Particular OSHA requirements need to be met in order to operate any type of forklift. A lot of the businesses utilizing forklifts would provide basic training to the other office and sales employees in addition to visitors and other non operators who may venture into the distribution areas. Even if OSHA doesn't particularly deal with forklift pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers have to take measures so as to protect employees from certain risks, like pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
Pedestrian safety is a big issue which has to be dealt with and not overlooked. Based on the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; approximately 20 percent of all forklift mishaps include a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means approximately 19,000 individuals every year.
In order to keep everyone safe, there are some basic steps which must be taken into account. This is regardless to how frequently or briefly individuals are around industrial trucks during their work day. Among the major considerations is that forklift pedestrian mishaps usually occur in situations where the pedestrian is ignorant of safety measures. Issues also happen more often when the pedestrian ends up complacent since she or he has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts.
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. Among the most common issues is when pedestrians did not see the forklift. A lot operations have varying degrees of intersections or blind corners that pedestrians should be aware of. At times pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be very careful of the various types of power sources. For instance, electric trucks could be much quieter than IC engines that are super loud.
Coming in too near the machinery is another common issue for pedestrians. In order for a pedestrian to be injured by a lift truck, common sense tells us that the pedestrian has to be near to be struck. For a lift truck that is working, a four foot safety zone is suggested in order to make a safe perimeter for everyone. This really helps to address risks such as the unit accidentally driving over the foot of a pedestrian.
To make certain that the workplace safety stays top notch and remains paramount, the implementation and following of strict safety protocol is vital.