Safety Services Company
September 9th 2008
Safety Security Company
We’ve heard so much about window washers falling from buildings and construction workers injuring themselves with collapsing cranes. Yesterday, another fatality happened; but this time it involved a forklift.
A Rudco Products employee got pinned against a trash compactor when his co-worker lost control of a forklift. Julio A. Rivera, 37, was immediately brought to the South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center after the accident. He was pronounced dead soon after.
The incident above is just one among more than 100 forklift-related fatalities every year, as estimated by OSHA. That’s not all. The administration also said that nearly 95,000 serious injuries happen every year because of unsafe forklift operations. Being crushed between a forklift and another surface is actually 2nd among the primary causes of forklift-related injuries and deaths. The first one is vehicle-tip over’s while the third to sixth are the following, respectively:
Safe forklift operation all starts with a well-trained driver. After undergoing complete training, drivers must be re-evaluated every 3 years. They should be re-trained if they meet an accident, have near misses, or get re-assigned to different equipment or workplace.
Before operating a forklift, a driver must make sure that it’s in good condition. Even if the vehicle is new, you must not skip this procedure. After all, even forklifts can get damaged after only days of operation.
Photo by LaRae
You must perform the following steps to ensure that there’s nothing wrong with the forklift:
When loading a forklift, make sure you don’t go beyond its recommended load capacity. Always position the load based on the suggested load center. When inserting the fork into the pallet, the forklift must always be in a standing position.
When traveling in a forklift or operating it, DO…
NEVER…
Remember, as with any equipment in your workplace, proper operations of a forklift require right training and procedures. It’s important that the employer and employees work hand in hand in making sure that safety is not compromised on the job. Be safe out there, everyone!
Helpful Links:
Forklift eTool : New OSHA Release Forklift Safety Darwin Awards Winner of 2000 – Death While Filming a Safety Video 25 Safety Tips for Steel and Pipes