To be able to use any type of lift truck, certain OSHA requirements need to be met. Some companies provide basic awareness training to other people such as visitors and office employees or sales people and other non-operators who might venture into the warehouse or yard. Though OSHA doesn't specifically address forklift pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers must take measures so as to protect employees from some risks, like pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
A huge problem that would need to be dealt with is pedestrian safety. Based on the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; about 20 percent of all forklift accidents include a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means about 19,000 individuals on a yearly basis.
However frequently or briefly individuals are around industrial trucks in their work day, there are several basic steps which should be taken so as to keep everyone safe. Among the main considerations is that lift truck pedestrian mishaps normally occur in situations where the pedestrian is ignorant of safety measures. Issues also occur more often when the pedestrian ends up complacent because she or he has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts.
There are some common situations to look out for in order to avoid placing yourself at potential risk from being struck by a lift truck. Pedestrians not seeing the lift truck is a common issue which needs to be addressed. A lot operations have varying degrees of blind corners or intersections which pedestrians should be aware of. At times pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be really careful of the different types of power sources. For instance, electric trucks may be a lot quieter than IC engines that are really loud.
Coming in too close proximity of the machinery is another common problem for pedestrians. In order for a pedestrian to be injured by a forklift, common sense tells us that the pedestrian has to be in close proximity to be struck. For a lift truck which is running, a four foot safety zone is suggested so as to make a safe perimeter for everyone. This really helps to address risks such as the unit accidentally driving over a pedestrian's foot.
Following and implementing strict safety protocol helps to make sure that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch.