OSHA COMPLIANT AERIAL LIFT TRAINING

Did you know that nearly 250,000 crane operators, other industry workers, and non-construction working individuals are at risk of suffering serious injury or death in aerial lift accidents each year? An annual study conducted by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety in 2010, revealed that the direct cost to employers from injuries in 2008 was $53.42 billion. Yes, you read that correctly. $53.42 BILLION. Furthermore, the study concluded that accidents at the workplace were estimated to cost employers an additional $80 to $200 billion annually. To limit injury and death OSHA has instituted a strict policy related to safety procedures dealing with aerial lifts. It’s pretty plain to see why thorough and sufficient aerial lift training is extremely critical to every relevant organization and employee.

Through the Safety Services Aerial List Training, (click here or visit https://www.safetyservicescompany.com/training-kits/aerial-scissor-lift/), OSHA requires the implementation of standard emergency procedures, thorough training for usage, stringent and proper maintenance of lifts, and providing the proper personal protection equipment for everyone on the job site, and so much more. These training policies have proven to reduce the likelihood of injury and save employers billions of dollars every year.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF AERIAL LIFTS

What is an aerial list? An aerial lift is a device that enables access to hard-to-reach places by lifting a platform, rated to carry humans and equipment, into the air. These devices give workers temporary access to otherwise inaccessible locations. The devices are easy to use and are typically safer to use than ladders and scaffolds. These devices are usually powered by electricity, gas, or pneumatic or hydraulic systems that power a series of supports, lifting the work platform.

Common types of aerial work platforms include the cherry picker or bucket truck, and the scissor lift. These devices are distinguishable by the type of platform used to lift workers.

SCISSOR LIFTS

The scissor lift is an industrial lift modified for retail and wholesale settings. The lift features a platform that rises when the linked, folding supports underneath it draw together, stretching it upward. These lifts can reach from 21 to 62 feet above ground. In addition to moving horizontally, the lifts can move vertically as well. The lifts are typically powered by an electric motor.

BUCKET TRUCKS AND CHERRY PICKERS

Cherry pickers and bucket trucks are types of aerial lifts containing a fiberglass or steel platform (bucket) secured to a hydraulic or electric lifting system, which includes the lifting arm(s) (boom), and a rotating turret. These arms are mounted to trucks, vans, trailers and other motorized devices. The system is designed to lift personnel into the air safely, allowing them to perform their necessary tasks. Some bucket trucks are also equipped with a material handling winch designed to lift materials and supplies. These lifts are used in a variety of industries, the most common being electric utility, telecommunications, lights and signs, and vegetation management.

THE HAZARDS OF AERIAL LIFTS

Tampa, Fla., May 2011 – An electrical contractor sustained life-threatening injuries when he came in contact with a live wire while in a bucket lift truck working on a transformer. He was taken to a hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Tunica, La., April 2011 - A 38-year-old man was killed after the aerial lift he was operating overturned and crushed him. The equipment overturned while on a slight incline.

Crane accidents are one of the leading causes of death and injury in the construction industry. About 26 die each year, with more than half of the deaths involving boom-supported lifts, such as bucket trucks and cherry pickers, with the others involving scissor lifts.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), these deaths account for 17% of fatal injuries in U.S. construction, but the proportion of injuries actually involving construction vehicles and equipment is probably greater.

A study of OSHA reports by Hinze and Bren (1996) found that cranes were reported to be involved in 108 (38%) of 284 fatal electrical injuries in the construction industry that involved heavy equipment. Types of Crane & Aerial Lift Injuries. [1] Serious injuries and death from crane accidents occur due to:

• Crane collapses
• Tip overs
• Crane design defects
• Overloading lifts
• Falling equipment
• Dropped loads from poor rigging
• Working in high winds
• Electrocutions from high voltage electrical wire contact
• Spills onto personnel working below a lift
• Injuries during erection or dismantling of the crane
• Falls off of lift platforms
• Lack of proper inspections
• Mechanical failure
• Operator error
• Negligence, individual or widespread, it only takes 1
• Inadequately trained or certified crane operators
• Lack of strict adherence to OSHA guidelines

INJURIES COST EMPLOYERS BILLIONS

While the sheer number of injuries is staggering, the financial impact they place on employers is overwhelming. An annual study conducted by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety in 2010, revealed that the direct cost to employers from injuries in 2008 was $53.42 billion. [2] Furthermore, the study concluded that accidents at the workplace cost employers an estimated additional $80 to $200 billion annually.

A second report by the U.S. Department of Labor cemented the findings of the insurance groups report. This report stated the average workplace injury cost an employer $43,000. The same study estimated the cost from wage replacement due to injury to be roughly $50 billion a year. “An accident at the workplace can often be the difference between operating in the black and falling into the red,” said Safety Services Company founder Devon Dickenson.

REQUIREMENTS OF AERIAL LIFTS

Both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have a series of rules designed to protect employees using aerial lifts. American National Standards Institute requires that aerial lifts be inspected before use. Inspections are required to ensure all controls operate properly, and that the equipment is free of defects. ANSI also specifies that:

1. Equipment must only be moved or adjusted when the aerial lift is in the retracted or grounded position
2. Brakes must always be set to lock the equipment into place when workers are lifted
3. Workers are to remain within the confines of the lift at all times during operation
4. Workers must wear the proper fall protection equipment at all times while on or operating the lift

While the regulations of ANSI are only recommendations, OSHA has in place a series of requirements that all employers using aerial lifts must abide to. These regulations are CFR’s 1926.453, 1926.454, 1926.451, 1926.452, and 1926.454.

These OSHA safety requirements for aerial lift certification include securing the boom or ladder in the stored position when the vehicle is in motion, employees must have a body harness and lanyard attached to the bucket or boom, and obeying weight limits of the boom and bucket posted by the manufacturer. OSHA says a qualified person must train all users. The training must include:

• Any electrical, fall, and falling-object hazards
• Procedures for dealing with hazards
• How to operate the lift correctly
• Manufacturer requirements
• Personal Protection Equipment
• Positioning requirements
• Fall Protection requirements

THE BENEFITS OF SAFETY TRAINING

While the blow of a workplace injury is crippling to many companies, aerial lift safety training programs are proven to drastically reduce the risk of injury and increase workplace productivity. Through independent studies, OSHA has confirmed employers who have in place a safety and health training program experience a 52 percent lower rate of “injury with days away” than employers without a program. [3] A second study of private industry employers by OSHA found even more benefits to a safety training program.

Here are a few highlights of those programs when fully and successfully implemented:

Company Benefits: [4]

• Average Sales rose 7.5 percent
• Manufacturing defects and waste dropped from $2.7 million in 2001 to $435,000 in 2005
• Improved decision-making
• EMR dropped by 45%

Safety and health also make big reductions in indirect costs, due to: [6]

• Increased productivity
• Higher quality products
• Increased morale
• Better relations between labor and management
• Reduced turnover
• More efficient use of human resources

The value of training is further emphasized by a study of 41 workers hospitalized for hand injuries. Through the survey of these employees conducted by members of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) it was discovered more than half had no on the job training for the equipment that caused their injury.

Workplaces that establish safety and health management systems can reduce their injury and illness costs by 20 to 40 percent, according to OSHA. A NIOSH study of 55 confined workplace fatalities found that only three of those losing their lives ever received training on the proper workplace safety procedures. A study of the California insurance industry also revealed that every dollar invested in safety training resulted in $3 or more dollars in savings.

Safety training is not a cost, it is an investment.

THERE IS A BETTER SOLUTION

By requesting and reading this report, you are no doubt aware of the hazards associated with aerial lifts and the long and crucial list of regulations that your company must abide by. Meeting these regulations is a tedious process requiring you either develop a training program yourself or to outsource with expensive safety consultants.

There is, however, a better solution.

Here at Safety Services, we have developed a “Do-It-Yourself” aerial lift training program that is both simple to administer and fulfills all your OSHA requirements. This innovative kit features an Interactive Training Program, Student’s Handbook, Instructor’s Handbook, OSHA Regulations, Student Tests, Training Logs, Fall Protection Checklist, Certificates, Wallet Cards and More.

Topics addressed:

• OSHA requirements
• Safety manuals
• Safety decals and information
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Inspections
• Start-up requirements
• Operation guidelines
• Common hazards and how to avoid them
• Maneuvering requirements
• Maintenance requirements
• And much more

THREE SIMPLE STEPS TO CERTIFICATION

Our kit is a simple three (3) step solution that brings all your employees into compliance.

1. Classroom/online training – The first step of our program is an intuitive electronic training session. Furthermore, through the program, employees navigate an electronic training program at a computer and then take an test that is graded automatically in real-time.
2. Field training – The second part of training is in the field. During this portion of the session, your appointed trainer shows the trainee the infield applications of the materials they learned in the classroom session.
3. Evaluation – The third step to the training session is evaluation. Through this step, the trainer evaluates the trainee and either signs off on certification or retouches on topics that need more work. Above all, certification through the program meets or exceeds OSHA requirements.

In addition to meeting training requirements, the scissor lift training kit also provides instruction on how to craft your aerial lifts written policy. However, if you are not comfortable writing your own policy we can provide the service for an additional fee.

To see how we can solve your company's aerial lift safety needs, check out our products and services here or call us at (866) 329-5407 today. 

CITATIONS

• http://www.libertymutualgroup.com/omapps/ContentServer?c=cms_document&pagename=LMGResearch
• http://www.cpwr.com/hazpdfs/hazaeriallifts.pdf
• http://www.labor.state.ny.us/workerprotection/safetyhealth/PDFs/WSLP/Cost%20Benefit%20Safety.pdf
• http://www.osha.gov/Publications/smallbusiness/small-business.pdf
• http://www.osha.gov/Publications/safety-health-addvalue.html

OSHA Confined Space Training Requirements

Many workplaces contain spaces considered "confined" because their configurations hinder the activities of employees who must enter, work in and exit them.

A confined space by definition has limited or restricted means for entry or exit, and it is not designed for continuous employee occupancy. Examples of confined spaces include underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, manholes, pits, silos, process vessels, and pipelines.

In addition to standard confined spaces, OSHA uses the term "permit-required confined space" to describe a confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics: contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; contains a material that has the potential to engulf an entrant; has walls that converge inward or floors that slope downward and taper into a smaller area, which could trap or asphyxiate an entrant; or contains any other recognized safety or health hazard such as unguarded machinery, exposed live wires, or heat stress.

Emergency Training Procedures

Nationwide there are a combined 6 million workplaces with confined spaces. To limit incidents of injury and death OSHA has instituted a strict policy dealing with confined spaces. Through this policy, OSHA requires implementing standard emergency procedure training for entrants, attendants, and supervisors.

Plant management is required to have fully trained rescue teams ready to respond to any situation. Other requirements include identifying hazards in confined spaces, defining your workplace-confined spaces and setting up a permit policy. In addition to the increase of workplace injury by not having a policy in place, a citation for non-compliance carries penalties of $70,000 per occurrence, and it is expected that numerous fines will be imposed on businesses committing serious violations.

Your Specific Confined Spaces Requirement

The Final Rule for Permit-Required Confined Spaces was published in the Federal Register on January 14, 1993, and became effective on April 15, 1993. This standard (29 CFR1910.146) was based on years of gathering information on confined space fatalities and testimony about the hazards of confined spaces from all sectors of industry and labor. Because it applies to all of general industry, a performance-oriented standard was developed rather than a specification standard.

OSHA notes, by their very nature and configuration, many permit spaces contain atmospheres that, “unless adequate precautions are taken, are immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH)”. For example, many confined spaces are poorly ventilated - a condition that creates an oxygen-deficient atmosphere and allows the accumulation of toxic gases.

It is your obligation as an employer to evaluate your workplace to determine if any spaces are permit-required confined spaces.

Permit Required Confined Spaces

You must first determine whether a space is a confined space. If it is a confined space, then you must determine if it is a permit-required confined space. Next, if it is a permit-required confined space, then you must determine whether full permit entry rules apply or less restrictive alternative entry rules apply.

If you determine your employees will enter permit-required confined spaces, then you must develop a written confined space entry program and training plan. This program/plan needs to be available for inspection by employees and their authorized union representatives.

How to Plan

The following are some aspects the program/plan must include:

• Measures to prevent unauthorized entry
• Identification and evaluation of the hazards of permit spaces
• Equipment needed to perform a safe entry operation
• Procedures for atmospheric testing of the space
• Provision of at least one attendant outside the space
• Provision for responding to emergencies
• Designation of all persons with active roles and provision of required training
• Procedures for summoning rescue and emergency services
• System for the preparation, issuance, use and cancellation of entry permits
• Procedures to coordinate operation where more than one employer is involved
• Procedure for evaluation and correction of entry operations when the employer has reason to believe that the program is not sufficiently protective
• The mechanism by which the confined space permit entry program is reviewed

If your confined spaces don't require permits, or employees will not be allowed access, you must develop a training program that teaches what constitutes a confined space, the hazards that may be encountered inside them, and the precautions that must be taken by confined space entrants, attendants, and supervisors to prevent accidents and injuries. You also need to develop a testing policy for the confined spaces atmospheric conditions and have a rescue policy in place if someone becomes stuck in a confined space.

Prevent Injuries and Increase Productivity

While the blow of a workplace injury cripples many companies, safety training programs are proven to drastically reduce the risk of injury and increase workplace productivity.

Through independent studies, OSHA has confirmed employers who have in place a safety and health training program experience a 52% lower rate of "injury with days away" than employers without a program. [2]

A second study of private industry employers by OSHA found even more benefits to a safety training program.

Here are a few highlights of those programs:

Company Benefits: [3]

• Average sales rose 7.5%

• Manufacturing defects and waste dropped from $2.7 million in 2001 to $435,000 in 2005

• Improved decision-making

• EMR dropped by 45%

NIOSH Findings

The value of training is further emphasized by a study of 41 workers hospitalized for hand injuries. Through the survey of these employees conducted by members of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), it was discovered more than half had no on-the-job training for the equipment that caused their injury.

Workplaces that establish safety and health management systems can reduce their injury and illness costs by 20 to 40%, according to OSHA.

Studies not only show the impact safety training has in increasing productivity and preventing injury. It shows the value training has to prevent casualties. [4]

A NIOSH study of 55 confined workplace fatalities found that only three of those losing their lives ever received training on the proper workplace safety procedures.

A study of the California insurance industry also revealed that every dollar invested in safety training resulted in $3 or more dollars in savings.

Safety training is not a cost, it is an investment.

There is a Better Solution

Meeting these regulations is a tedious process requiring you to either to develop a training program yourself or to outsource with expensive safety consultants.

There is a better solution.

Here at Safety Services we have developed a "Do-It-Yourself" training program that is both simple to administer and fulfills all your OSHA requirements.

This innovative kit features an Interactive Training Program, Student's Handbook, Instructor's Handbook, OSHA Regulations, Student Tests, Training Logs, Fall Protection Checklist, Certificates, Wallet Cards and More.

Topics addressed:

• OSHA requirements
• Manuals
• Safety decals and information
• PPE
• Inspections
• Start-up
• Operation
• Hazards
• Maneuvering
• Maintenance
• And much more

Three Simple Steps to Certification

Our convenient kits offer a simple three-step solution that brings all your employees into compliance.

1. Classroom/online training
The first step of our program is an intuitive electronic training session. Through the program, employees navigate an electronic training program at a computer and then take an automatically graded test.

2. Field training
The second part of training is in the field. During this portion of the session, your appointed trainer shows the trainee the infield applications of the materials they learned in the classroom session.

3. Evaluation
The third step to the training session is evaluation. Through this step, the trainer evaluates the trainee. Then, either signs off on certification or retouches on topics that need more work. All certification through the program meets OSHA requirements.

In addition to meeting training requirements, the kit provides instruction on how to craft your confined spaces written policy. If you are not comfortable writing your own policy we can provide the service for an additional fee.

To learn how we can solve your company's confined space safety training and compliance needs, check out our products and services here or call us at (866) 329-5407 today. 

Citations

• http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/confinedspace/
• http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=standards&p_id=10051
• http://www.labor.state.ny.us/workerprotection/safetyhealth/PDFs/WSLP/Cost%20Benefit%20Safety.pdf
• http://www.osha.gov/Publications/smallbusiness/small-business.pdf
• http://www.osha.gov/Publications/safety-health-addvalue.html

Complete Rigging Safety Solutions

Rigging safety is a critical part of shipyard and construction employment, used to lift heavy materials to heights with cranes and other devices. Riggers also act as signalmen. Improper rigging of a load or a rigging failure can expose riggers and other workers nearby to a variety of potential hazards.

Annually, about 50 riggers are killed when loads have slipped from the rigging, or when the rigging has failed. To protect workers, OSHA set a series of strict rigging requirements. These requirements call for you to maintain rigging equipment, properly train employees and more.

By cutting down on accidents through an effective program, your company can not only improve its profitability, but remove the risk for a costly OSHA fine or lawsuit.

Hazards of Rigging in Crane Operation

Rigging involves the use of cranes and other large pieces of equipment to lift steel and other materials. OSHA heavily regulates this practice.. With at least 225,000 cranes operating in the U.S., accidents are bound to happen, but the majority of crane accidents resulting in fatalities and injuries are preventable, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). More than 50% of all mobile crane accidents are the result of mistakes made when the crane was being set up. All of these accidents are preventable by following the manufacturer's recommendations for assembly and dismantling, by using the correct components, and by observing the necessary precautions.

Other Hazards Associated with Cranes Include Fall Hazards Created By:

• Uneven working surfaces
• Wet and slippery working surfaces
• Working surfaces not cleared of obstructions
• Improper use of portable ladder
• Unprotected sides, bulkhead openings, deck holes more than 5 ft.

Struck-by and Crushing Hazards Created By:

• Gear and equipment not properly inspected
• Defective gear and equipment
• Moving parts and equipment
• Improperly rigged loads
• Improper use of tag line allowing hoisting material to swing out of control
• Loads swung or suspended overhead
• Hazardous locations between a swinging load and fixed object

Electrical Hazards Created By:

• Use of hoisting and hauling equipment near energized lines
• Tools and equipment not properly grounded
• Defective electrical tools
• Worn or frayed electric cables

While the potential for injury is staggering, the financial impact they place on employers is overwhelming. An annual study conducted by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety, revealed that the direct cost to employers from injuries in 2008 was $53.42 billion. [1] Furthermore, the study concluded that accidents at the workplace were estimated to cost employers an additional $80 to $200 billion annually.

A second report by the U.S. Department of Labor cemented the finding of the insurance group's report. This report stated the average workplace injury cost an employer $43,000. The same study estimated the cost from wage replacement due to injury to be roughly $50 billion a year. "An accident at the workplace can often be the difference between operating in the black and falling into the red," said Safety Services Company's Founder Devon Dickinson.

OSHA Requirements for Rigging

OSHA has established multiple regulations designed to prevent accidents during the use of rigging. These regulations require you to:

• Inspect rigging equipment for material handling prior to use on each shift and as necessary during its use to ensure that it is safe. Remove defective rigging equipment from service.
• Inspect the ground.
• Never load rigging equipment in excess of its recommended safe working load.
• Remove rigging equipment, when not in use, from the immediate work area so as not to present a hazard to employees.
• Make and maintain a record of the most recent month in which each alloy steel chain sling was thoroughly inspected, and make such record available for examination.
• Train on rigging materials
• Train on proper usage
• Provide and ensure proper use of proper PPE
• Train on hazards
• Establish and maintain effective signaling procedures

While the blow of a workplace injury cripples many companies, safety training programs are proven to drastically reduce the risk of injury and increase workplace productivity. Through independent studies, OSHA has confirmed employers who have in place a safety and health training program experience a 52 percent lower rate of "injury with days away" than employers without a program. [2]

A second study of private industry employers by OSHA found even more benefits to a safety training program. Here are a few highlights of those programs:

Company Benefits

• Average sales rose 7.5 percent
• Manufacturing defects and waste dropped from $2.7 million in 2001 to $435,000 in 2005
• Improved decision-making
• Emergency modification rate dropped by 45%

Safety and Health Initiatives Reduce Indirect Costs, Due to:

• Increased productivity
• Higher quality products
• Increased morale
• Better labor/management relations
• Reduced turnover
• Better use of human resources

Workplaces that establish safety and health management systems can reduce their injury and illness costs by 20 to 40 percent, according to OSHA. Studies not only show the impact safety training has in increasing productivity and preventing injury. It shows the value training has to prevent casualties. [4] A study of the California insurance industry determined that every dollar invested in safety training resulted in $3 or more dollars in savings," Safety training is not a cost, it is an investment.

An Easier Compliance Solution

By requesting and reading this report, you are no doubt aware of the hazards associated with aerial and the long list of regulations your company must abide by. Meeting these regulations is a tedious process requiring you either to develop a training program yourself or to outsource with expensive safety consultants. There is a better solution.

Here at Safety Services we have developed a "Do-It-Yourself" training program that is both simple to administer and fulfills all your OSHA requirements. This innovative kit features an Interactive Training Program, Student's Handbook, Instructor's Handbook, OSHA Regulations, Student Tests, Training Logs, Fall Protection Checklist, Certificates, Wallet Cards and More.

What It Covers

• OSHA Requirements
• Material Storage
• Equipment
• PPE
• Inspections
• Rigging
• Loading
• Lifting
• Training Requirements
• Accident Prevention
• And More

Our turnkey kit is a simple three-step solution that brings all your employees into compliance.

1. Classroom/online training
   • The first step of our program is an intuitive electronic training session. Through the program, employees navigate an electronic training program at a computer and then take an automatically graded test.
2. Field training
   • The second part of training is in the field. During this portion of the session, your appointed trainer shows the trainee the infield applications of the materials they learned in the classroom session.
3. Evaluation
   • The third and final step to the training session is evaluation. Through this step, the trainer evaluates the trainee and either signs off on certification or retouches on topics that need more work. All certification through the program meets or exceeds OSHA requirements.

Overview of Materials Handling & Rigging Kit

The rigging safety kit starts by explaining the reasons for training and what makes up an effective training program. The next subject is the proper ergonomic principles of personally lifting heavy loads. Following that is a discussion on the proper way to stage and transport heavy materials by hand, vehicle lifts, reach forklifts and then roll-out truck beds.

Hazards of heavy lifting are explained in detail like: awkward positions, high frequency and long duration lifting, environmental factors, loading and unloading vehicles. Each discussed hazard includes the proper procedures for eliminating it from your workplace. Furthermore, you will be informed of the safe way to move larger material mechanically, avoiding storage hazards and how to stack materials.

Becoming Certified to Operate a Crane

This Material Handling and Rigging Kit covers important information to work with crane operators on how to rig the loads to be lifted, but it will not fulfill the requirements necessary to be a certified crane operator.

According to OSHA, all crane operators must be licensed.

There are 4 ways an equipment operator can be qualified or certified and meet OSHA Requirements:

1. A certificate from an accredited crane operator testing organization.
2. Qualification from the employer through an audited employer program.
3. Qualification by the US Military (only applies to employees of Department of Defense or Armed Forces and does not include private contractors)
4. Licensing by a state or local government.

Certification includes two parts:

1. A written examination that includes the safe operating procedures for the particular type of equipment the applicant will be operating and technical understanding of the subject matter criteria required in 1926.1427(j).
2. A practical exam showing the applicant has the skills needed to safely operate the equipment, including, among other skills, the ability to properly use load chart information and recognize items required in the shift inspection.

To learn how we can solve your company's rigging safety training and compliance needs, check out our products and services here or call us at (866) 329-5407 today. Remember, your one inquiry can save lives. 

Citations

• [1] http://www.cpwr.com/hazpdfs/hazaeriallifts.pdf
• [2] http://www.labor.state.ny.us/workerprotection/safetyhealth/PDFs/WSLP/Cost%20Benefit%20Safety.pdf
• [3] http://www.osha.gov/Publications/smallbusiness/small-business.pdf
• [4] http://www.osha.gov/Publications/safety-health-addvalue.html

Certification & Forklift Training OSHA

Forklifts, also known as Powered Industrial Trucks (PIT), are used in numerous work settings, primarily to move materials. Each year in the United States, nearly 100 workers are killed and another 20,000 are seriously injured in forklift-related incidents. Forklift overturns are the leading cause of these fatalities, representing about 25% of all forklift-related deaths. In regard to forklift training, OSHA requires employers to certify employees in the proper operation and maintenance of forklifts, and train those who may come into contact with lifts on hazards and best practices.

It is a common belief that certification is something that has to be completed through private contractors. However, OSHA regulations allow you to certify your own employees through the creation of an OSHA-complaint program. Independent studies have confirmed forklift training reduces operator errors by 70%.

Forks and Hazards

As a further illustration of the risk associated with forklift operation OSHA estimates that of the 1 million forklifts in the United States two-thirds are involved in an accident in their normal eight-year life span. These incidents are attributed to three causes according to OSHA:

1. Insufficient or inadequate forklift training.
2. Failure to follow safe forklift operating procedures.
3. Lack of safety rule enforcement.

Common Causes of Forklift Fatalities

• Forklift overturns (22%)
• Worker on foot struck by forklift (20%)
• Victim crushed by forklift (16%)
• Fall from forklift (9%)

Death and Injury Can Cripple Your Company

Workplace deaths and injuries are heartbreaking to families and financially crippling to employers. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates these injuries and deaths cost employers $1 billion a week in worker's compensation costs. And when lost productivity, increased insurance premiums and other costs are added in, the total economic impact of occupational accidents is more than $4 billion a week or $668 for every citizen in the United States.

Annual Studies

An annual study conducted by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety in 2010, revealed that the direct cost to employers from injuries in 2008 was $53.42 billion. Furthermore, accidents at the workplace were estimated to cost employers an additional $80 to $200 billion annually. A second report by the U.S. Department of Labor cemented the finding of the insurance groups report. This report stated the average workplace injury cost an employer $43,000. The same study estimated the cost from wage replacement due to injury to be roughly $50 billion a year.

Profit and Loss

An accident at the workplace can often be the difference between operating in the black and falling into the red. In addition to the financial ramifications due to health related issues, OSHA can fine employers for not having a policy in place. These fines start at $7,000.

OSHA Requirements

To protect employers and employees from the danger of operating forklifts OSHA crafted regulation 29 CFR 1910.178, which outlays a strict series of training, operating and maintenance requirements for all companies utilizing PITs.

This next chapter is a survey of some of the requirements in forklift operation that a novice may not know.

Forklift Operation

Your employees need training on the basics of forklift operation. These topics must include:

• The proper distance forks are to be raised when transporting a load and the operating of the forks while the lift is moving in a forward or reverse direction. [29 CFR 1910.178 (n)(7)(iii)].
• The safe speeds at which the forklift is to operate to facilitate proper stopping. [29 CFR 1910.178 (n)(8)].
• The operator is required to look forward and keep a clear view of the travel path [29 CFR 1910.178(n)(6)].
• The riding on a lift by a person other than the primary operator. [29 CFR 1910.178 (m)(3)].
• The driving of forklifts into fixed objects that other objects may be resting on. These objects include benches, tables and more.[29 1910.178 (m)(1)]

Impact of Training

Training is an important part of eliminating job place injuries. Studies of forklift specific training show a 70% reduction in operator errors. [2]  Through independent studies, OSHA has confirmed employers who have in place a safety and health training program experience a 52 percent lower rate of "injury with days away" than employers without a program. [7]

A second study of private industry employers by OSHA found even more benefits to a safety training program. Here are a few highlights of those programs:

Company Benefits

• Average Sales rose 7.5 percent
• Manufacturing defects and waste dropped from $2.7 million in 2001 to $435,000 in 2005
• Improved decision-making
• Emergency Modification Rate dropped by 45%

Safety Leads to Reductions in Indirect Costs

• Increased productivity
• Higher quality products
• Increased morale
• Better labor/management relations
• Reduced turnover
• Better use of human resources

Value of Training

The value of training is further emphasized by a study of 41 workers hospitalized for hand injuries. Through the survey of these employees conducted by members of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) it was discovered more than half had no on-the-job training for the equipment that caused their injury.

Workplaces that establish safety and health management systems can reduce their injury and illness costs by 20 to 40 percent, according to OSHA. Studies not only show the impact safety training has in increasing productivity and preventing injury. It shows the value training has to prevent casualties. [7] A NIOSH study of 55 confined workplace fatalities found that only three of those losing their lives ever received training on the proper workplace safety procedures.

For Every Dollar Invested in Safety Training

A study of the California insurance industry also revealed that every dollar invested in safety training resulted in $3 or more dollars in savings," Safety training is not a cost, it is an investment.

A Better Forklift Safety Solution

By requesting and reading this report, you are no doubt aware of the hazards associated with forklifts and the long list of regulations your company must abide by. Meeting these regulations is a tedious process that requires you either to develop a training program yourself or to outsource with expensive safety consultants. There is a better solution.

Here at Safety Services Company, we have developed a "Do-It-Yourself" training program that is both simple to administer and fulfills all your OSHA forklift requirements.

Three Steps to Certification

Our turnkey kit is a simple three-step solution that brings all your employees into compliance.

1. Classroom/online training
   • The first step of our program is an intuitive electronic training session. Through the program, employees navigate an electronic training program at a computer and then take an automatically graded test. If computers are not available materials are printable for a traditional classroom or onsite training seminar.
2. Field training
   • The second part of training is in the field. During this portion of the session, your appointed trainer shows the trainee the infield applications of the materials they learned in the classroom session.
3. Evaluation
   • The third and final step to the training session is evaluation. Through this step, the trainer evaluates the trainee and either signs off on certification or retouches on topics that need more work.

Train-the-Trainer

All certification through the program meets or exceeds OSHA requirements. In addition to providing you with the knowledge to train your employees, our kit comes with our renowned "Train-the-Trainer" software, which transforms your employees into expert trainers. Our training kits cover:

• OSHA requirements
• Manuals
• Safety decals and information
• PPE
• Inspections
• Start-up
• Operation
• Hazards
• Maneuvering
• Maintenance
• And much more…

Your forklift training kit will include:

• Student Manual
• Instructor's manual
• Inspection sheets
• Training logs
• Safety certificates
• Wallet cards
• Safety tests
• CD-ROM disk
• Training presentation
• Software to print extra
• Wallet cards, certificates
• Inspection sheets, tests, etc.

Continuous Commitment

As a valued Safety Services customer, we pledge to continually monitor the ever-changing safety requirements in your specific field, and will contact your company when a change may occur.

To see how we can solve your company's forklift safety training needs, check out our products and services here or call us at (866) 329-5407 today. 

Citations

• [1] http://www.des.umd.edu/compliance/factsheet/powered.html
• [2] http://www.orosha.org/pdf/workshops/221w.pdf
• [3] http://setonresourcecenter.net/Forklift/2001-109.pdf
• [4] http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/jobsafetyandhealth-factsheet.html
• [5] http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/products/topics/businesscase/index.html
• [6] http://www.libertymutualgroup.com/omapps/ContentServer?pagename=LMGroup/Views/LMG&ft=2&fid=1138356633468&ln=en
• [7] http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=standards&p_id=10051
• [8] http://www.labor.state.ny.us/workerprotection/safetyhealth/PDFs/WSLP/Cost%20Benefit%20Safety.pdf
• [9] http://www.osha.gov/Publications/smallbusiness/small-business.pdf
• [10] http://www.osha.gov/Publications/safety-health-addvalue.html