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.

1. • A History of Excellence and Leadership: Toyota’s forklift division began in 1956 in Japan with the introduction of the first Toyota forklift. Today, Toyota is the world leader in forklift sales.

• • Safety Innovation: Toyota introduced the world’s first and only System of Active Stability (SAS). The system electronically monitors the forklift’s operations to help reduce the likelihood of both lateral and longitudinal tip-overs.

• • Technical Innovation: In 2000, Toyota became the first major forklift manufacturer in the United States to offer AC technology to provide high performance and efficiency. The AC motor contains no springs, brushes, commutators or directional contractors, making is virtually maintenance free.

• • #1 in Quality, Durability, Reliability, Value and Lowest Cost of Ownership: Toyota forklifts are ranked number one in numerous studies conducted by Peerless Research Group.

• • More Than a Forklift Manufacturer, Toyota is a Full-Line Supplier: In addition to a full line of high-quality forklifts, Toyota offers other industrial equipment products including narrow aisle solutions, walkie stackers, automated guided vehicles (AGV’s) and tow tractors.

Toyota Forklifts lead the industry with innovative designs and top-of-the-line customer support. At Toyota, safety comes standard, and we spend time each day developing ways to keep everyone in your facility protected, healthy, and productive. We start with the top safety concerns and ask, “what can we do to improve our engineering to help make people safer?” It’s part of our culture of continuous improvement. We’re always pushing ourselves toward what next. And it’s what led us to develop the best safety features in the industry.

Innovative Forklift Safety Features: System of Active Stability and Active Mast Control

Toyota’s forward-thinking engineering is what helps make Toyota Forklifts some of the safest forklifts on the market. Asking the tough questions, we found that tip-overs and falling loads were some of the most common causes of forklift accidents. So Toyota engineers went to work, and, in 1999, introduced the System Active of Stability, which comes standard on most Toyota forklifts. In conjunction with Active Mast Control, Toyota engineering is a must for the most safety-conscious operations managers.

• System of Active Stability (SAS): The SAS is unique to Toyota forklifts. While many stability systems are reactive, Toyota’s SAS is a proactive system that takes approximately 3,000 readings per second to ensure operator safety. Because of this proactive approach, SAS recognizes when factors could put the forklift at risk and automatically stabilizes the lift using the innovative swing-lock cylinder to prevent a tipover.
• Active Mast Function Control (AMC): AMC is also unique to Toyota forklifts. This system recognizes dangerous tilt speeds when lifting payloads and slows the speed of the mast to prevent tipovers.

Innovative Forklift Safety Features: Other Toyota-Engineered Safety Features

But Toyota’s safety innovation does not stop at these unique features. We employ safety-first thinking in all of our manufacturing, developing the best solutions for features that seem common. The unique-Toyota approach? Safety always in manufacturing:

• Orange Forks: It seems so simple, but optional orange forks on our lifts prevent accidents and loss of products by assisting visibility during placement. Accurate fork placement helps prevent against spilled payloads that can be dangerous for forklift operators and other associates.
• Horn: All forklifts are required to come installed with a functioning horn.
• Rear Horn with Grip Assist: Toyota offers an add-on horn placed behind the operator on the overhead guard support leg. This ergonomic design allows operators to honk while they are turned and viewing the workspace behind the forklift.
• Seatbelt: Toyota forklifts come standard with a seatbelt. We also offer orange seatbelt upgrades to increase visibility and ensure proper usage of this highly-important safety feature.
• Overhead Guard: This safety feature protects operators from falling objects. The single component welded construction improves rigidity and safety while design considerations such as the 45 degree angle of the front cross beam improves visibility for operators moving pallets at height.

Making the Best Use of Forklift Safety Features: Using a Safety Checklist

These innovations in engineering are excellent and can lead to increased safety in your facility. But the best way to make sure your forklift is in optimal working condition is to use a forklift safety checklist as part of your daily walk around on your forklift. Here’s one example of those features on your Toyota Forklift that would benefit from routine checks.

Making the Best Use of Forklift Safety Features: Fork Safety Best Practices

All Toyota forklifts are engineered with safety in mind. That includes every part of the forklift, including one of the most important parts: the forks. But no matter how well a forklifts is engineered, using them appropriately is the responsibility of the operator. The forks can represent a problem area if used inappropriately. Be sure to regularly use a fork caliper to inspect the forks and employ the following best practices:

• Low and slow. Anytime you’re moving, keep your forks no more than six inches off the ground and move slowly through the warehouse. Be careful not to drag your forks on the ground, however, because that can shorten the lifespan of your forks.
• Carefully maintain your forks. Make it a habit to check your forks every during every inspection and maintenance cycle, as designated in your operator’s manual. If your forks appear to be bent, it’s time to replace them.
• Stick with your load capacity. Don’t ever try to push your load capacity. Remember, your forks are only made to lift as much as your forklift says they are and trying to lift more could result in dropping a load.
• Only use your forks to lift. Your forks are made to lift and that’s it, so don’t try to push things or pry things open with them. Using your forks irresponsibly could cause damage making them vulnerable to dropping loads.

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.

Because liquid propane (LP) is a flammable and explosive gas, changing an LP tank on a forklift can present risks. To keep ourselves and co-workers safe, we must act responsibly.

8 tips for responsibly installing an LP tank

Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The fuel inside the LP tank is contained at a high pressure and has a temperature of 44 degrees below fahrenheit. Contact with the fuel can damage your eyes and skin and cause frostbite. Avoid contact with wrap-around safety glasses and thick, rubber gloves.

Check for remaining fuel

Never assume that because the forklift engine died that fuel isn’t present. Ensure the line and fitting have no remaining fuel that can spray on your hands or face when you disconnect the coupler.

Disconnect

Unscrew the fitting off the tank. Remove the empty tank and store it properly.

Inspect

A leaking tank can result in an explosion. Inspect your fuel tank for frost build-up, dents, gouges, heavy rust, and o-ring condition. Also check the forklift hose and fitting for any visible damage.

Tank position

Put the tank on the locating pin. The locating pin on the forklifts tank bracket serves four purposes: it positions the tank properly for the hose and fitting alignment to connect without twisting or stretching the hose; ensures the pressure relief valve won’t spray LP fuel; aligns the main valve pick-up tube inside the tank to get almost all the fuel out of the bottom; and allows the fuel gauge to read correctly.

Check the valve and o-ring

Confirm the new tank valve is off. If the hose coupler is screwed on an opened tank valve, it could upset the check valve in the tank fitting and spray LP. Also, ensure the o-ring from the empty tank did not pull out, jamming the check valve. If no fuel can pass through the check valve, the forklift will not start up.

Connection and the valve

Screw the forklift fitting all the way and hand tighten it on the tank fitting. Slowly open the valve, being careful not to over-tighten it in cases of leaks, fire or explosions; you need to be able to shut off the valve quickly. With the valve opened fully, the 10% surge valve inside the tank will shut the tank off in case an LP hose or fitting fails.

Look, listen and smell

If you see visible white frost, hear rushing noises or smell a bad odor – You have a leak! Because it is heavier than air, LP vapor pools on the ground and will look for a source of ignition. Shut off the tank valve and ventilate the area.

When a forklift is down and in need of repair, operators and managers are tasked with ensuring, first, the safety of those in their warehouse, and, second, that no further damage to the forklift or moved product occurs. When a forklift goes down, lockout tagout procedures should be initiated to help operators address both requirements simultaneously.

What does the OSHA lockout tagout standard refer to?

The OSHA Lockout Tagout Standard for The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), Title 29 CFR, outlines the required procedures for disabling machinery to help protect operators and other associates from unexpected bursts of energy or startup while maintenance activities are being performed on a piece of equipment.

Commonly, lockout tagout procedures included attaching a locked box to the forklift and a red and white warning tag hanging from the steering wheel. The box is a lockout box that isolates the forklift power source to the forklift so it cannot be operated and the tag provides information about why this forklift is locked out from its power source. Information you might see on the tag is the last date someone was working on the forklift, who last worked on the forklift, and the type of repair that is being performed. The procedure is meant to protect both the operators of the forklifts and the technicians performing maintenance on the forklifts. It’s to your benefit to fully understand this procedure as OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.333 requires lockout and tagout procedures be used on all equipment that uses electric energy for industrial purposes. This standard is meant to control hazardous energy such as electrical or hydraulic energy sources in forklifts. A typical lockout tagout procedure might follow these steps.

Lockout Tagout Steps

Step 1: Detail your procedure in full, including location

Step 2: Communicate the breakdown to ALL impacted associates

Step3: Shut down your equipment following detailed shutdown procedures

Step 4: Use lockout box or other procedure to interrupt energy output

Step 5: Follow procedures to eliminate any residual energy sources

Step 6: Attempt to start the equipment to make sure it will not start

Step 7: Perform maintenance

Step 7 b: Make sure to communicate breakdown across shifts

Step 8: Employ reverse lockout tagout procedures to reintegrate equipment into operation

To protect both operators and technicians, keep in mind these three tips about your lockout tagout procedure:

Lockout Tagout Procedures: Understand that removing the key is not enough

Removing the keys from the ignition is not enough to lockout your forklift. The forklift is still connected to the power source. It does not matter whether the forklift is powered by a liquid propane gas (LPG) tank or a battery, the hazardous energy is not isolated. Because the energy source is not isolated, there is potential for an unexpected release of energy, making both operators and technicians vulnerable to an accident.

Lockout Tagout Procedures: Document, Communicate, and Train Lock Out Tag Out

Your lockout tagout procedure should be well documented. The documented process also makes it easier to communicate and train employees. If employees need clarity, the documented procedure is the first resource to turn to for answers. Once the procedure is documented, communicate the procedure and set up routine training to keep lockout tagout top-of-mind.

Lockout Tagout Procedures: Inspect and re-evaluate procedures at least once per year

The success of your lockout tagout procedure cannot truly be assessed until the procedure is implemented. It allows you to gauge if the procedure is working, where improvements can be made, and how the procedure can change or evolve to become safer.

Original Post: Kenny Trusnik, Toyota Material Handling, USA

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