To be able to utilize any type of forklift, specific OSHA requirements have to be met. Some businesses offer basic awareness training to other individuals like visitors and office staff or sales people and other non-operators who may venture into the yard or warehouse. Though OSHA doesn't specifically deal with lift truck pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers need to take measures so as to protect employees from certain dangers, like pedestrians exposed to moving lift trucks.
A huge concern which will have to be addressed is pedestrian safety. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH; roughly 20 percent of all forklift mishaps comprise a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means about 19,000 people each and every year.
In order to keep everyone safe, there are some basic steps that should be taken into account. This is regardless to how frequently or briefly people are around industrial trucks during their work day. One of the major considerations is that lift truck pedestrian mishaps usually happen in cases where the pedestrian is not aware of safety measures. Problems also occur more often when the pedestrian has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts and ends up complacent.
So as to avoid putting yourself at possible risk of being struck by a lift truck, there are several common situations to look out for. Among the most common issues is when pedestrians did not see the forklift. Many operations have varying degrees of blind corners or intersections which pedestrians should know. Sometimes pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be careful of the various types of power sources. For example, electric trucks can be a lot quieter than IC engines that are super loud.
Coming in too close proximity of the machinery is another common concern for pedestrians. In order for a pedestrian to be injured by a forklift, common sense tells us that the pedestrian has to be in close proximity to be struck. For a forklift that is working, a four foot safety zone is recommended so as to make a safe perimeter for everyone. This really helps to address risks like for example the model accidentally driving over a pedestrian's foot.
To make certain that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch, following and the implementation of strict safety protocol is vital.