We all think accidents will be something that happens to someone else. We all know that doesn’t have to be the case. Any new driver can have an accident. So can a veteran driver who is careless, who doesn’t pay attention to obstacles or is simply going too fast. Common sense forklift operation ought to keep any operator out of trouble, but it takes proper training to demonstrate how to do things right.
How easy is it to dump your load by accident?
All it takes is hitting the brakes a bit too soon-and especially while going too fast. This can happen even if your load is built right on the pallet. Dumping a load forward off the pallet is quite easy to do. It is much harder to explain yourself to your superiors, and it takes a lot of work to clean it up. A short YouTube video shows how easily it can happen.
How likely is it for a forklift to end up on two wheels?
Going up on two wheels should be scary enough to keep you from making the same mistake again, but if the truck topples, you may not get a second chance. A video shows a lift on two wheels and how easily it can happen. The lift truck doesn’t have to leave the ground to hurt you.
Your employer should want to take the time to train you
A forklift operator explains in a You Tube video how he crashed his truck and broke his back. The worker was just 16 years old and was hired on the spot to run a forklift. He followed the examples of other operators and imitated their practices-obviously these operators who were his indirect mentors hadn’t been trained properly. Guess what happened? The operator is lucky he didn’t die.
Some consider videos of near-misses-accidents where no one got hurt-to be funny. Yet, in every one of these scenarios, someone could have been hurt or killed, and there are documented cases where the worst has happened.
Watch these videos to learn how not to operate a forklift
- Forklift topples forward onto platform
- Forklift falls from loading dock while truck is backing in
- Lift operator topples and spins the lift truck
- Stand-up lift operator spins himself to hospitalization
- Lift truck trashes car
If you are a material handler, don’t ever assume that these things can’t happen to you.
If you are the owner or operator of a warehouse where forklifts are operated, don’t assume that your employees won’t engage in these hi-jinks. Even if employees aren’t engaged in horseplay, they can still have massive accidents. All it takes is driving too fast turning to quickly or not checking a mirror just one time.
Watch the videos now and share them with your material handlers-and keep these scenarios on the video screen-and off of your warehouse floor. Tell operators to take their time when handling your material. Give them enough time to do it, and take the time to train them.
Sources:
You Tube: Top Ten Forklift Accidents
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTnGZ37sZqM