In order to utilize any type of lift truck, specific OSHA requirements have to be met. Several companies offer basic awareness training to other individuals like visitors and office employees or sales people and other non-operators who might venture into the yard or warehouse. Even if OSHA doesn't specifically address forklift pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers must take measures in order to protect employees from certain risks, like for example pedestrians exposed to moving lift trucks.
A huge concern which would have to be dealt with is pedestrian safety. According to the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; approximately 20 percent of all forklift mishaps consist of a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means approximately 19,000 people on an annual basis.
In order to keep everybody safe, there are several basic steps which should be taken into consideration. This is regardless to how frequently or briefly individuals are around industrial trucks during their work day. Amongst the major factors is that forklift pedestrian mishaps often happen in cases where the pedestrian is not aware of safety precautions. Problems also occur more often when the pedestrian ends up complacent because she or he has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts.
So as to avoid putting yourself at potential risk of being struck by a lift truck, there are several common situations to look out for. Amongst the most common issues is when pedestrians did not see the lift truck. Numerous operations have varying degrees of blind corners or intersections that pedestrians have to know. At times pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be careful of the different types of power sources. For instance, electric trucks may be much quieter than internal combustion engines that are really loud.
The other major issues are when pedestrians come in too close proximity of the machine. Common sense tells us that in order for a pedestrian to be injured by a lift truck, the pedestrian needs to be in close enough proximity to be struck. For a forklift that is working, a four foot safety zone is suggested so as to make a safe perimeter for everybody. This really helps to deal with risks like for instance the model driving accidentally over the foot of a pedestrian.
Implementing and following strict safety protocol helps to make certain that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch.