In order to operate any type of forklift, certain OSHA requirements need to be met. Some businesses offer basic awareness training to other people such as visitors and office employees or sales people and other non-operators who might venture into the warehouse or yard. Though OSHA doesn't specifically deal with lift truck pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers must take measures so as to protect employees from certain risks, like pedestrians exposed to moving lift trucks.
Pedestrian safety is a big concern that has to be dealt with and not ignored. Based on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH; around 20 percent of all forklift accidents consist of a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic translates to about 19,000 individuals on an annual basis.
So as to keep everyone safe, there are some basic steps which must be taken into consideration. This is regardless to how frequently or briefly people are around industrial trucks in their work day. Among the major considerations is that forklift pedestrian mishaps normally occur in situations where the pedestrian is not aware of safety measures. Problems also happen more often when the pedestrian ends up complacent because she or he has become used to frequent interaction with lift trucks.
There are some common situations to look out for in order to prevent placing yourself at possible risk from being struck by a forklift. Pedestrians not seeing the lift truck is a common problem that needs to be addressed. Many operations have varying degrees of intersections or blind corners which pedestrians should be aware of. At times pedestrians do not hear the forklift. Be very careful of the different kinds of power sources. For example, electric trucks can be a lot quieter as opposed to IC engines that are super loud.
Coming in too near the machinery is another common problem for pedestrians. In order for a pedestrian to be injured by a forklift, common sense tells us that the pedestrian needs to be near to be struck. For a forklift which is running, 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 driving accidentally over the foot of a pedestrian.
Implementing and following strict safety protocol helps to make certain that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch.