As a piece of essential warehouse equipment, forklifts are everywhere. There are currently around 1,000,000 forklifts helping businesses stay organized, and productive throughout the United States. They are one of the most powerful tools in improving efficiency. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Forklifts can be hazardous, and the cause of expensive citations, workplace accidents, injuries, and even death.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), forklift violations are consistently one of the top 10 violations costing businesses about $135,000,000 every year. OSHA also estimates that forklifts cause of approximately 110,000 accidents annually. Of these, about 35,000 resulted in serious injuries, and about 85 accidents resulted in death.

Any workplace that uses forklifts should emphasize forklift safety. Promoting forklift safety will prevent costly violations and accidents. Here are 5 ways to optimize forklift safety:

1. Make sure all employees are educated and properly trained and certified

Studies show that proper training and education is a great deterrent of accidents. Employers should develop and implement a training program based on the general principles of safe operation, the types of forklifts used in the workplace, the potential hazards in the workplace, and the general safety requirements of the OSHA standard. According to OSHA, with these training policies, about 70% of forklift accidents could be prevented.

Additionally, operators must be properly certified per OSHA regulations. OSHA requires forklift operator to be certified in a two-phase training course: a classroom-style training and test, and a hands-on evaluation. Only trained and competent operators can be permitted to operate a forklift. You can find all the necessary information about training and certification here.

2. Understanding your forklift’s load capacity and the Stability Triangle

Many forklift accidents happen because the operators are not knowledgeable about how much their forklifts can carry. In fact, tip-overs due overloading is a leading cause of forklift accidents. So, understanding your forklift’s load capacity is extremely important.

A forklift’s load capacity is found in two places: on the data plate of the forklift, and in the operator’s manual. This capacity refers to a balanced load carried on the stated load center. It can change depending on the attachments used, the height of the lift, and the length of the load.

• • Forklift attachments are anything that is attached to the front carriage or attached to an attachment on the forklift. Generally, as you add attachments to the forklift, the load capacity decreases.
  • Lift height also affects load capacity. Forklifts with high masts will have lower capacity as the lift height increases.
  • The length of the load changes load capacity as well. The longer the length of the load is the lower the capacity.

3. Perform daily inspections and regular maintenance

Maintaining your forklift is not just a great way to extend the life of your forklift, it is also one of the best ways to ensure forklift safety. Regular maintenance safeguards your forklifts against problems that go beyond the normal wear and tear. OSHA requires daily inspections to be performed at the beginning of each shift. If a forklift is equipped with a safety device, the device must be in good working order otherwise the forklift should be tagged out of service until it can be repaired. These daily inspections also help operators identify operational issues so they can be addressed before they become bigger problems or lead to accidents. By keeping your forklift in optimal working condition, you will have a safe operating experience.

4. Be aware of your work environment

A lack of awareness in the workplace can be detrimental not only to the products you are moving but also to your employees. Many accidents occur because the operator or someone in the forklift’s vicinity is not paying attention. Practice mindfulness by paying attention, keeping an eye on where you’re going, using your alarms to alert others of your presence, ensuring your loads are balanced and within load capacity, and driving safely. These five simple actions can prevent accidents and save lives.

5. Store your forklifts properly

Another way to promote forklift safety and prevent accidents is to store your forklifts properly after use. They should be parked on a flat surface. Engage your parking brakes. Make sure your forks are flush to the ground. The forklift should be turned off, and the keys should be removed from the ignition.

Warehouse spills should be anticipated and prevented whenever possible. But even the most careful warehouse manager or operator can have a spill happen on their watch. Specific advice about what to do in the middle of a spill will ultimately depend on what you spilled. But there are some general things to keep in mind after a spill has occurred that can help you clean up and prevent the next one.

Steps to Take After a Spill

1. Assess What Happened: Determining the cause of a spill is important to determine the cause and rectify the issue before it occurs again, but also so that you can determine what you need to take into account during clean up. What was spilled? Where was it spilled? Why was it spilled? All of these questions can help you to assess what needs to be cleaned up in the facility.
2. Think about where you forgot to clean: It’s easy to remember to clean the floor surface after a spill. But have you thought about where else you need to clean? If you spilled a liquid, this could have splashed onto warehouse racking, product, or a lift’s forks. These are definitely safety hazards that can cause slipping of materials when they’re being handled. If you spilled something that scattered, be sure to check under racks and other warehouse storage systems. Loose materials are slipping hazards for both associates and forklifts.
3. Be Proactive: I know. It’s really not helpful to say “well, in hindsight, you should have….” I can’t stand the guy who says that. That guy is a jerk. But in this case, one of the best ways to prevent the next spill is to learn from the current spill and be proactive. Make sure you have clean up stations with all the proper cleaning solutions, signage, and PPE available for associates to clean the area. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) must be available and accessible for reference. If you’re working with hazardous materials, make sure you have protocols in place in case you have a spill.
4. Recertify Operators: After a near miss or accident, have operators recertify (it’s actually an OSHA requirement).This will mean that they need to train again on proper operating procedures to help prevent possible spills in the future.

Forklift inspection is a task that helps to ensure material handling equipment is up to par with operation standards at all times. But how often should operators inspect their forklift? Here’s a handy guide on the frequency of forklift inspection:

OSHA Forklift Inspection Requirements

OSHA’s Powered Industrial Truck Standard 1910.178(q)(7)

This standard is the one that controls all OSHA compliance on forklifts. To meet the standard, operators must inspect trucks:

1. Daily (at the beginning of each day’s use)
2. At the beginning of each shift in a continuous use facility

This standard compels operators to ensure their equipment is in good working condition. Failure to operate at this frequency can result in fines from OSHA. Any operator who finds a problem with a forklift must tag it out.

Why this forklift inspection frequency?                     

The frequency of inspection helps to ensure the safe and efficient operation of your forklifts. By comparison, some of us are guilty of bad practices when driving our cars. We see something that will be a problem, and say to ourselves “that will need fixing… eventually.” But there’s going to be a moment in time when that problem will manifest itself in a very real and dangerous way. And then we’re in trouble.

Because forklifts are inspected daily or at the beginning of each shift, operators are able to catch potential problems early. And instead of having a major problem at the exact moment when a part or component breaks, we can perform maintenance that might prevent dangerous situations from ever happening.

The frequency of forklift inspection helps to combat that procrastination when operating a forklift. Because forklifts are inspected daily or at the beginning of each shift, operators are able to catch potential problems early. And instead of having a major problem at the exact moment when a part or component breaks, we can perform maintenance that might prevent dangerous situations from ever happening. Also, by requiring the operators to check their forklift at the beginning of a shift, businesses aren’t relying on someone who is exhausted at the end of a shift to perform check list duties.

Every day, forklift operators have a commitment to safety and protection for themselves and those around them.  Toyota forklifts have overhead guards designed to help protect operators from falling objects and other obstructions in your facility.

Since their development in the 1960’s, forklift overhead guards have helped to protect operators from falling packages, boxes, and bagged materials. The overhead guard itself is a cage-like sturdy structure covering the overhead of the operator. It is designed with small openings as to not obscure the operators view when looking up to place and retrieve loads. Per OSHA requirements and ANSI standards, they are required for the protection and safety of the forklift operator.

While overhead guards are a vital safety asset to any forklift machine, they are not meant to protect against every possible impact.  For example, in the event of a falling capacity load, the support of the overhead guard structure that received the heaviest loading is designed to absorb energy and deform to deflect the falling capacity load. This is a hazardous situation for an operator, as falling loads are unpredictable. Therefore, the specific training and safety procedures and protocol in your facility should be adhered to and overhead guards are not a substitute for good judgment and care in load handling. A daily inspection of the overhead guards to check for anything broken, damaged, or missing could help to prevent serious accidents. Some additional helpful safety measures in overhead guard usage include:.

• Wear a hard hat for additional overhead protection when applicable.

Certain industries require hard hat usage when operating forklifts. You should analyze your facilities and application to see whether this is a necessary precaution.

• Always keep hands,feet and other body parts inside the forklift

Falling objects could come from any direction. It’s vital to keep your whole body within the bounds of the forklift and under the overhead guard. The overhead guard is intended for protection while an operator is within the confines of the seat.  Also, operators are prohibited from operating forklifts with their hands, arms, feet, legs or any other body parts around the overhead guard supports or while outside the overhead guard.

• Never try to fix an overhead guard without professional help

Always reach your local dealer with assistance repairing or replacing an overhead guard. It is against OSHA requirements to use a forklift with a damaged overhead guard.

• Get any additions approved by your manufacturer

Any modification to the forklift including its overhead guard that alters the specs of the forklift can cause potential hazards. You are required to get manufacturer approval before making alterations to the forklift including its overhead guard that affect safe forklift operation.

Original Post: Anna Harris, TMHU Marketing Intern

The use of LP, CNG, gasoline, and diesel forklifts can provide an increase in efficiency and higher ROI for many different types of operations. Whether moving material between manufacturing steps or increasing throughput in a warehouse, Toyota offers a wide variety of pneumatic tire and cushion tire gas-powered forklifts to fit your needs.

Facility design is one of the most important factors in protecting against the harms of exhaust, but a few key ventilation precautions can greatly reduce the risks from emissions.

But as with any piece of heavy machinery or equipment, proper precautions have to be taken to ensure people are protected from residual impacts of their use. In the case of LP, CNG, gasoline, and diesel forklifts, exhaust fumes can be harmful to employees and products if proper precautions aren’t taken. Facility design is one of the most important factors in protecting against the harms of exhaust, but a few key ventilation precautions can greatly reduce the risks from emissions. Here are a few reminders that you can use in your own facilities or bring to your supervisor’s attention.

Warehouses Need Proper Ventilation, Too

In fact, OSHA reported that most complaints of symptoms like dizziness and headache related to LPG forklift use came from warehouses. Performing a proper audit of your warehousing air flow can help to alleviate the possibility of harm from fumes to both people and products. If you run or work in a facility that requires both manufacturing and warehouse storage operation, then it’s important to remember to ventilate both areas.

Forklifts in Enclosed Areas can Lead to Ventilation Problems

Many operators have to use forklifts in very tight areas, sometimes for long periods of time. Long exposure to fumes from an LP, gasoline, CNG, or diesel forklift can lead to the possibility of health hazards. When working in spaces like semi-trailers, within the confines of materials that can’t pass air (think cotton bails), or small rooms for storing specialty products, taking breaks is required. Understanding how to offer proper air flow to these areas by opening windows and vents and providing fans can help limit risks. And according to OSHA standard 29 CFR 1912.12(a)(2), operating forklifts onboard a ship requires special precautions to ensure the right levels of oxygen are present in tight spaces.

Weather Can Impact your Ventilation

When things get cold outside, we tend to want to keep heat in. But when you close your windows, doors, or vents, you also have to account for the fumes that might fill your forklift-operating areas. Make sure staying warm doesn’t come at the expense of fume exposure.

Forklift inspection is a task that helps to ensure material handling equipment is up to par with operation standards at all times. But how often should operators inspect their forklift? Here’s a handy guide on the frequency of forklift inspection:

OSHA Forklift Inspection Requirements

OSHA’s Powered Industrial Truck Standard 1910.178(q)(7)

This standard is the one that controls all OSHA compliance on forklifts. To meet the standard, operators must inspect trucks:

1. Daily (at the beginning of each day’s use)
2. At the beginning of each shift in a continuous use facility

This standard compels operators to ensure their equipment is in good working condition. Failure to operate at this frequency can result in fines from OSHA. Any operator who finds a problem with a forklift must tag it out.

Why this forklift inspection frequency?                     

The frequency of inspection helps to ensure the safe and efficient operation of your forklifts. By comparison, some of us are guilty of bad practices when driving our cars. We see something that will be a problem, and say to ourselves “that will need fixing… eventually.” But there’s going to be a moment in time when that problem will manifest itself in a very real and dangerous way. And then we’re in trouble.

Because forklifts are inspected daily or at the beginning of each shift, operators are able to catch potential problems early. And instead of having a major problem at the exact moment when a part or component breaks, we can perform maintenance that might prevent dangerous situations from ever happening.

The frequency of forklift inspection helps to combat that procrastination when operating a forklift. Because forklifts are inspected daily or at the beginning of each shift, operators are able to catch potential problems early. And instead of having a major problem at the exact moment when a part or component breaks, we can perform maintenance that might prevent dangerous situations from ever happening. Also, by requiring the operators to check their forklift at the beginning of a shift, businesses aren’t relying on someone who is exhausted at the end of a shift to perform check list duties.

Original Post: Bob Helfst, Toyota Material Handling, USA

40% of all forklift accidents involve a pedestrian. Safety comes standard on all Toyota forklifts and we recommend that all operations follow safety best practices to help limit risk to operators and pedestrians in material handling settings. However, there are certain job sites in which alternative precautions for visibility make sense. Enter the Red-Zone LED Warning Light.  

Ensure pedestrians stay a safe distance away from the lift truck with the Red-Zone LED Warning Light. The Red-Zone emits a red beam on the floor to keep pedestrians away preventing foot injury or collisions from rear end swing. The Red-Zone LED Warning Light also includes mounting hardware.  Buy Now!

With a wide range of maintenance checks that need to be performed on all forklifts, it can be easy to allow some part of your equipment fall out of OSHA or ANSI compliance. One aspect of fork inspection that can sometimes slip between the cracks is ensuring that forks are maintained appropriately in compliance with ANSI 56B (updated in May 2017).

In order to complete the appropriate checks and maintain fork compliance, you’ll need to make appropriate use of a fork caliper. This device can be used in three important ways to help you measure fork deviations and get the appropriate information to make sure you’re following the ANSI standard.

Fork Inspection: Check Fork Angle

The Fork angle deviation must be within a margin of 3 degrees. That means that the angle between the blade and the shank must be between 87 and 93 degrees. To use the caliper to check this, open it and place it between the plate and shank so that all four protrusions are touching. The angle can be read using the marking on the caliper. Any fork angle that falls outside of the degree range must be tagged out until the forks are replaced.

Fork Inspection: Check Fork Hooks

The numbers on the end of the caliper indicate the forklift classes. Use the appropriate protrusion to check if the fork hooks are in compliance. Simply place the protrusion into the hook notch. If the hook hits the back of the caliper, it is out of compliance. If it does not, then the forks are fine for continued use. The above fork is in compliance.

Fork Inspection: Check Fork Blade Wear

Begin by setting the caliper by the thickness of the shank. Place the caliper onto the blade at the point of the fork that receives the most wear, which is usually at its heel, as shown. If the blade passes the inside teeth of the caliper, then the fork is out compliance and must be tagged out until forks are replaced.

Original Post: Jake Stewart, Digital Content Copywriter, Toyota Material Handling, USA