and not take shortcuts to circumvent them.
There are many simple things to remember to assure
forklift safety. First, it’s important that operators
always wear a seatbelt. This ensures that should a vehicle start to tip, the driver is secured in the best possible
position. A worker should never attempt to jump from
the cab during a tip. The risk of injury is much higher
than if he or she remains in the cab.
When traveling, it’s critical that forklifts stay within assigned areas.
Facilities should clearly mark zones that are off limits to forklifts. Drivers
should observe pedestrian pathways, and workers on foot need to be
taught to stay within those designated areas. A forklift can travel much
faster than a human can walk, which is why pedestrian strikes are a leading cause of injuries involving forklifts.
Many injuries also occur around storage areas. Hitting racks not only
can damage the forklift and the rack structure, but it can also cause items
stored on high shelves to topple onto the forklift below.
Docks are also vulnerable spots for lift trucks. Facilities should use
dock restraints to keep trailers from drifting and make sure dock levelers
are in working order to reduce impacts as forklifts roll over them.
Finally, it’s critical to make sure that every operator is certified on the
truck assigned to him or her. Just because someone can drive a counterbalanced truck doesn’t mean he or she is qualified to operate a reach
truck.
This month, and every month, safety must come first.
bigpicture
Chief Editor
David Maloney
Chief Editor
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Karen Bachrach
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Art van Bodegraven
Gary Master
Publisher
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Editorial Director
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Jim Indelicato
Group Publisher
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