Did you know that there are 20,000 forklift-related injuries annually in the United States? Do you usually work in an area where a forklift is running? If yes, then you must read this article, 10 Easy to Follow Forklift Safety Tips for Pedestrians, to be safe.
Before going to the tips, let’s talk first about the forklift pedestrian accident statistics. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reported that there are 100 deaths every year caused by forklift strikes. 36% of the victims are pedestrians.
In addition, there are 20,000 injuries every year caused by forklifts in the United States. It equals 10% of all industrial accidents.
This is a very serious problem, isn’t it?
You have to take serious action to avoid forklift pedestrian accidents. In your case, they are workers.
I have listed several forklift safety tips for pedestrians that are practicable. You can find them in the next paragraph. But, before we dive in, at first I will give you some tips for creating a better workplace with forklift operation inside.
Design a Better Workplace for Forklift and Pedestrian Safety
Designing a better workplace is the most effective way to prevent accident that relates to forklift operation. Thus, your next action will be much simpler.
In the first place, separation between forklift and pedestrian is the most crucial safety measure to prevent forklift pedestrian accidents. But, it is not the only thing you can do.
Here are the things that you should consider to design a safer workplace:
- Separate forklifts and pedestrians with obvious physical barriers. You can install a gate or rail-like foldable safety barricade. Even you can build a concrete wall for this purpose.
- Create a forklift area. Prohibit workers from entering that area at all with no exception.
- Separate forklift operation hours and workers’ working hours. Make a clear schedule with enough safety considerations.
- Set up a safe distance between forklifts and pedestrians. Do not rely on standards only. Probably it is not suitable for your workplace condition. Instead, consider your workplace’s uniqueness.
- Design work area with minimum intersections. With more intersections, more potential forklift strikes will occur.
- Install more lights and signs at an intersection.
- Increase alertness. You can use intersection mirrors, horns, and sensors.
- Limit forklift speed to a minimum. The lower the better.
Forklift Safety Tips for Pedestrians
After having better workplace design, it is now a lot easier for you to manage pedestrians or workers to prevent them from getting injured or dying from forklift operations.
Read the following forklift safety tips for pedestrians below to avoid no accidents:
- Never allow workers with hearing problems or eye problems to work in the area where the forklift operates.
- Everyone shall wear bright clothing. If possible make your safety helmet brighter too.
- Never allow workers or pedestrians to talk to each other inside the forklift area.
- Unplug the ear plug or ear muff when you walk through the forklift area or intersection.
- Avoid walking through an intersection as possible as you can.
- Avoid intersections with a lack of lights.
- Apply forklift pedestrian safety talk. Provide effective and clear safety talks with various texts.
- Use short and effective safety slogans. You can use available forklift safety slogans or create your own safety slogans.
- Carry out regular safety training for forklift drivers and workers. You can also use forklift pedestrian safety video as an alternative to keep their awareness.
- Do not forget to learn from other forklift-related accidents. Remember that an accident will always leave a clue as to why that can happen. Learn from that safety lesson.
The last thing I want to stress here is don’t forget to check the forklift condition just before you use it. Do it every day.
Any trouble that happens to the forklift will have a high possibility of causing an incident.
Conclusion
There are two important things to create a safe workplace where a forklift exists. Design a better workplace and encourage safer workers. Surely use the above forklift safety tips for pedestrians in your work-related procedure and regulation.
If you have more tips regarding this, please share them with us.
Note: to learn more about the role of forklifts in the logistics industry, you can click here.
