June 13th marks the 10th anniversary of National Forklift Safety Day, an initiative by the Industrial Truck Association. This event recognizes the importance of forklift safety and features a variety of presentations conducted by OSHA, safety experts and industry professionals; with options to take part both in person on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, from 9:00AM – 11:00AM EST at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. or virtually through livestream.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, nearly 100 workers are killed and another 20,000 are seriously injured in forklift-related incidents annually. Common causes of forklift accidents include speeding, reckless operation, overloading with cargo or unsecured cargo, operator view obstructed by cargo, inadequate inspections and maintenance, and lack of proper protection equipment on both the forklift and in the workplace. Forklift safety is not limited to just the operator, in fact, over one-third of all forklift accident fatalities involve someone other than the forklift operator.

These accidents can cause pricey direct and indirect costs to the employer, including regulatory fines, legal costs, workers’ compensation costs, lost revenue and productivity, costs of hiring and training new employees, and damage to company reputation.

OSHA estimates that about 70% of all forklift accidents could be avoided with better training and safety procedures. Operator training and pedestrian awareness is crucial in promoting safe working conditions for those that manufacture, operate, and work around forklifts, as well as preventing forklift accidents, injuries, and fatalities in the workplace. Here are some safety tips for operators, pedestrians, and the facility as a whole:

Forklift Operators

• Regularly inspect before operating and on a consistent basis. Here are some checklists to add to your shift inspections. OSHA has strict standards when it comes to the maintenance of forklifts to ensure that these powered industrial trucks operate safely.
• Complete training and certification and continue to learn and participate in additional training offered.
• Wear a seatbelt and the proper PPE.
• Be aware of lift capacity.
• Always give pedestrians the right of way.
• Pay attention to your surroundings.
• Come to a complete stop at aisles, crosswalks and/or intersections; use the horn to alert pedestrians of your presence.

Pedestrians

• Use designated walkways around the warehouse.
• Attempt to make or maintain eye contact with the forklift operator to ensure they have acknowledged your presence. Never assume that a forklift operator sees you!
• Never pass under an elevated load.
• Wear highly visible PPE.
• Avoid distractions, like cellphones, when sharing forklift traffic areas. Electric forklifts can be almost silent when operating, so you will need to not only be listening, but diligently looking for machinery and equipment.

Workplace Environment

• Ensure that your warehouse has sufficient lighting; obstructed visibility is one of the main causes of forklift accidents.
• Along with sufficient lighting, your warehouse should be designed to maximize high visibility. Auditing the facility to find out where there are blind spots, adding safety features, like mirrors or detection devices and doing a redesign of the space can help to maintain a safe working environment.
• Keep your warehouse space tidy and free of clutter. Make sure that debris, boxes, and pallets are not blocking pathways or causing unnecessary difficulties in the maneuvering of forklifts.
• Clearly mark walkways, forklift lanes, and other shared paths of travel for pedestrians and machinery.