In order to operate any kind of forklift, specific OSHA requirements have to be met. Several companies provide basic awareness training to other people like visitors and office employees or sales people and other non-operators who may venture into the warehouse or yard. Though OSHA doesn't particularly deal with forklift pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers must take measures so as to protect employees from some risks, such as pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
Pedestrian safety is a huge concern which has to be addressed and not disregarded. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH; roughly 20% of all forklift accidents include a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic translates to about 19,000 individuals on an annual basis.
Nonetheless frequently or briefly individuals are around industrial trucks in their work day, there are several basic steps that must be taken so as to keep everybody safe. One of the main factors is that lift truck pedestrian accidents often occur in situations where the pedestrian is not aware of safety measures. Problems also occur more frequently when the pedestrian has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts and ends up complacent.
So as to avoid putting yourself at potential risk of being struck by a forklift, there are some common situations to look out for. Among the most common issues is when pedestrians did not see the forklift. Numerous operations have varying degrees of blind corners or intersections that pedestrians have to be aware of. Sometimes pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be really careful of the various kinds of power sources. For example, electric trucks may be much quieter than IC engines which are really loud.
The other main problems are when pedestrians come in too close proximity of the machinery. Common sense tells us that in order for a pedestrian to be injured by a forklift, the pedestrian has to be in close enough proximity to be struck. For a forklift that is running, a four foot safety zone is suggested in order to make a safe perimeter for everybody. This really helps to address risks like the unit driving accidentally over a pedestrian's foot.
Following and implementing strict safety protocol helps to make certain that the workplace safety stays top notch and remains paramount.