Each year more than 100 people are killed and over 95,000 injured in accidents involving forklifts. Why?
Forklifts use the laws of physics to give one person power to move large loads with seemingly effortless precision. A well trained and experienced forklift operator is a marvel of skill and competence that can safely stack pallets or pick a single item from a trailer or pipe rack. The same laws of physics that allow forklifts to make great lifts also make them subject to great mishaps. They tip over, drop loads, trap people, and fall off ramps or trucks.
A safe forklift operator avoids accidents by:
- Understanding forklift design, controls, and instrumentation.
- Conducting a comprehensive pre-use inspection before each use.
- Understanding and following forklift safe work practices.
Forklift Design
Forklifts come in a variety of sizes and designs and may operate on battery power, propane, gasoline, or diesel fuel. Each forklift is designed to perform specific tasks in set situations. Using it in any other way is not only unprofessional – it is dangerous.
All forklifts have some things in common. They have forks that pick up the load, hold it during transit and put it in place at the new location. Forks tilt forward or backward. The operator can adjust the space between forks to lift loads of varying widths. Some forks on forklifts can be replaced with special attachments for carrying oddly shaped loads, such as drums, or long loads, such as pipe. Some can be used with a man-basket for elevating people.
The parts of a forklift include the mast, carriage, backrest, and overhead guard. Only the basic design is the same. In use, forklifts have different controls, weight capacities and restrictions on where they can be operated. That’s why every forklift operator needs to learn all operating requirements for the particular forklift that they use. OSHA requires that you are trained and certified for each type of forklift and each kind of work situation you encounter.
Is Driving a Forklift the Same as Driving a Car?
A forklift is not like a car. It steers in a very different way and has different controls. The forklift is less stable when turning because the front drive wheels support most of the load. You have less steering control when turning especially when the forklift is loaded. The forklift’s steering and drive mechanism also makes it difficult to stop quickly and dangerous to swerve. Forklifts operate equally well in forward or reverse but steer differently in each direction. They also have blind spots, especially when loaded.
To operate a forklift, you need to follow good safety practices and pay attention to the load, the forklift and your work area.
What Does the Pre-use Inspection Include?
The pre-use inspection takes only a few minutes, and must be done at least daily or at the beginning of each tour. You may have a checklist to use – be sure to fill it out and turn it in every time.
On diesel powered forklifts check:
- Check for fuel tank damage or leaks and make sure that all valves and nozzles are secure
- Check the mast, carriage, forks, overhead guard, backrest, hydraulic system and tires for damage.
- Check all fluid levels, including oil, coolant and hydraulic fluids.
- After starting the forklift, check all gauges, indicators, and warning lights.
- Put the forklift through its normal maneuvers and check lift, tilt, brakes, steering, lights, and horn.
If anything is not right about the forklift, turn it off and secure it. Report the problem to your supervisor. You should never operator a forklift that has failed any of the pre-use checks.
What is Meant by Forklift Stability?
Knowledge of the forklift – things such as balance, stability, capacity and visibility – separates the good operator from the average operator. The professional knows that every load and every situation is different and that every lift and carry must be evaluated and planned.
The design of the forklift is based on a stability triangle. The front axle, with its drive wheels, acts as the base of the triangle and supports the weight of the load. The sides of the stability triangle meet at the point where the forklift steers, in the middle of the steering axle.
Keeping the downward force of the load (center of gravity) within the stability triangle keeps the forklift stable and keeps the load for crashing to the ground. Allowing the load to move outside the stability triangle makes both the forklift and load less stable and subject to tipping, rolling, or dropping.
When Does the Load Become Less Stable?
- Whenever the load is raised
- When you are turning
- On slopes, either front to back or side-to-side
- On rough roads or uneven surfaces.
On every move, you need to decide if your stability will be affected by:
- The load – its weight and/or shape
- The route and its condition along the way
- The destination and maneuvers needed to set down the load
Know the rated load capacity of your forklift and never exceed it. The load capacity information should be located on a plate inside the forklift. This information and your understanding of stability help make you a safe forklift operator.
What are Some of the Question that You Should Ask Yourself?
As a forklift operator, asking yourself the following questions will help you judge a load:
- What is the rated load capacity of the forklift?
- Is this load well within the capacity limits?
- Will the shape of this load affect my stability?
- Will the load affect my visibility?
- Do I need to split up the load?
- Do I need to driver in reverse?
- Do I need a spotter?
- What hazards are along the route?
- What turns will I have to negotiate?
- Are there ramps, slopes, rough ground or obstacles?
- What about the destination?
- Can I get close enough?
- Can I pull in straight?
- Is the area free of overhead hazards like power lines, pipes, or beams?
Are You Certified to Operate a Forklift?
Operating a forklift requires special skills. OSHA requires a high level of training, re-
training, and certification for everyone who operates a forklift – and not everyone can qualify. You can get the required training here at Instructibly.com.
Operators that have an accident or near miss should get supplementary training to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Even seasoned operators are still learning and know that extra training can help them operate more efficiently and more safely.
Conclusion
Operating a forklift is a highly skilled job that is dangerous if not done properly. You need to know all about your forklift and its operation. Your hands-on training is the first step in becoming a safe forklift operator. The second step is demonstrating your skill with each load that you move.
Do you want a detailed review of forklift training requirements? Download our FREE Forklift Certification Training Guide here.