How Can Your Workplace Prevent Forklift Accidents? December 08 2016

Some of the forklift accidents in that video may have aroused a chuckle from you. A few of them were obviously not very serious, though they were very messy. Some, though, were much more than a little inconvenient; some looked downright disastrous.

You may be shocked to find that a whopping 34,000 emergency room injuries in the United States every year are a result of forklift accidents. As many as 20,000 warehouse workers are seriously injured. Of those 20,000 accidents, 100 people are killed.

Those numbers are staggering for any organization leader. Safety should always be top priority when working in an environment that requires the use of heavy machinery, like forklifts. Warehouse safety is of the highest importance to ensure that everyone goes home safely each day.

What can you do now for your warehouse floor to make it a safer workplace for everyone?

Proper training on heavy machinery cannot be emphasized enough. Many workers are simply not aware of the true dangers of these powerful tools, despite the statistics. That is easily demonstrated in some of those clips from the video. A few of those accidents would have been prevented entirely, if workers were properly educated on forklifts and the accompanying dangers that come with operating it.

Creating a visual workplace is also a great way to ensure your whole team – forklift operators, warehouse pedestrians, and everyone else – is on the same page, as far as safety is concerned. Visual workplaces are crucial for any facility that requires workers to rely on their vision for safety. By implementing visual barriers, safety lighting, and using the OSHA required colors for floor marking with durable Mighty Line Floor Tape, you will achieve a much higher level of safety than previously present on your warehouse floor.

Promoting a workflow for forklift operators that reduces speed is one big way you can help reduce the number of forklift accidents, particularly the fatal ones. 25 percent of all forklift fatalities are due to forklift rollover accidents. Emphasize to your team the speed limit within the warehouse when operating a forklift, and post clear signs for everyone to see.

One of the top four biggest dangers in forklift operation is collisions. Whether this is a collision with a pedestrian, with pallet rack uprights, with columns in the warehouse, with products, or anything else, the products available at the Rack Guard Store are able to help you avoid collisions and to reduce the impact of those that do happen.

Have you ever experienced any workplace forklift accidents? Share here, or find us on Twitter @FloorTapeStore!