In order to operate any type of lift truck, certain OSHA requirements have to be met. Some companies offer basic awareness training to other individuals like visitors and office staff or sales people and other non-operators who may venture into the yard or warehouse. Though OSHA doesn't specifically deal with forklift pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers have to take measures so as to protect employees from some dangers, like for instance pedestrians exposed to moving lift trucks.
Pedestrian safety is a huge concern which has to be addressed and not overlooked. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH; around 20% of all forklift accidents include a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means approximately 19,000 people each year.
Nevertheless briefly or frequently people are around industrial trucks in their work day, there are several basic steps that should be taken so as to keep everyone safe. Among the major factors is that lift truck pedestrian accidents often occur in cases where the pedestrian is ignorant of safety measures. Problems also occur 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 possible risk of being struck by a forklift, there are several common situations to look out for. Among the most common issues is when pedestrians did not see the forklift. Lots of operations have varying degrees of intersections or blind corners that pedestrians must be aware of. At times pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be very careful of the different types of power sources. For example, electric trucks may be a lot quieter than IC engines which are super loud.
The other main issues 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 lift truck, the pedestrian has to be near to be struck. For a lift truck that is working, a four foot safety zone is suggested in order to make a safe perimeter for everybody. This helps to address risks such as the model accidentally driving over a pedestrian's foot.
Following and implementing strict safety protocol helps to make certain that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch.