Particular OSHA requirements have to be met in order to operate any type of forklift. A lot of the companies utilizing lift trucks would provide basic training to the other sales and office staff in combination with visitors and other non operators who might venture into the distribution areas. Even though OSHA doesn't particularly address lift truck pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers should take measures so as to protect employees from some dangers, such as pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
A huge concern that will need to be addressed is pedestrian safety. Based on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH; around 20 percent of all forklift mishaps comprise a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic translates to approximately 19,000 individuals on a yearly basis.
Then again frequently or briefly people are around industrial trucks during their work day, there are several basic steps that should be taken in order to keep everyone safe. Among the main factors is that forklift pedestrian accidents usually happen in situations where the pedestrian is not aware of safety measures. Problems also happen more frequently when the pedestrian ends up complacent since she or he has become used to frequent interaction with lift trucks.
So as to avoid putting yourself at potential risk of being struck by a forklift, there are several common situations to look out for. One of the most common problems is when pedestrians did not see the forklift. A lot operations have various degrees of blind corners or intersections which pedestrians must be aware of. At times pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be careful of the different kinds of power sources. For instance, electric trucks may be a lot quieter than IC engines that are really loud.
The other main issues are when pedestrians come in too close proximity of the machine. Common sense tells us that in order for a pedestrian to be injured by a lift truck, the pedestrian needs to be in close enough proximity to be struck. For a lift truck which is working, a four foot safety zone is suggested in order to make a safe perimeter for everybody. This helps to deal with risks like for instance the unit accidentally driving over the foot of a pedestrian.
Following and implementing strict safety protocol helps to make certain that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch.