To be able to operate any kind of lift truck, certain OSHA requirements have to be met. Some businesses provide basic awareness training to other people such as 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 deal with forklift pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers should take measures so as to protect employees from certain dangers, like pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
Pedestrian safety is a big concern that has to be dealt with and not overlooked. Based on the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; about 20% of all forklift accidents comprise a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means approximately 19,000 people each year.
Nonetheless frequently or briefly people are around industrial trucks in their work day, there are some basic steps that should be taken so as to keep everybody safe. Amongst the major considerations is that lift truck pedestrian accidents normally happen in cases where the pedestrian is not aware of safety precautions. Problems also happen more often when the pedestrian ends up complacent because he or she has become used to frequent interaction with lift trucks.
There are some common situations to look out for so as to avoid placing yourself at possible risk from being struck by a forklift. Pedestrians not seeing the forklift is a common issue which needs to be dealt with. Lots of operations have different degrees of blind corners or intersections which pedestrians should be aware of. Sometimes pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be careful of the various kinds of power sources. Like for instance, electric trucks can be much quieter compared to IC engines that are super loud.
Coming in too close proximity of the machine is another common problem 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 lift truck that is working, 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 a pedestrian's foot.
Following and implementing strict safety protocol helps to make certain that the workplace safety stays top notch and remains paramount.