Particular OSHA requirements need to be met in order to use any kind of forklift. A lot of the companies utilizing lift trucks will offer basic training to the other sales and office staff along with visitors and other non operators who might venture into the distribution areas. Though OSHA doesn't specifically address forklift pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers should take measures so as to protect employees from some dangers, such as pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
A big concern that will have to be addressed is pedestrian safety. Based on the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; around 20 percent of all forklift accidents include a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic translates to around 19,000 individuals each and every year.
In order to keep everybody safe, there are some basic steps which must be taken into account. This is regardless to how frequently or briefly people are around industrial trucks during their work day. Amongst the major factors is that forklift pedestrian accidents normally happen in situations where the pedestrian is ignorant of safety precautions. Issues also happen more often when the pedestrian has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts and ends up complacent.
In order to avoid putting yourself at potential risk of being struck by a lift truck, there are some common situations to look out for. Amongst the most common issues is when pedestrians did not see the lift truck. Numerous operations have different degrees of blind corners or intersections that pedestrians must know. Sometimes pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be careful of the different types of power sources. Like for example, electric trucks can be a lot quieter compared to internal combustion engines which are really loud.
The other major problems are when pedestrians come in too near 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 which is running, a four foot safety zone is recommended in order to make a safe perimeter for everybody. This really helps to deal with risks like the unit accidentally driving 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.