To be able to utilize any type of lift truck, certain OSHA requirements have to be met. Some companies offer basic awareness training to other individuals like visitors and office staff or sales people and other non-operators who might venture into the yard or warehouse. Even if OSHA doesn't specifically address forklift pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers need to take measures so as to protect employees from some risks, such as pedestrians exposed to moving lift trucks.
A huge problem which would have to be dealt with is pedestrian safety. Based on the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; about 20 percent of all forklift mishaps consist of a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means around 19,000 individuals on a yearly basis.
In order to keep everybody safe, there are several basic steps which should be taken into account. This is regardless to how briefly or frequently individuals are around industrial trucks during their work day. Amongst the main factors is that forklift pedestrian mishaps usually happen in situations where the pedestrian is not aware of safety measures. Problems also occur more often when the pedestrian ends up complacent since he or she has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts.
So as to avoid putting yourself at possible risk of being struck by a lift truck, there are some common situations to look out for. Among the most common issues is when pedestrians did not see the lift truck. A lot operations have varying degrees of blind corners or intersections that pedestrians should be aware of. Sometimes pedestrians do not hear the forklift. Be careful of the different kinds of power sources. For instance, electric trucks can be much quieter compared to IC engines which are really loud.
Coming in too close proximity of the equipment is another common issue for pedestrians. In order for a pedestrian to be injured by a forklift, common sense tells us that the pedestrian needs to be near to be struck. For a forklift which is running, a four foot safety zone is suggested so as to make a safe perimeter for everyone. This helps to deal with risks such as the unit accidentally driving over the foot of a pedestrian.
To make sure that the workplace safety stays top notch and remains paramount, the implementation and following of strict safety protocol is important.