More than 95,000 forklift accidents happen each year. Statistically, this means about 1 in 10 forklifts will be involved in some type of incident. Experts estimate 70 percent of forklift accidents can be prevented, and forklift safety lights are a simple way to make your workplace safer for both forklift operators and pedestrians.
Blue spotlights mounted on the front and/or rear of the lift truck alert pedestrians when a forklift is nearby, and how fast it’s approaching. The lights project a bright blue light about 8 feet in front of or behind the forklift, depending on where the light is mounted.
Red zone forklift lights illuminate areas on each side of the forklift pedestrians should avoid. By reminding workers to keep their distance, you can lower the odds of someone getting hit by the rear-end swing when the forklift turns.
Forklift Safety Lights
Blue spotlights and red zone pedestrian safety lights aren’t required by OSHA, but they provide a big safety enhancement for a very small investment. Thirty-six percent of forklift-related deaths involve a pedestrian.
Workers can become blind to warning signs and overlook caution tape. But a bright blue, moving light will quickly catch their attention. Forklift spotlights have the added benefit of showing how fast the forklift is approaching and from what direction.
Blue LED forklift pedestrian safety spotlights help prevent accidents with other forklifts as well. In warehouses with blind intersections and narrow aisles, the blue spotlight can help prevent forklift collisions.
Strobe lights and back-up alarms aren’t always enough
Constantly-running strobe lights can become invisible to workers over time, and back-up alarms aren’t always heard over the din of other warehouse activity or by workers wearing ear protection. Also, it’s a sad fact that forklift operators sometimes disable alarms and strobes because they find them irritating.
How to Install Forklift Safety Lights
Blue safety spotlights and pedestrian red zone lights are usually mounted on the overhead guard. This prevents them from being crushed or knocked off during operation. A TMHNC forklift technician can wire your spotlight so it only operates when the forklift is in motion.Does your warehouse lighting meet OSHA standards?
Insufficient lighting is another problem for material handling operations. OSHA requires auxiliary forklift lights when the general lighting is less than two lumens per square foot (OSHA 1910.178(h)(2)). This applies to both indoor operations and outdoor operations where lift trucks may operate during non-daylight hours.
Contact TMHNC online or by phone for expert advice on how to make your workplace safer. We can design a custom solution for your needs and budget using a wide assortment of aftermarket forklift parts including:
- “Bullet” LED lights - ideal for when you don’t have room for a conventional light, comes with 2 mounting options (clamp-on or post)
- LED lights with plastic lens (safer for food-processing environments) Strobe lights in a variety of sizes and colors (choose from amber, blue or red lenses)
- Blue safety lights in different sizes and lumens
Forklift lights play a critical role in a safe work environment, especially when combined with forklift safety training. We also offer on-site aerial and warehouse safety training in the San Francisco East Bay, Sacramento, Salinas and Fresno.
Further Reading
3 Products That Improve Safety and Prevent Product Damage
Top 7 Causes of Warehouse Accidents and How to Prevent Them
Warehouse Safety Statistics, Products and Training
