If you're not sure about the answers to the questions above, your operation may be at risk for a serious accident, expensive repairs, and possibly an OSHA fine.
Forklift and warehouse safety affect all aspects of a business. When an employee is injured, morale and productivity decline. If equipment or product is damaged, your bottom line takes a direct hit.
Learn more about the steps you can take to improve the safety of employees, warehouse staff, forklift operators, and your loading dock. We'll cover accident and injury statistics in addition to preventative programs, products, training and other measures designed to prevent expensive problems before they happen.
Small injuries and long-term strain can add up to a big problem for the forklift operator and the employer. But ergonomic forklift options and ergonomic accessories can help prevent common forklift operator injuries.
An OSHA study found 25% of forklift accidents are due to inadequate operator training, but what about the other 75%? Read about safety products and solutions to prevent common forklift accidents.
Pre-shift forklift inspections are required by OSHA, but this vital daily requirement* is often overlooked. Either the employer doesn’t know they are required, or they feel as though these inspections are a waste of time. It’s easy to think that, until the unthinkable happens.
*Inspections should be conducted before every shift for multi-shift operations.
Safety inspection checklists should be tailored to your operation. You can compare OSHA’s example with the forklift inspection checklists created by our material handling team. All you’ll see, we have a specific checklist for electric forklifts, narrow-aisle forklifts, IC lift trucks and so on. Feel free to download them for use in your facility!
Safety checklists are an important preventative measure to avoid injuries and fines. That said, making a safety checklist available isn’t enough. If you have one or two forklifts and multiple operators, it might not be clear who’s responsible for the initial inspection. Another common problem is what employees are supposed to do if and when they find a problem. Management should provide clear direction on how to document a problem or defect.
Download free forklift inspection checklists in English or Español. Available checklists include:
Aerial lifts are ideal for painting, warehouse rack maintenance and other overhead work. Whether you own, lease or rent an aerial lift, there are important safety procedures to follow.
Read more about aerial and scissor lift safety - including how to prevent one of the top three causes of aerial lift injuries and fatalities.
Or, schedule an aerial platform training and certification course at your facility. Training helps employers reduce the risk of property damage as well as employee injury or death. It also ensures compliance with OSHA and Cal OSHA regulations.
The fatal injury rate for warehousing employees is higher than the national average for all industries (source: OSHA). Accidents not only cost money, they take an emotional toll on your staff. But year after year, the same safety violations make OSHA’s most-cited list. They include:
Forklift Safety - Not Just for Operators Forklifts can weigh up to 9,000 pounds and travel at up to 18 mph. Most people know they are powerful machines, but how many of your employees know how to stay safe around forklifts?
All employees who enter your warehouse should receive forklift safety training. Here are just a few reasons why:
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and OSHA.
