Particular OSHA requirements have to be met so as to utilize any kind of forklift. Many of the businesses utilizing lift trucks will offer 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 specifically deal with lift truck pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers need to take measures so as to protect employees from some risks, such as pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
Pedestrian safety is a big issue that needs to be addressed and not disregarded. Based on the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; around 20 percent of all forklift mishaps comprise a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic translates to about 19,000 people each and every year.
In order to keep everybody safe, there are several basic steps that should be taken into account. This is regardless to how briefly or frequently people are around industrial trucks in their work day. One of the main considerations is that forklift pedestrian mishaps normally happen in situations where the pedestrian is not aware of safety measures. Issues also happen more frequently when the pedestrian ends up complacent because she or he has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts.
In order to avoid putting yourself at potential risk of being struck by a forklift, there are some common situations to look out for. One of the most common problems is when pedestrians did not see the forklift. Many operations have various degrees of intersections or blind corners that pedestrians must be aware of. At times pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be careful of the various types of power sources. For instance, electric trucks may be a lot quieter than IC engines that are super 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 near to be struck. For a forklift that is working, a four foot safety zone is recommended so as to make a safe perimeter for everybody. This helps to deal with risks such as the model driving accidentally over the foot of a pedestrian.
Implementing and following strict safety protocol helps to make sure that the workplace safety stays top notch and remains paramount.