Forklift safety 2: how to prevent accidents at work

Forklifts are means of transportation widely used in industrial and logistics areas, but also potentially dangerous if not used correctly. Every year there are numerous workplace accidents caused by forklifts that can cause damage to people, goods and structures. For this reason, it is essential to take preventive and protective measures to guarantee the safety of forklift trucks and operators.

What are the main risks associated with forklifts?

The main risks associated with forklifts are:

Industrial signage can be divided into different categories depending on the function it performs. The most common are:

• overturning of the vehicle due to careless driving, poor distribution of the load or an uneven or slippery surface,
• collision of persons or obstacles caused by poor visibility, distraction of the driver or failure to signal the presence of a forklift truck,
• fall of the load caused by incorrect handling, insufficient fastening or excessive overlap of the goods,
• injury to the driver caused by incorrect posture, lack of safety devices or exposure to noise, vibration or harmful substances.

How to prevent forklift accidents?

In order to avoid forklift accidents, some good practice rules should be followed, including:

• Choose the type of forklift that best suits the characteristics of the work performed and the environmental conditions.
• Carry out regular vehicle maintenance and check its condition before each use.
• Respect the company's internal traffic regulations and follow the instructions of signs and traffic lights.
• Always use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as helmet, gloves, safety shoes and safety belt.
• Adjust the seat and steering wheel to your height and maintain an ergonomic position while driving.
• Do not exceed the maximum permissible weight of the forklift and balance the load evenly on the forks.
• Raise and lower the load slowly and carefully, avoiding sudden or sudden movements.
• Do not transport persons on a forklift or load, and do not leave the vehicle unattended with the engine running or the forks raised.
• Be aware of other vehicles and pedestrians in the work area and signal your presence with your horn or lights.
• In case of anomalies or emergency situations, stop immediately and report the accident to the relevant authorities.

What are the benefits of increased forklift safety?

Greater forklift safety brings benefits to both workers and companies, including:

• reducing the number of work accidents and resulting absences, illnesses or disabilities,
• reduction of costs due to damage to goods, structures or vehicles,
• increase in productivity, efficiency and quality of work performed,
• improvement of the organizational climate, motivation and employee satisfaction,
• improving the image of the company and social responsibility.

New for forklift safety

The above are the means and solutions that have been adopted so far to improve the safety of forklifts, but we have a truly innovative answer.

Lamps installed on forklift trucks to alert pedestrian operators of hazards.

There are various applications of these lamps to guarantee maximum safety for those working near forklift trucks, such as lamps that emit a beam of light to alert workers to the arrival of a vehicle or to signal maneuvering areas, or great news…

An intelligent hazard signaling mechanism designed to ensure that the higher the forks of the forklift, the wider the area marked as hazardous.

See how this innovative forklift safety system works in the video below.

This is one of the many innovations of our company in the field of security lighting. Discover the entire range of products here and create a quote.