Accidents involving forklifts often have serious consequences for the people involved and even when no one is injured, the damage, delays and interruptions caused can be detrimental to the company productivity. In the following video, you can watch some examples of what an unsuitable use of a forklift can cause.
Below are 10 useful rules for the correct use of a forklift.
- Only qualified operators
Only employees properly trained, authorized and provided with the appropriate permits can use the material handling equipment.
- Wear the correct clothes
Operators must wear appropriate clothing and use (where required) the correct safety equipment, including high visibility jacket, safety shoes and hardhat.
Remember that large items of clothing can be caught in parts of the truck or interfere with the controls.
- Equipment inspection
Material handling equipment must always be inspected carefully, daily checks must be carried out before starting the activity and, if problems are identified, the supervisor on duty must be informed.
The instructions for using the equipment contained in the user manual must always be strictly followed.
Equipment requiring repairs must not be used in any way and repairs and maintenance must only be performed by qualified technicians, such as the supplier’s service technician.
- Beginning of the working day
Never operate material handling equipment with wet or greasy hands and shoes as they may slip out of the controls and cause an accident.
Always use the appropriate steps and handrails to get on or off the truck.
Before starting work, make sure you find a comfortable working position and that all the controls are close at hand. The armrest, the seat position and the mirrors must be correctly adjusted and the seat belt must always be fastened.
Never operate a forklift if you are not sitting in the operator seat and if your arms, legs and head are not inside the truck.
- Work environment
Follow all workplace regulations and restrictions and drive the trucks exclusively on the designated routes and areas.
Pay attention to all warning signs.
Always look in the direction of travel and always be careful what happens in the surrounding area.
- Appropriate travel speed
Always use the truck respecting the defined speed limits.
Proceed slowly when cornering: proceeding at high speed in tight turns can cause the truck to overturn.
Avoid braking, starting, steering or reversing the direction of travel abruptly.
- Avoid the dangers
Avoid bumps, holes, loose materials and proceed with caution on slippery surfaces.
Do not proceed on objects such as pieces of wood scattered on the ground as this behaviour could cause the load to shift or the control of the truck to be lost.
Reduce the speed of the truck and use the buzzer when approaching corners, exits, entrances, stairs, doors, pedestrian paths and near other staff members.
- Safety operating distance
If not necessary, do not use the truck in the immediate vicinity of another appliance.
Always keep a safe distance from other trucks in the event that they may have unpredictable movements.
Make sure you always have enough space to stop safely.
- Load stability
Handle loads carefully by checking their stability and balance before lifting, lowering and moving. Falling loads can cause injury and damage.
Proceed with the load tilted backwards and the forks as low as possible, as this increases the stability of the truck.
Never drive the forks excessively above the ground and do not steer with the forks raised or tilted forward.
Always pay attention to the presence of obstacles above when lifting, lowering or stacking loads.
Pay attention to the possible fall of loads during the stacking operations.
- Maintain all-round visibility
Carrying a load close to the ground ensures excellent forward visibility.
Drive the truck in reverse when the load restricts visibility, except when climbing up the ramps.
Make sure you have a good view of the shelving or top of the stack when placing a load.
When reversing, make sure that the forks are tilted completely back and that the load is firmly secured before starting to move.
If the visibility remains obstructed, always stop and check that it is safe to proceed. In such circumstances, it may be necessary to turn to a person who can help and supervise.
We must also remember that:
The safety of forklifts depends on maintenance.
All the components of the truck, the safety devices and the remaining equipment must work properly.
Any faults or failures found on a forklift truck can cause serious injuries.