Specific OSHA requirements have to be met so as to utilize any kind of forklift. Many of the companies using lift trucks will offer basic training to the other sales and office staff in addition to visitors and other non operators who may venture into the distribution areas. Even though OSHA doesn't particularly deal with lift truck pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers must take measures in order to protect employees from certain risks, like pedestrians exposed to moving lift trucks.
Pedestrian safety is a huge issue which has to be addressed and not ignored. Based on the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; about 20% of all forklift mishaps comprise a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means approximately 19,000 individuals each year.
In order to keep everyone safe, there are several basic steps which should be taken into account. This is regardless to how frequently or briefly individuals are around industrial trucks during their work day. Among the major factors is that forklift pedestrian accidents usually happen in situations where the pedestrian is ignorant of safety measures. Issues also happen more frequently 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 possible risk of being struck by a lift truck, there are some common situations to look out for. Amongst the most common problems is when pedestrians did not see the forklift. Numerous operations have different degrees of blind corners or intersections which pedestrians should know. Sometimes pedestrians do not hear the forklift. Be very careful of the different kinds of power sources. For instance, electric trucks could be a lot quieter than IC engines which are really loud.
The other major issues are when pedestrians come in too near the machine. Common sense tells us that in order for a pedestrian to be injured by a forklift, the pedestrian needs to be in close enough proximity to be struck. For a forklift that is running, a four foot safety zone is recommended so as to make a safe perimeter for everybody. This really helps to address risks such as the unit driving accidentally over the foot of a pedestrian.
Implementing and following strict safety protocol helps to make sure that the workplace safety stays top notch and remains paramount.